As always, shop around and compare terms to ensure you’re getting the best deal.

A solid agent can help you calculate ARV, manage inspections and contractor connections— get quotes and coordinate handymen and vendors post close, provide shopping lists and software suggestions for management or STR furnishing, etc. 

The most knowledgable people on market rents are the prospective renters who are currently shopping around trying to find the best option for themselves to live.

Quote from @Steve Tse: Hi BP, What insurance carriers can you recommend in Texas, as I am shopping around to replace my landlords policy that I currently have with Travelers ?

@Abigail KingThe important ones have already been covered by others here but a "real estate adjacent"/financial freedom book I recommend is Retire Young, Retire Rich by Kiyosaki.

We syndicated 75%, plus costs of the purchase price and financed the balance with a traditional loan.We shopped around for weeks to find the perfect loan with the best rates and terms.

As someone who deals and talks to real Private Lenders (small shops run by a guy who lends his own capital and doesn't use big box), they have a hard and fast business model that produces the rate of return they need to remain profitable and curb the risk on their cash.So the best product for a budding fix and flip investor is the bridge loan which includes acquisition money and construction money. 

I’d love to house hack and start with a duplex or larger, but I’m just finding is hard to shop around in our market.

It amazes me how much random transient travel it gets(bowling tournaments, pawn shop remodels, manufacturing employees, traveling photographers, etc). 

Raise rents, reduce expenses (shop insurance, appeal taxes, refinance, etc). 3.