This would be a piece of cake if these 3rd party software vendors could provide a transaction dump into Excel or QBO but they like to pretend like they have a good bookkeeping module.

I am not betting on appreciation(icing on the cake) but a property that will pay (plus more) for itself while paying down mortgage.

Adrian,I am not a CPA, but this is a case that you can't have your cake and eat it too. 

Hey Maxwell, I'll echo what others have said...keep looking, keep scrapping for deals, and understand that it's real difficult to get your cake and eat it too.

.......And here is the icing on the cake. 

Appreciation is great, but it can't reliably be predicted so we consider it 'the icing on the cake'.

He told me I should invest in a Scooter and ride over 30 minutes to his location to find him deals (icing on the cake).

It gives you some nice "icing on the cake" if you do self-manage, but let's you plan to pass management off to someone else if that need arises..  

I've been working as a network engineer and programmer even before the (public) Internet existed; technology is a young person's game, and it's about time I focused on "retiring" into a more profitable vocation.My career has been focused on delivering exceptional customer service, and my plan is to apply this same focus to my newfound interest in real estate investing.From what I've reviewed, my interest lies in both wholesaling and flipping residential homes at this point.I welcome and appreciate any and all input; working with a mentor would be icing on the cake!

Bread and Butter and the icingn on the cake.