Be sure to establish some goals and narrow down your approach.

Margins in hot areas like Houston have narrowed considerably, most fix and flippers believe that prices will rise 5-10% during the rehab period.

I'll keep researching the utilities to see if I can narrow it down a bit.

The lot size will be around 4500 square feet (45 x 100) so we have been looking at narrow lot plans.

when you find yourself coveting Donald Trump's hair piece......... even though you have a full head of hair.when, while telling the priest in the church confessional that you're going the straight and narrow and giving up the mistress, you find yourself preoccupied with calculating the the additional revenue the apt you provided her will bring in.when you begin fantasizing that global warming and the melting of the polar ice caps may some day turn your troubled lower income properties into valuable beach front properties.

If you are not sure read what they have on their home pages and do some research to narrow down your pick.

I try to narrow the list to 3 - 4 agents.

I have not narrowed down a specific area for investment yet.

And do civilians tend to shy away from these areas for reasons such as loud low-flying planes, etc, thereby narrowing your tenant pool to military families?

You say you obsess about research, so you really should narrow down your field so you don't drive yoursel crazy with too much information and too many options.