We just went through it with a property that had multiple large red stains.

They had completely covered the outside wall with red brick and added a garage.

The tenant pool, however, is about 5 miles wide and 1 inch deep. 

Do deep market research to grasp market trends and property worth.

Many years ago, we had NPLs in NY and the bureacracy and red tape was staggering.

Other things that are red flags for me: Their bios don't even mention how long they've been managing other people's money. 

Basically if someone is offering to pay 12 months in advance there are a lot of red flags that go up. 

To do well in pricey places like Santa Barbara, use what locals know, look into ways to invest, team up with backers, check out how to pay for things, aim for cheap homes, do deep checks on the market, and get to know folks in the area.

I recently had a conversation with my lender and mentioned I would be purchasing a property as my primary residence.  I would live there while fixing it up then renting it out in a year.  She cautioned I need to be ca...

Seems that way in the business of Land Flipping...which is a red flag in my eyes...maybe it's not a part of the real estate sector I need to get into.