OP, sorry about this it is my least favorite part of REI. 

If you are looking to do MTR, Portland is my favorite market.

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

Another favorite I'll be using is gotolstoy dot com.

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

I would love any advice on landlords' favorite brands or models that last well and are not complicated.

I use all of them:-Brokers-Platforms like LoopNet, Crexi (my favorite), and BiggerPockets Deal Finder-additionally, brokers often have access to off-market opportunitiesWhen dealing with brokers, I've found that you have to build a relationship in order to get a good deal flow.

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.

You need to minimize upfront expenses because 100% of your investment is at risk and lost if the lot is not buildable.My favorite strategy is to locate the property and tie it up for usually no more than $100 for a period of 8-12 months, analyze it myself and if I believe it to have a chance at being buildable I create a permitting plan and market the property to other investors/builders willing to take on the permitting risk.  

Explore my personal favorites, Set For Life by Scott Trench or The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, for invaluable financial insights.3.