Over time, I discovered mistake #2 was not buying them right.

Thanks so much for posting all this info I had been looking at Apke Land or Land Investing Online, while they give lots of free information if you really want in depth or access to their letters you have to buy their course.

I can't buy gas with a percentage.

PS - Since 2003, Dean & DeWitt Property Management has helped investors buy, sell, and manage investment properties in the St.

This would likely take coordination with a tenant at some point - (ie - plenty of notice to them that they must vacate in order for you to sell the property)Since your current home is free and clear -  you could do a cash out refi or take out a new mortgage on the new house to be able to buy your paren't house and pay off the mortgage.  

Unless you've done substantial improvements to the building or used a large down payment when buying, it's unlikely this will work.Perhaps your best move is to find a new primary residence that is 2-4 units and repeat the process.

Since you’re already networking and have some good realtor contacts, focus on narrowing down your investment strategy (like buy-and-hold or house hacking) and target markets with solid cash flow potential.

For someone looking for diversification or steady long-term growth without getting too hands-on, your suggestion of buying and upgrading a rental property in a familiar and appreciating area makes a lot of sense.

BiggerPockets also has a calculator to analyze deals, and I highly recommend you start this as soon as possible, even if you are not ready to buy.

The other half is a mix of spec and owners buying lots to custom-build for themselves (more of the latter than the former).