Any links to a beginner's curriculum of study (e.g. the top couple of books to read, or the main topics you should study before jumping in) on the BP site or elsewhere would be much appreciated.And finally:I would love to connect with folks both in my area and out of area, so let's!

Question that has stumped me...I've been mostly looking in Jefferson County, Alabama and have discovered how to cross reference the Default Tax list with the GIS so I can locate and study the property (YEA!). 

Please PLEASE study the info I offer above and improve your business. 

Keep studying, asking question, legwork,

I know that sounds high, but these houses new sell for upwards of 360k, so we are hoping it's worth the investment.We have studied the info on auction.com and know that our 5% earnest money will need to be wired to the bank soon afterwards if we get accepted.

yes an area with few rentals is not bad news, if you also study jobs and job growth (see my paper and indeed.com, put in a town, set radius to 5 mi, then compare with other towns).   

You just have to sit and study it and plan on how to put it all together to make the property profitable.

@Rich Hupper I’m not too knowledgeable about what the bank might require, but as part of your due diligence you would probably engage an environmental/engineering firm to conduct a Phase 1 environmental study.

Study and learn as much as you can. 

Study how to value a property your way is way off base.