My husband and I are Teachers and Nurses but dream of supplementing our W2 jobs with passive/investment income. 

In any market that you're looking into from OOS, it's very important to work with an investor friendly agent so you're able to gain the right insight on the different areas and the risks involved.

It took a little time for all of ours to gain some traction early on. 

Quote from @Andrew Steffens: I am curious what strong buyers market is making huge equity gains? 

Your satisfaction is my goal, i have been servicing these contracts without any gains.

Living in the property for two years likely allowed you to claim the capital gains exclusion... up to $250K for singles or $500K if married.

Investors can always benefit from working with someone who knows how to align opportunities with specific strategies.Are there particular types of properties or investment strategies you’ve seen gaining traction in the Seattle area lately?

Looking to connect with others and see what knowledge I can gain and what I can offer.

Headquartering business in CA has tarnished, and too is being assaulted like never before, and gaining traction.

If you can attend local investor meetups, that’s a great way to gain market insight and connect with reliable people.It’s also smart to start small with a couple of flips to test the waters, and make sure you understand the local market dynamics before scaling up.Good luck with your expansion!