So I always try to plan ahead, triple check my due diligence, and be VERY conservative with my underwriting.

It takes little time to do it, so I always just filled out the form()s) ahead of time for them, and then just brought it to them to sign.

They're good to have open access to capital/cash/equity to a property ahead of time so you can execute a deal or purchase when the time comes on a split second decision (versus having to apply to a loan at that time which might take 20-45 days to get approved/closed/etc plus by that time you dont know what your future income/credit/assets will be like in order to qualify anyway).The second use is sleep at night factor and having a reserve of capital in the event an emergency event occurs in life.For these two reasons is why I use lines of credit.

My wife and I both have decent paying jobs, but after paying rent, vehicles, student loans, etc, there’s not much left over for saving, let alone 20% down.

First things first, remember it's a marathon, and you are getting such a head start that, in the long term, you will be leading the pack no matter your pace!

Similar to Elecric Vehicles in my mind......sounds great but way too many issues.....I have an off-grid house where I personally installed solar, but the nearest power poles were too far away, and the cost to me to bring power in would have been a huge deal-breaker. 

., shifts in pricing, demand-supply changes).Analyze local or regional real estate data.Identify key economic indicators impacting the housing market.Stay ahead of demographic changes or migration trends.Do you have any go-to platforms, datasets, books, or even strategies that have been especially valuable?

You need a company vehicle for the guy to get there.

After you feel confident in understanding real estate as an investment vehicle, decide how you want to begin your investing journey.

Hi Gavin,This is fairly common, and it’s great that you’re thinking ahead about how to handle utilities responsibly.