I have my B.A. in Studio Art and have some 'woodworking' experience - my favorite is refinishing floors and/or any wood detailing. 

In fact, as I keep saying, real estate is as much an art as it is a science.

Yeah I know thanks a lot Art for that profound answer haha.My opinion is there are a ton of factors in areas with high foreclosures... sometimes those areas turn more into good rental areas.

But why would they even think about doing so, without having gone through the complicated procedures of learning all about the art and science (and in many cases, legal requirements) of “representing othersâ€â€¦ i.e. “acting as an agent for others?

Learning financing is more of an art than a science.

For the past year I have rigorously studied the art of real estate investing, holding, selling, and cash flow maximization.

Finding people is somewhat of an art.

Contracting different trades to do your first few rehabs is more art then science, and you should expect and budget for the unknown.

reg=cny&app=descriptorVery Favorable> Accountants: $54,880 (Annual openings:80)> Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics: $29,970 (AO:70)> Bartenders: $14,840 (AO:110)> Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks: $30,460 (AO:110)> Bus Drivers, School: $29,660 - (AO:70)> Carpenters: $37,480 - (AO:80)> Cashiers: $15,230 - (AO:500)> Child Care Workers: $17,310 (AO:140)> Serving Workers, Including Fast Food: $14,710 (AO:240)> Construction Managers: $93,730 (AO:30)> Cooks, Fast Food: $14,590 (AO:60)> Cooks, Restaurant: $21,590 (AO:50)> Food Concession, and Coffee Shop: $14,580 (AO:120)> Customer Service Representatives: $29,170 (AO:120)> Dishwashers: $14,560 (AO:60)> Electricians: $53,100 (AO:50)> Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education: $48,400 (AO:130)> Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants: $35,410 (AO:130)> First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Food Preparation and Serving Workers: $22,450 (AO:90)> First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Office and Administrative Support Workers: $42,560 (AO:90)> Food Preparation Workers: $15,550 (AO:180)> General and Operations Managers: $89,750 (AO:70)> Home Health Aides: $21,750 (AO:100)> Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners: $20,930 (AO:250)> Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers: $22,120 (AO:150)> Lawyers: $82,740 (AO:50)> Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: $32,050 (AO:60)> Maintenance and Repair Workers, General: $31,990 (AO:100)> Nursing Aides, Orderlies, and Attendants: $22,090 (AO:80)> Office Clerks, General: $22,950 (AO:170)> Receptionists and Information Clerks: $22,780 (AO:130)> Registered Nurses: $49,510 (AO:250)> Retail Salespersons: $18,010 (AO:510)> Sales Representatives: $50,830 (AO:170)> Secondary School Teachers: $51,940 (AO:130)> Secretaries: $26,530 (AO:120)> Security Guards: $20,960 (AO:110)> Stock Clerks and Order Fillers: $19,490 (AO:150)> Teacher Assistants: $19,780 (AO:250)> Truck Drivers, Light or Delivery Services: $25,630 (AO:70)Least Favorable> Architectural and Civil Drafters: $39,380 (AO:under 10)> Chemical Technicians: $28,450 (AO:10)> Coating, Painting, and Spraying Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders: $27,630 (AO:10)> Computer Operators: $31,320 (AO:10)> Court, Municipal, and License Clerks: $34,350 (AO:10)> Crossing Guards: $17,050 (AO:10)> Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance: $29,990 (AO:10)> Electronics Engineers, Except Computer: $73,650 (AO:10)> Engineers, All Other: $66,780 (AO:under 10)> Forging Machine Setters: $34,240 (AO:under 10)> Human Resources Managers, All Other: $76,460 (AO:under 10)> Insurance Underwriters: $52,720 (AO:10)> Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates: $114,850 (AO:under 10)> Maintenance Workers, Machinery: $40,540 (AO:10)> Occupational Health and Safety Specialists: $55,440 (AO:under 10)> Telemarketers: $17,800 (AO:10)> Travel Agents: $32,430 (AO:under 10)Crime (Division of Criminal Justice Services)http://www.criminaljustice.state.ny.us/crimnet/ojsa/indexcrimes/county_totals.htm===================================================================================Onondago county 2000 vs 2005Index Crime: down 15%Violent Crime: down 2%Murder: down 10%Rape: up 35%Robbery: up 20%Agg Assualt: down 13%Property Crime: down 17%Burglary: down 7%Larceny: down 23%MV theft: up 9%Tax Rates====================================http://www.ongov.net/Realproptax/taxrates.htmlCounty Purposes: $13.705600City Purposes: $7.189600School Purposes: $16.928500County Water Purposes: $0.077600Total City Rate: $37.901300Destiny USA=========================================http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DestiNY_USAPlans, which currently include over 4.5 million square feet (400,000 m²), consist of 13,000 hotel rooms, an indoor aquarium, an indoor recreation of the Erie Canal, a stadium and performing arts center, three golf courses, a 100 acre (400,000 m²) glass-enclosed indoor park, and a 20 acre (80,000 m²) artificial lake.

I also carry a Benchmade folding knife with a 3 1/2" blade and yes, as someone mentioned - the cellphone and a good flashlight are very much a necessity.I also have had martial arts training - which I sincerely recommend to every land lord even if you have an aversion to guns.As to why the Glock - I actually settled on the Glock 30 after having an e-mail conversation with Massad Ayoob (you can google his name).