Also with prices shooting up here in tokyo would it be advisable to look in another population center, or wait for a good deal locally? 

I haven't had any experience w/ renting a house w/ a yard here in Tokyo, so I had a look on the net - they say that it should really be spelled out in the contract; and if its not spelled out explicitly - some say that its the owner's responsibility while others say its the tenants.Sorry there doesn't seem to be a clear answer, but let me know if you have further questions.

Aside from Tokyo and Osaka, investors lean toward Japan for its cash flow market from rental income, and low price properties.

We're both in our late twenties and we both hold jobs while training for the Olympic rowing team.

If it were me I would probably go to Ohio for a month or two, fix them up just enough to sell for a decent price and offload them while the market is hot then use that money to invest locally such as a duplex in a gentrifying area near where the olympics will be.

I understand I need to take the online mortgage lending couse which I will do as soon as the Olympics are over. ;) I would really appreciate advice of what else I can do to get started, what your thoughts are entering this field in the current economic conditions, what advice you would give to newbies, etc.

Mednick)http://ocreforum.com/LAREIA (Olympic Collective)https://lareic.com/LAAREIA (Alhambra)https://www.meetup.com/Los-Angeles-Real-Estate-Investors-Association/Coachella Valley REIAhttps://www.meetup.com/cvreia/OCREIAhttp://ocreia.com/FIBI South Bay / Manhattan Beachhttps://www.meetup.com/fibisouthbay/SDCIAhttps://www.sdcia.com/Calendar.aspxLA South REIAhttp://www.lasouthreia.com/FIBI Multifamily Pasadenahttps://www.meetup.com/FIBI-Real-Estate-Pasadena/

This weekend is special olympics.

Currently my girlfriend and I are living in Tokyo, Japan.

lol ;)We'll be heading to Chiang Mai for the lantern festival in Nov, Bangkok, Phuket, then Tokyo, after I go to India, after the Summit.