I think the folks that pay for these programs have the wherewithal to simply cut a check and its no big expense to them compared to what they stand to get out of it. 

Average rental rates, vacancies, competition, growth, appreciation, etc..Ive heard of scrolling through Zillow and collecting information by looking at properties for sale/rent but was wondering if there is a site where all of this information is easily accessible or any ideas for better ways to go about it.Thanks in advance!

Per this NY Times article, the average American knows around 600 people.https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/science/the-average-american-knows-how-many-people.html#:~:text=The%20average%20American%20knows%20about,do%20you%20know%20named%20Kevin%3FPer the US Census Bureau, the average American moves 11.7 time in their life, which based upon an approximate lifespan of 84 years, works out to be about every 7 years.https://www.census.gov/topics/population/migration/guidance/calculating-migration-expectancy.html#:~:text=Using%202007%20ACS%20data%2C%20it,one%20move%20per%20single%20yearSo, if the average American knows 600 people and they each move about every 7 years, that means that the average American knows around 85 people that move in any given year.How many of those moves do you want to be involved in?

Agree it is difficult to assess costs when they vary so much by location.Keep in mind that some turnovers are sickenly expensive, and that is just the nature of the business. 

Once converted to a rental, repairs and improvements may qualify as deductible expenses, but pre-conversion repairs typically do not.

Real estate investing is forgiving; the average person can still make money even with some big mistakes.

I was pretty naive going in and the legal components I learned may have prevented me from expensive legal issues at some point.

Hi Saul,Vegas and Phoenix are on the pricier side, so you'll need to put a large down-payment down if you want to cover all your expenses with some cash leftover. 

A successful rental property should offer positive cash flow, meaning your rental income should exceed your monthly expenses (mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance, etc.).To find the right tenants, ensure the property is priced competitively within the local rental market.

Are you able to reduce your expenses quickly and easily if needed?