8:30 Saturday Morning at the Evans Library (just outside of Augusta) the Second Saturday of the Month.

Found some books at the public library used book store or Goodwill store for 50 cents apiece.

Take advantage of the vast resources I've found here on Bigger Pockets--articles, tools, and connections with others.2.

However, it's pretty inexpensive (a friend and I are paying $19/mth jointly to be members) and they have an extensive library of educational materials.

Finding comps isn't necessarily hard, but you begin to get vastly different numbers for houses that are pretty similar.Given that I am new to this and want to minimize my risk exposure on my first rehab deal, my first intuition is to just focus my search in the zip codes I can easily comp out and I know will limit my risk of basing my decision on bad data.

If I can find great deals, then I may be able to go into different real estate investing directions, as the opportunities arise.I am currently learning to navigate my way through the vast amount of information on this site.

Though I have been a landlord for over twenty years now I still consider myself somewhat of a novice when it compared the vast options that are out there.

The RE books at the library seem like they give as good or better advice.

Gary,With your numbers, the cashflow you gain by paying off the property is vastly greater than tax incentives you lose!

Joseph M - I believe that most of my friends are finding their most lucrative deals through their vast network of agents, who themselves are quietly finding distressed owners/sellers and doing deals without ever listing the properties in the MLS.