Everyone has an opinion but that is where I am placing my chips for the moment.

But interior stairs that require trim work and a combination of oak and pine we outsource.

Since you are in DC I suggest looking in some of the west side neighborhoods like Gwynn Oak, Forest Park, or Howard Park.  

I think I'm incrementally getting better at it and I have an out of state strategy in place that should help me reach my goals, but I know I can improve on this a lot and so I keep chipping away at it.

I agree with Michael Henry, if you play with small chips you can only make small profits. 

Ours is in White Oak - 3rd Thursday of the month.

Jim,  Check- out Brian Gibbons near you in Sherman Oaks, and also Chris Prefontaine.

My name is Lou and I am from the small  community of Lone Oak , Kentucky. 

Unfortunately, I have seen many friends and other investors have to dig out of a hole because they stayed too long.I am currently taking some chips off the table by selling one of three large apartment buildings I have in the Dallas area and exchanging the payment of a hefty amount of tax In order to receive a hefty amount of safety and security.Good luck on your decision and you are lucky to have one....

Here is how i would think about it if i were you; I have 10K in savings; I can: a) keep it in the bank and get 1% a year for it  - no riskb) invest it in blue chip dividend stocks that pay 4~5% in dividends - higher riskc) Use the money as down payment to buy a house to live in and rent out part of the home to generate income - you need to figure out what your return will be in this scenario.