Set your criteria on gross income and ask for proof of gross income, it will make the calculation easier to grasp for all involved.

You really need to have a good grasp of how to come up with valuations and never rely on anyone you don't know and trust from your own experience to give you a property value.

Most people should be able to handle to math side of this business as long as s/he has a decent grasp of arithmetic.Sometimes in the academia, people may over-complicate things. 

IMO, either she doesn't know anything about valuations, or she is grasping at whatever will get you to pay more than appraisal.

Its a pretty straight forward process to grasp and is a good way to become familiar with real estate terms, processes, and basic principles. 

It will probably only amount to a few properties every other day to look at.The big dump when you first get your criteria set up with your agent is overwhelming, but it gives a great opportunity to study inventories and get a better grasp on your target market.

Having a good grasp on personal finance and getting your personal finances in order first before you start to invest will help to build your foundation for success.

It seems to be the general consensus I need to get a better grasp on actual repair cost before speculating any further.

Another thing is that newbies don't fully grasp the ratios involved in this biz.  

I just listened to the podcast a couple of days ago that talks about the ultimate begginer's guide which is great by the way, so i will definitely will revisit it to get a better grasp on the information it contains.Thanks again Mehran