@Gavin Wynn how I work with my investors is to identify an ideal cap rate usually around 7 and we create a criteria for our ideal property.

We attempted to get the sellers to take more money and offered them two additional options one with an extra $35k, via Subject To, and the other with an extra $70k with both Subject To and a partial seller carry-back. 

While it is possible to scale quickly, there are usually other factors that come into play.

It can be done, but you have to be local, experienced and prepared to do the extra management for these properties. 

I know you don't want to pay the extra 3% commission to a realtor, but they can really save you from investing in a below-quality neighborhood and help reduce your days on the market (saving you with financing costs).

top two reasons:1. they can usually command a higher price through a real estate brokerage. 

Second best would be a real estate certificate from an accredited college - usually consisting of 3 -4 courses successful completion of which results in the certificate.  

I am not against building new, but it usually doesn't pencil out as well as refurbing a place.

For some the extra time and commitment isnt worth the extra rate of return.

I want to buy a single family home in NC and rent out the extra rooms to mid- to long-term roommates (house hacking).