Do I at least seem to be picking reasonable properties?

I’m here to connect, learn, and share what I pick up along the way as I (probably awkwardly) work toward financial freedom.

Awesome to hear you have a specific date picked out to take the test! 

Here's how I do my due diligence:1) Portfolio matching: (takes 30 seconds per deal)a) Have an educated opinion on where I think we are in the real estate cycles (financial and physical market cycles)b) Then and only then do I pick the strategies, capital stack, and specialized asset subclasses that make sense for that opinion.

The demographics and map data don't take the students into account, but they're really what's driving the market.Low property values and ever-increasing student rents are a recipe for a market when you can pick up a duplex in decent condition for $150k, and rent it for $500/bed (that's an EGI of $36,000 annually for a 3/3 duplex).

Not sure if you'll pick the right property?

But after an exchange - sign the purchase documents with one pen and pick up another pen to sign the refi docs :)Another strategy you could consider is reinvesting into multiple properties, where you purchase the first property cash (ensures some security and concentrates the equity) and the second property with a mortgage.

a lot of new investors pick the cheapest markets in the country regardless of how far away they are, and how much knowledge they have of them, and I think that's a huge mistake. 

The other two in my post I picked up from OOS investors who had the same property manager as I do.

Pick a few and message them to see who will work best with you.