I kick myself in the butt because I could have deployed it a decade ago when the market was ripe for the picking, but I believed the finance guys the employers provided at their seminars.I have done it.

.;-)I would pick the strategy where you have the best chance at having mentor/team/knowledge/experience and closer to turn key.

There is still good money to be made in AZ, FL, GA, TX and other states, however, picking the right submarkets is key.

The ROI on tax tools varies greatly from investor to investor and hinges on several variables, some of which can be objectively analyzed by a real estate tax expert and some of which require some subjective analysis (for which a real estate tax expert can provide valuable context).There are really 2 "no brainer" steps to take to get clarity for an informed decision:1 - Read Michael Plaks' posts about this topic.

The reality is if the numbers worked with 3.5% down, why wouldn't an investor pick it up at 20% down?

You can pick up our book at www.biggerpockets.com/30daysta... use code "Zeona" for 10% off. 

If you have a team, then picking someone to work on networking may pay back in the future.

Then I'll pick a location with favorable stats; population growth, low unemployment, etc. 

Even though sales usually pick up this time of year, has anyone else noticed a significant shift in their markets?

I have a property we picked up for $65k all in, and It's currently under contract for $90k.