One of the guys on my team, Mo, has quite a bit of experience in this space.

@Sandra Feurtado would visit as many time necessary to get to know the market and build a team you can rely on going forward.

I've connected with a few investor knowledgeable realtors through BP in different markets to start researching areas and building a team of mentors and advisors.  

If you have a great team, a great strategy, a great eye, you still need the money. 

I could manage 6 months even if I lost my job and none of the 15-16 tenants at that time paid me rent for 6 months straight although it never happened. 

Team up with someone and take a few small steps and learn the business.

There's definitely a push towards jumping into larger deals without adequate credentials based on the "team" approach concept where one can assemble a team of capital raisers, deal hunters & guarantors who all become CO-GP's. 

Annual home appreciation, rental appreciation and the property management teams in these markets are attractive for investors too. 

Definitely smart to start connecting with local contractors, pm's, and lenders early on—having the right team in place will make all the difference.

I haven't lost money on a flip but I'm not profiting nearly as much as I'd like.