At one point during the past boom I had some experience in entitlement and tiny lots in giant cookie cutter subdivisions sold for $35K in bulk to builders.

I don't know exactly what is in store for the Zillow giant but if they keep making great decisions like this, it has to be all good and very little, if any, bad.

Combine that with the Europeans and Canadians flying in and buying up property, that area will turn around much sooner than anyone expects.

Hello Richard, welcome - I am also new to the site and starting out in my early 30's - remember 30 is the new 20 so we're right on schedule - my advice would be to start with rentals - with the economy and market status right now, not too many buyers are going to be drooling for the flips - you' ve gotta remember, with all of the foreclosures happening there is a new giant pool of renters out there, and they need a place to live - good luck to you!

But I decided to finally take the giant leap forward to make this my full time profession.

This whole site is like a giant mentor, willing to help out anytime for free.

.------------- @Joel OwensIs it normal for that kind of discrepancy in cap rates in a city (It isn't a giant city)?

In fact all of Houston itself is just one giant patchwork of subdivisions.

The contracting part of this business is a huge, giant cost and time driver.

Use punctuation next time, your paragraph was a giant mess of words.