However, one taught I have been contemplating, is a lease-option; wherein, I would deposit US$9,000 as option fee, and make monthly payments of US$5000 per month for 60 months, then refinance balance of US$600,000 from the bank or private lender after analyzing the long-term earning potential as a villa.

I'm going to great lengths to roll out 95% LTV $1.5m o/o SFR, I'm also constantly analyzing fulfillment/funding times, etc, would I be doing all of that if I were the only game in town? 

If you don't have all the blanks completed it is hard to analyze the numbers.  

I love house hacking, looking forward to analyzing some of the informed responses on this thread!

I have analyzed 10 deals a day, and have viewed every single house in the market with my zip code 39056. 

I have been spending the last few months extensively watching podcasts, reading books, the BP forums, and practicing analyzing properties. 

Since I'm out of state, I'm working with a Realtor as my boots on the ground to help me physically look at properties and analyze deals.  

I think you need to analyze what your skills\assets are and pick the model that best fits those.As an example, if you are in the construction industry and can do most anything then flipping might be the way to go.

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*This link comes directly from our calculators, based on information input by the member who posted.

When it comes to Realtors, they will help you identify which areas of town are good to invest in and what to expect in rents, quality of tenants, how to analyze deals, provide you with investing opportunities (both on market and off market).Besides figuring out what your goals are, how you want to get started, and meeting like-minded people, the first action item would be to talk to a lender.