. , you lessen the risk of loosing all of your funds and the amount of education that you gain from doing the first deal will have much greater returns in the long run than trying to get a spectacular first deal.

Its spectacular.

I never realized how much I appreciated consistent sunshine and access to a coastline until I went to school elsewhere haha.I haven't spent significant time as far south as you're potentially looking, but I have a lot of friends who enjoyed growing up down there as well.

Hood is on the left and Mt Adams on the right and things lush green.. that if they could find a Job in Portland they would move from Dallas in a heartbeat.. its  no kidding a common theme on a clear day Northwest is pretty spectacular.. 

My rate isn't even spectacular at 4.375%.

Not the best positive cash flows and not as spectacular of return as reno-refi ideas but the total return projection seems pretty good in the low to mid-teens, relative to the work required. 

Nowhere near NYC, or a coastline for that matter.

I'm searching for properties in northern New Jersey that are close to you New York City and I keep getting a ton of houses in West Orange that look spectacular.

I'm not saying I'd never invest in a condo, but it would have to have spectacular numbers.  

Back end systems I try to get (good enough) to get the job done but try to be spectacular on the front end interacting with clients.I find the more complex systems are the longer they take to use and the more features are not used that clutter them up.