@Matthew Irish-Jones,That's a good point.

@Matthew Irish-Jones I agree I will be keeping my job for a little while but every day I wake up, analyze a property, read /listen to BP podcasts, search for properties, network....I am one day closer to quitting!

I will add--Know your tenant base--know their "Culture".Some areas abound with Buy here pay here Car lots and Pawn shops for a reason.Some areas are virtually barren of businesses for a reason.Just my 2 cents

@Matthew Irish-JonesWould you not take government money if it was available to you?

At a meeting of L.A.’s cultural-heritage commission last month, two historians dramatically recounted these Francophone flourishes in great detail, emphasizing French pronunciations like porte-cochère.

One advantage of self-screening is that when you are living in the unit you normally have more latitude to look for culture fit rather than the way a PM has to approach it.If a tenant is delinquent on rent it will be a stress either way, but the PM probably has more tools to deal with it.

You’ll enjoy the weather and the mix of three cultures.

It seems Allentown, Easton, and Bethlehem all have different cultures as well as price expectations for purchase and rent.

@Irish Mac, can you buy out of state as a first timer?  

Of course, the European culture and ambience is mighty appealing as well and difficult to quantify!