Very efficient units with LED lighting throughout make energy bills very low!!

It depends on your climate, you might do an energy audit or just switch to electric, it doesn't seem too out of line for four units though $35 ish dollars per month depending on the size of the unit and how much they use the climate control.

We are both hard workers/high energy (not necessarily incredibly handy) and wouldn't mind doing the lion's share of the work by ourselves.

Until then, nobody can help you and all these posts are a waste of time and energy.

I don't have the time or energy to do this myself this time around, so figure it would cost me $20k to have someone do it for me. 

While you may administer investments, the time and energy and perhaps legal resources that go into resolving non-performing notes would go beyond the allowable threshold of activity. 

My advice when starting out is stick with one market and  focus your energy there, finding your Core 4 is great plan but you dont need all 4 right from the get go..Start by finding a good Realtor, a good Realtor will point you on right direction for Lenders & Property Managers or will give you options.

I see becoming an Agent as a sacrifice of time, energy, and money but in return I get all of the opportunities that come with holding the license. 

I've been devoting a lot of energy to Kitsap county (Bremerton specifically), but haven't seen anything amazing yet.

The city is booming and full of young energy .