I've toyed with the idea of airbnb - maybe that's something I'll spend some time looking into. 

(SEE PICS BELOW) in other words, rule out the deals that have a weird sign in the financial transaction history that says they or a "no go"  and also the financial signs that all point to YES YES YES,  PLEASE GO AND KNOCK THIS DOOR. i have hit a total of 35 doors speaking with around 15 homeowners. 2 - semi polite NO's15 - Hell no's2 - IF YOU DONT GET THE F%$ off my properties' 16 - the rest not home :) im in sales and have a tough skin, lol but im ready to get rollin again!!!

Get realistic and laser focused.

I toyed around with naming my LLC after obscure Smiths or Morrissey lyrics but ended up naming it after myself and my wife, "Guardian Honeybee, LLC"  Asim means Guardian, Melissa means Honeybee.

However, my wife and I have been toying with the idea of turning our rental property in Bend, Oregon into a second home and living there part time while trying to establish a real estate business in both cities.

Like LASER focused on what you want to specialize in.

The contents inside the home were eerily untouched - food in the fridge (gross), clothes in the dressers, furniture, end tables, tools in the workshop, toys, shoes, etc.It took me and another guy a week to catalog everything and donate it all in the hopes I could perhaps write it off.  

Michael McMullen I would also live within your means, no toys, fancy new stuff, car payments, Starbucks (make your own coffee), sack lunch it etc... live like no one else, so you can live like no one else later.

Pick up a copy of "getting to yes", its a really good book on negotiation.  

@Randy Johnston We're toying with the ideas of vacation rentals, however, zoning code is a bit restrictive in PDX for multiple units in a building going to rentals under 30 days.