It sounded pretty good, but of course I wanted to check for reviews.  

Some allow cash, most require the 10% deposit to be paid with a certified check made out to the referee but there is no verification of funds.

Realtor.com has a lot of data on rent cost and housing prices. - What driving factors should I take into account when l'm looking for an up n' coming hot markets?

This will give you an idea of where you can be priced at with factual data rather than guessing a 3%. 3% could be sufficient but the data will help you be confident in your decision. 

Also check out the Lend2Live group.   

But if do a BRRRR from far away that's risky too, without a really good and trustworthy team in place and lots of checks and balances (security cameras, someone local to check on your property) and the ARV and refinance aspect can be challenging.  

Thought I'd check in to see if people's recommendations remain the same 3yrs later!

Hi Michelle, I would check on the rules started by another poster about rules changed for appraisers and basement bedrooms.

Here are a few suggestions on how you can maximize the wealth of information available: Check out the blogs and podcasts, or take advantage of the search feature (magnifying glass).

Be sure to check out the free tools BP provides to help analyze deals you may have and also market insights.