It's lengthy and of course, they can pick and choose what to read or jump around to what they want to learn. 

Although not everyone, they pick and choose who they charge what to.

Pick one and tell me why you selected buyer or seller!

The paint is never going to be perfect and its far easier to pick up on imperfections in a vacant house.

How are they picking markets?

A good friend of mine recently managed to pick up a modest duplex outside Phoenix that looked risky at first glance.. low rents, older neighborhood.. but with a few smart upgrades, it became a steady earner in under a year.You mentioned your worries about remote investing and the challenges of managing properties from afar.

I'm considering a fixer upper to retain as a rental but need guidance on how to pick reputable contractors.  

The key is to pick the right out of state market.

If you do pick a market with heavy single-family or mobile home segments, keep your eyes peeled for local property management teams who actually cater to that niche.

Things will pick back up again in January.