It will also give you better pricing than any automated tool.

Now I'm on the Panda Planner and actually like it better. 

You need better contractors, because "not* putting in clean outs on a full repipe is just dumb, lazy and cheap.

Do you provide move in and move out reports How many pictures do you take of the property prior to tenant moves in and after the tenant moves outDo you get weekly reports when the property is vacant what prospective tenants are saying about your homeDo you provide monthly newsletters to your tenantsDo you hold investor education classes to help me become a better investorDo you have single point portfolio based management services?

Any of these will leave you in a much better position for success, and provide a greater income while you learn.  

Depending on the condition you'll command a better price on the MLS vs. off market.

I suspect that you'll have better luck with a local bank or private money, though it likely will still be challenging. 

Don't give up the pursuit.Fail fast works better in software than in real estate: reset the server, push a patch, etc. 

You might be able to afford a "better" property then.If you invest somewhere else in a vacation rental for example, you might also discover another place that you might like for retirement as well that might be more profitable.

Is this book worth my time or am I better off going another direction?