The homes that I deal with are mostly post 2000 build so they are in decent shape only needing cosmetic changes.Being an engineer I am way too analytical and have lost on some screaming deals, but again looking back is always 20/20 :).

I've been buying undervalued properties directly from homeowners ever since.It's obvious that you will have to be the analytical control freak and that he will have to be ok with that in order for this to work.

Strong analytic skills.No real estate specific skills.Dont want to deal with a tenants directly on a regular basis.Risk averse in the sense that I don't want to take on investments that could bleed over liability into my other assets.  

I wouldn't get too analytical with the numbers at this point..

Hello,I am completely new to RE Investing... but have a strong analytical background (I am an accountant).

@Rusty - I'm afraid I'm not very analytical but I think they're doing pretty well.

But get beyond your comfort zone of the analytics and talk to brokers, etc.

I am a newbie still looking for that first deal due to the fact that I have a hard time shutting off the analytical side of my brain which keeps me scared of getting into something that I don't know enough about.

Can you track analytics?

From your description it sounds to me like a casual read, much like reading a book on Henry Ford or Eli Whitney or other successful people, probably not the text used as the curricula for a business class at the Chicago School of Business or Harvard..Moving to the level where our OP is striving to attain I'd say he needs to concentrate more to graduate level classes, analytical studies, modeling, market testing, analytical finance and economics.