I would define a war zone as an area where people are frequently murdered and bullets fly with some regularity.

Its really easy to make some mistakes and mess up your credit.Some people move around frequently.

How many serious/frequent buyers does it take to establish a decent sized list and begin to look for deals?

I'm more than willing to spend a month or two on the ground anywhere in the country finding and purchasing the right property, as well as flying out frequently to check up on it.

Start stepping on toes..........agents are required by law to submit your offer unless specifically stated in listing that no offer will be accepted below a certain amount.Agents frequently hold offers or fail to submit them......make your offer then push....good agents will submit it......ask for the denial paperwork if told you were denied......always push the issue.....the only agents that will be offended are those that do not do as they are supposed to.

Eventually I wouldnt mind owning a hotel, or even casino somewhere down the road.

This bothers me as it is akin to buying/selling stocks or putting $100 on red or black at the casino.

The only way to make money over the long haul with Casinos is to simply own one.Poker is a good way to make money, because you aren't playing the house, you are playing others.

Above all, these issues will change frequently over the next decade.

Financed 1st deal by aquiring 100% financing by simply credit ( in definition, financing secured by shear credit is a debenture), bought property from builder at a discount of %10 by offering him a quick close (meaning no wait-time and no-marketing expense) and frequent business relationship, contract was struck before property was finished, found several buyers before property was finished and I closed.