But if you are thinking buy/hold, you are probably a believer the power of long term appreciation.  

Learning from the experiences of folks like you is a very powerful and helpful thing.Thanks again!

If they are wanting to purchase their own home, they will need to have good credit... that may be incentive enough to keep their finances in order and not rock the boat.

I see a of people buying at numbers that don't make sense, so if you can exploit that, more power to you.When I was learning I was taught you talk to 100 people to see 10 houses to buy 1. 

I also got started in REI after having a 'boat load of kids' so I know it is doable.

I'm in the same boat right now-- not ready to start a fund, but would love to work towards creating one in the future.

Lots of fees and costs that nibble away at the bottom line: Utilities - a/c ran constantly at 70 degrees with doors wide open, running power tools, etc, so that added up to big utility bills.

I seem to be having a localized impact, as I have noticed some new signs going up about 10 feet off the ground on power poles.These signs look trashy and degrade the neighborhood.

I'm sort of in the same boat as you I am just soaking all the info in before I take the plunge into real estate.

You want to find the owner, who has not been foreclosed out  yet, as the bank has no power sell it now.