anyone can buy a bad deal - just go on Zillow and pick the first property you see and buy it. 

Sounds like you just need to find a deal that makes sense.. reach out if you want to pick my brain. 

- There's a logical reason when/why activity will pick up...wait for it...

a lot of new investors pick the cheapest markets in the country regardless of how far away they are, and how much knowledge they have of them, and I think that's a huge mistake. 

I picked Las Vegas because it’s close to me and California is out of reach. 

I've heard of mentees who started cleaning up construction areas on a flip at the end of each work day or picking up supplies at Home Depot and delivering them to the job site.

I would pick a major tourist destination where it wasn't saturated with STR's already.That would take some research but you could google top vacation destinations and find a place you would go on vacation.

The demographics and map data don't take the students into account, but they're really what's driving the market.Low property values and ever-increasing student rents are a recipe for a market when you can pick up a duplex in decent condition for $150k, and rent it for $500/bed (that's an EGI of $36,000 annually for a 3/3 duplex).

Will definitely pick your brain sometime when we are ready for the next one.

You should never pick your 1031 Exchange Qualified Intermediary based solely on their 1031 Exchange fees, costs and charges or the size of the institution.