If a newbie doesn't know how to do basic due diligence on an investment, they also don't know how to do due diligence on a coach or how to evaluate a coaching contract to understand exactly what the student will receive for their money.

So, having a trusted and experienced Realtor to provide you with an evaluation would be a good start to helping you really assess your options.First, I would ask you what your ultimate goal is...? 

With mutual trust, your agent will be able to put more time and care into your searches, evaluating properties for you, and not having to worry if their time will all be for not.

Quote from @Kody Smith: without getting too deep into my finances, what my strategy is...1. take loans to buy properties (leverage)2. fix/flip for day to day cash flow income3. use some of the fix/flip income to buy consistent cash flow through:- business acquisition, - commercial properties (MF and store fronts),I have no intention of doing ALL of the management myself, I will hire management as needed (medium term goal)my expected core role is money provider, evaluating the numbers, making decisions, and connecting with investors, wholesalers, lenders, contractors, and property owners.while I am just on step 2 of the journey, I am looking toward step 3 to stabilize, and not worry about if house prices drop mid project or not (or not worry as much) So to be fair this is more about obtaining and growing a real estate business not simply buying rentals for cashflow.

It’s definitely smart to evaluate the tax and cost implications of your funding options.

There are several hurdles during the process:Find the deal - Unless you are marketing or plugged into a community where there are opportunities, it isn't always easy to find the right dealsEvaluate the deal - Without professional guidance and research tools, it is difficult for a newbie investor to evaluate and ARV/FMV or create an adequate rehab budgetSecondary exit strategies - If things don't go as planned are their other opportunities to exit profitably.

If you own a 2-flat with an additional non-conforming garden unit (basement) being rented, and you're considering a cash-out refinance, how will the lender evaluate the rental income?

I'm happy to chat about the calculator I use when evaluating properties along with my set inputs.

I currently assign these scores manually, but it’s tedious and limits how quickly I can evaluate opportunities.Ideally, I’d like to:•Automate the collection of MLS/Zillow data.

Partnering with an experienced motel operator is a smart idea—it can help bridge the operational knowledge gap and mitigate risks.When evaluating motels, focus on metrics like occupancy rates, average daily rate (ADR), and revenue per available room (RevPAR).