I just got off the CI Webinar as well...before I press send and shell out $1,500..I want to get feedback first..I do a lot of calling and have my list prepared for me and uploaded into MOJO dialer...some of the list I am already pulling like pre foreclosure..the question is is this worth it to get a real time list of Zombie properties (In pre-foreclosure and vacant), every probate sent weekly, and real time Auction list (Courthouse auction within 45 days)..this would be the best list..and real time means fresh leads...if the data is good this is a good deal...they are advertising 20,000 skip traces per month..and the offer based on the price sounds too good to be true...something is got to give...it would currently cost me $3,400 per month to skip trace 20,000 properties...so their data is most likely garbage...you will be able to get some #...but in high volume calling operation a 4% connection rate vs 7% is a big deal..so to be conservative you probably need to add the cost of the skip tracing (in addition to the cost of the program $1,500 start up + $97/per month after 3 months + skip tracing list) since I seriously doubt they are going to the top most high quality vender...I will be joining tomorrow and will provide more feedback shortly...

For example, I was the one pressing hard on knowing if tenants were paying rent.

You can’t beat the Fed’s printing press.

This isn't all that pressing at the moment.

Time to get off the bench and start playing 

A great book for this is Thomas Ittelson's 'Financial Statements" by Career Press.

I mostly rent to college students so an area they can hang out would be great but also don’t want anything that they can easily break - like moveable patio furniture.I was thinking about more solidified updates like built-in wooden benches around the fence.

In the good areas of Austin, you'll be hard-pressed to find a 5 unit for that!

. $450k goes really far in this market- for a duplex, you'd be hard pressed to find something that expensive. 

A lot of these people are trying to get rid of properties so they can pay other pressing expenses.