But don't take yourself too seriously, make it a game you play for fun and profit.it is your job as an investor to get to their base-line price - you can only do that by asking questions and getting to the right answers.Questions: how long on the market and how - agents or FSBO?

I agree the chicken wire might not do the job.

As for picking a specific market - I would go after one with an increasing job and population growth.

If you've done your market research and know the market, when opportunities come your way then you'll already know what to offer and how much work is involved if you have the right team in place to help you fix up the homes. 

I'm looking to pay cash since my job is not stable and move from one job to the next (i'm an artist).

I found a really solid duplex opportunity to house hack but the property has existing leases through December of 2024.I am looking to buy and move into a property in the next 2-3 months. 

We both are drawn to either single family long term rentals, or STR's in the right locations.Right now we have $20k cash available for immediate investment, with the ability to increase that to $60-70k in the next 3 years through savings and bonuses at our day jobs.

I do have a W2 job, so my real estate activity will be a side hustle for now.  

I strongly believe in the potential of the real estate market to create promising opportunities for all.

I live in BC but own a duplex in Ontario, have a property manager, but the tenants on the one side I inherited with the purchase 3 years ago, and they have been a pain ever since, and below market rent too - this just may be my opportunity to get them out.