Basically Hardware is the base of adding components, trouble shooting and also assembling a computer in a systemic way.

I would add though what he did do that separates him from the vast majority of others is he actually took action.He obviously spent time learning what he needed to know, assembled a meager amount of capital (for real estate) and then went out and started taking numbers and kicking butt.And then he repeated that over and over. 

Many of them just don't understand investments and what we want.An alternative is to assemble a team within the local market you decide upon to help you acquire, renovate, rent, manage, your investment.Yet another alternative, is to work with a competent full-service provider of investment properties which will save you a lot of time.  

HI Brooke,If you do not have the knowledge yet then it can be a very steep curve.I used to assemble land for developers.

I do lot more rentals than flips and I try to think of my business as an assembly line specially for rentals..A house goes in the system, goes through the process and a rent ready house comes out of the assembly line..

If you can assemble 2-3 smaller parcels together into a bigger parcel, that has huge value.

The millwork guy was over extended and could not take the job, so the GC had one of their guys do it, (but I think they still got the cabinets from the millwork guy and had them assembled at his shop-my guy thru the GC said he was assisting him with it since he was so backed up). 

Very impressed with what you found, and your having the crew assembled to do this job so quickly and so well.  

I've used someone on Yelp for a couple of appliance fixes and a family friend who helped with an electrical problem, those have been fine but there isn't a system in place to easily route problems to solutions.My question is, for DIY landlords out there, how do you assemble a list of service providers when you first became a landlord (e.g. handyman, plumber, electrician, etc)? 

Decent cabinets can be delivered and are assembled.