My biggest mistake?

It's harder to find really good deals with built-in equity on the MLS, but it's also much easier to avoid making mistakes and buying turds and money pits. 

I choose not to rent to smokers and have never thought it was a mistake.  

I think you are mistaking  fake foreclosures with the commercials we hear about for title theft.

One of the biggest mistakes I see other investors make is not protesting their taxes every year regardless of if there is an increase or not.

It's important to analyze what went wrong to avoid making the same mistake again.I see a lot of new investors spend their very last dime purchasing a rental, then they have no money available to cover unforeseen events like what you experienced.

The guy kept saying, "I'm just afraid you'll make a mistake.

I was set to retire in my 30s doing what you’re doing but made a dumb mistake that cost me everything (don’t ask.

That having been said, I want to avoid any rookie mistakes.

I know stupid mistake, I did look into it but never presented it to him as I felt things would continue to move smooth as they were at one point.