@Don Spafford Those properties do go to auction but you have to find tax delinquent properties before they go to auction and spark up a deal with the owner. 

This being said, are there any topics of interest that have been meaningful to you all in REIA meetings or classes?

But when I first read it in 2001 without any knowledge of investing it sparked a raging fire within which resulted in my success today.

This year, I am going to focus on creating meaningful relationships with my existing contacts.

Going to every single meetup and group remotely related to the industry, not just going once but consistently every month so that I have been able to build meaningful relationships.

I would not expect meaningful appreciation going forward.

Figuring buying a 150-300k place every year or so building up equity, playing the financing part right with cash out refi/delayed, heloc etc. and consistently having good rents come in, it seems like 5-10years should be a good time frame to build up something that is a meaningful side income. 

Your education will be much more meaningful to you.  

Do you consistently ask the tenants if there are any issues they need you to handle, to which they always reply 'no', but receive a registered letter complaining that the water has been leaking under the cabinet for months and the light fixture sparks at night?

You care about those things for a reason and they can have a profound impact on your life, but if that does legitimately get in the way of you interacting in a meaningful way with others then that's a great area to develop yourself personally in.