@Christopher MorrisTo assess a market, consider population growth, job market, economic growth, rent-to-price ratio, cost of living, school districts, and growth benchmarks.

I’m old school and pen and paper all my expenses then jam a receipt in a folder for each property.

You paid some tuition to the school of real estate.

I still cash flow positive but I have held onto this home more for appreciation - it's in a nice suburb with great schools and lots of development. 

In San Jose I think that lowers the school fees cost/taxes etc.

The City schools are awful but that's not unusual in Ohio due to our school funding quagmire.  

To me it does not seem worth it and would love to hop into real estate right out of school rather than pay crazy rent.

It often might take asking why 5 times to get to the root why.Also, I notice that often that why shifts...for me in the beginning, money was important because I thought it gave me power, and growing up I was pretty insecure due to a lot of high schooling bullying...come to find out the power does NOT COME FROM MONEY, but rather from within after identity who you want to become and don't let your past define you. 

I have heard of Note School, Paperstac academy, Note Investors University, Note newbie, and Note Investor Tools, to name a few. 

Originally posted by @Nathan Killebrew:I subscribe to the Warren Buffet school of investing "only buy what you understand."