Where Housing Will Be in 2012 http://www.businessweek.com/print/magazine/content/09_26/b4137028238311.htm

I get the impression y'all Texans don't appreciate us Californians migrating there in droves.Garmeon, it's not that we mind all you Californians, New Yorkers, Illini & such moving down here.

So much so that training magazine has awarded Keller Williams Realty number one in training in all areas not just real estate agencies.

Btw the house look like it popped up from Maison du Monde magazine.

In a FORBES magazine article (several years ago now) the President/CEO of Zillow stated emphatically that "Zestimates are not appraisals!"  

Anyway to get to your questions: 1) Got started with the vacation homes, love this niche and will stay here. 2) Bought in the area because of family who are a second line of defense to my contractors. 3) Yep, we knew Portland pretty well, but only the highlights, there are still a number of emerging neighborhoods and markets here. 4) Learning about the area - I forced myself to do a Blog on my web site for the vacation rental which helped me learn more, I also subscribes to the local magazines and small community newspapers, they give me a wierd look when I tell them my adress, but hey, it is a GREAT source of info. 5) Relied on family who knew the area and my RE broker, he is fantastic. 6) The lessons learned - know ALL the expenses up front, that 10% for maintenance you do not think you need to budget, you do, I know.

Just some food for thought.Regardless of buying in rent control or not, I also recommend you and @Ben Wakefield read past publications from the Apartment Owners Association (AOA) in CA to start learning, their magazines always have lots of great articles (aoausa.com).

See if the grocery store as any of the free magazines dedicated to real real estate.

We had to stop doing that show when CA banned magazines larger than 10 rounds.

In the last year I took this more like a job and I try to learn a lot to every blog, every magazine and every website like BP that could help me out.