I live in Northern VA and as I try to scale my business and get my @David Greene on (Long Distance Real Estate Investing book) I have to stop this nonsense of driving 3 1/2 hours each way just to inspect the progress on my rehabs.

Understand how you will finance the property is it FHA, Conventional, VA etc loansMeet and Network with other investors in the area and see who they have been working with and how they find deals, ask for some referrals of RE agentsFor Real Estate Agents ask the questions listed above in the link Interview agents who specialize in your farming areaIf you are looking for investment properties..Look for an agent who are investors themselves that way they can point out things to avoid.

Check any applicable rules, codes, standards in your area, but in my locale, it is allowed (recommend even) to "encapsulate" this va tile. 

Any lender who is using rental income and it is less than two years is not using the income if it is FANNIE, FREDDIE, USDA, VA or FHA.

Step 1: Get a HD or Lowes commercial accountStep 2: Spend an absolutely ridiculous amount of money in a stupidly short period of time.Step 3: Get called by the super squirrel secret regional manager and given the construction illuminati decoder ring.Step 4: Bypass the big box store entirely and go to the wholesaler.Yes, Virginia - the secret handshake is real.And my non-smartass answer is: It's worth it to get the discount.

I'm not a paranoid…..I just like rubber trucks.79 Pine Rd, Louisa, VA 23093http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/79-Pine-Rd-Louisa-VA-23093/89723559_zpid/

@JC Smith Don't forget about NACA and VA loans: https://www.naca.com/ http://www.benefits.va.gov/HOMELOANS/purchaseco_eligibility.aspLakewood, CA has 2 places on the Fannie Mae chopping block right now:http://www.homepath.com/listing/search?

FHA and VA need to see comps within 3 miles and when one goes out within 5, there is alot of jsutification as to why they went so far out.

HUD/VA = 88%, FHA =x%, fannie and freddie x%.

The listing agent says the property will not go FHA/VA which doesn't matter to me on the acquisition side, but most homes in this area go FHA and that will obviously matter on the sell side.