Immerse yourself in the wealth of information and inspiration from the BP community (I like the podcasts) and over time you'll find clarity around your vision and what resonates most with you.

I received a lead about a property that sustained major damage.

That is what I am looking to accomplish, in the past I have tried direct mail and I realized that I would not be able to sustain the cost for that.So the reason for my post was to find some alternative ways to market without breaking my pockets or going broke before I get my first deal.Everyone screams direct mail and I know its great but for the beginner what most fail to mention is it takes many touches between 3 to 7 touches to actually get some leads that will turn into deals from doing that.

I invested my time building a sustainable business so I would have a pipeline of deals when I made the plunge.

If all things being equal which business (when starting out) is more sustainable, easier to build momentum, possible to build up to a $1M GCI or revenue in the next 5 years, more profit margin?

There is not one single super productive "funnel" for this business - you better have 4 or 5 funnels going or you will not have enough leads to sustain your business... 

Hoping" the market will appreciate in value or "hoping" to buy at the right time is not a sustainable way to invest in real estate in my opinion.Good deals are always out there no matter what the market is doing.Look at the numbers in the deal and if they make sense and suit your end strategy than you know its a good investment.Thanks and have a great day.

The balance of landlord rights and responsibilities are sustainable there.  

Is the influx a blip or is in long-term and sustainable?

There's nothing wrong with slower steady sustainable growth with what you know.