But I'm not educated enough to decide that for myself.At this point I think I'm gonna just pick one and throw myself into it and absorb as much knowledge as possible.

And then absorb as much education as you can.Good luck!

I learn something new everytime I click on a forum post or discussion page and am trying my best to act as a sponge and absorb it all in!

Absorb everything you can from this sight, you will not find a better one out there with more people willing to help you out. 

If I went to get a judgement against this tenant for the balance of the lease (if I could even find them to serve court papers), the judge would tell me to go pound sand, absorb it as a business expense, go re-rent the apartment, move on with my life and quit bothering him with this "nonsense."

Is there any recommended material I can absorb to help me achieve my goals?

@Kyle Johnson some good advice so far, especially about using common sense and absorbing a loss to keep a good tenant happy.As a PMC, we cannot always control what tenants do and get caught in the middle between and owner & tenant.

Which is why a small home would work but it would need to absorb the 20k in reports and need a retaining wall and wall design.  

And lastly local Portland landlords will invest elsewhere--at least until the effects of this brilliant plan are absorbed into the market.

Besides reading and absorbing information I’m looking for a person or mentor that could help guide me  a little in the beginning.