In fact if I were smart I would drive the 25 miles from my home on the coast--NO A/C HERE--and sit in the cool lobby of my apartment building.

@William Glass, I'll leave the in depth analysis to @Krystal Thomas.  

I did this all while pretty much learning about and deciding if I wanted to buy a house or investment property so if you are a beginner and have 6 to 12 months to earn credit, I think it is a smart move.  

Smart thinking!

After doing a lot of research, I am too excited to jump in, but I want to be smart about it and avoid being impulsive like my first purchase in 2008.  

But, for every one of you that is smart enough to know to ask that, there are 10 buyers who find things on Zillow and call the listing agent directly who would never know to ask to cut the commission.

@Kyle GodboutYou can look at Smart Choice Carpets or Home Depot. 

So, I'm looking for an experienced RE agent, who can help me reach my investment goals with some sweat equity and smart deals.

Not being smart enough to realize there's toilet paper at every gas station not to mention the 24 hour Walmart and the 5 grocery stores right down the street.

@Chris Reichelt , Its a really great group of smart people.