It's easier for an investor to stay committed to the plan and avoid change orders than it is a regular homeowner.

People in the group have regular calls with sellers that you could potentially listen in on.

I plan to manage the properties myself until it conflicts with my regular job.I would appreciate any advice on these markets to ensure success and connect with local investors.

I’d suggest you dig into the numbers, compare it to what a regular sale would give you, and talk to someone who specializes in this type of deal.

Mike for some reason my tagging is not working but i know Jamie Bateman uses podio and I believe has it connected with his servicing companies so information is updated on a regular basis.

I didn't even have $1000 saved at that time and I was really just thinking of going the regular route of going through the banks and just save up as much as I could for a down payment on my first investment home to rent out.

They are releasing permits now on a regular basis and things are able to move forward like they should.  

If I leave this amount in Sch-E, I get taxed at ordinary income tax rate at Federal and State level, which along with my regular W2 income can be substantial.

Here is a presentation I made describing the benefit of doing such vs a regular investment.

If you are in an expensive market and looking to leverage better markets, increase revenue and trustworthy property management with additional benefits (regular house cleaner, counselor to manage relationships among tenants, etc) then this is a great option for you.