When I started investing there was no Redfin, there was no Zillow, there was no Realtor.

Trusts? 

For those who have or had section 8 investments (especially in my market) how would you describe your experience?

Best areas to invest in? 

Trust me, your branch bankers will be ill-equipped to answer your questions.

Salt air can deteriorate houses and components faster than markets without salt air.The final piece is finding a market with a quality team or teams that I like and trust.  

I would suggest finishing school, working as a part time agent while you are at school, saving commissions for investing, and working with a team that focuses on investing as opposed to residential sales.There are also local meet ups every month. 

Technology has come a long way, however, having a someone you trust locally will give you peace of mind while leasing your properties.

Really the person that is going into the flipping game should know the market very well to do these comps on their own, and back it up by asking their trusted real estate agent/professional for confirmation.

Markets are extremely important for real estate investment.