@Terry Lao 1) I am using your measure of success in my answer, so I don't understand why you are offended by it. 

For me I am using leverage and pay a fee to the 3rd party PM to manage my deals.I am very involved with my deals, with 100% oversight and guidance.

Here in Orange County in the coastal areas, and by the larger amusement/theme parks, many people buy homes for Vacation Rentals.

Took me awhile not to be scared of that big bright thing in the sky but am used to it now.Welcome to the forum there are some very helpful people here.Dave

I also read Rich Dad / Poor Dad round this time which motivated me to buy a rehabed turnkey rental property in a class "d" neighborhood about 2 hours away from my apartment for more than it was worth which was a financial stalemate but a cheap education.You can imagine the looks of conflicted amusement on my neighbor's faces when I had $120k of cars out front of my 800 sq ft townhouse that was probably worth $100k (looking back, if I lived in a warm area, that would paid for a Ferrari afterall - curse Michigan snow!).

I was amused by what they found in the tenant's toilet that kept getting clogged.

Being a female, contractor/developer, I must say this thread is amusing.

I think the bank I am using on the initial purchase does portfolio lending so that will enable me to get 10 properties but I'll have to figure that out soon.

I don't know that the tools I am using will be the best in the long-run (time will tell), but these are the tools that I'm using, or will use, and my experience with them.1.

So far the only method I am using is through Zillow.