I think Vegas' resort tax is less!

I'm curious if that will change and we'll see another player de-throne Airbnb in the future.

Of course, there are financial news sites like Bloomberg and CNBC.For real estate specifically, The Real Deal is awesome for keeping up-to-date on not only the market, but also seeing what the big players are acquiring.Regardless, I think the best way is by joining a group of people who are actively investing in real estate because those are the people at the front lines.I would highly recommend you check out Tim Bratz's stuff.

So it's not like a big player hasn't come in and upended the local market.

I suggest developing relationships with folks who have access to off-market deals as part of your acquisitions strategy.To name two areas, take a look in the vicinity of Temple University, as revitalization continues to push farther from campus, and around Temple University Hospital, where prices are still relatively low and several major players and the city are investing significant dollars in the coming years.

Be firm and fair in your tenant interactions, screen well, have a clear and comprehensive rental agreement, take swift action if a tenant does not comply with the terms of the rental agreement, know landlord-tenant law better than your tenants, take reasonable precautions, have sufficient insurance, have a good professional team which includes an attorney, maintain good business practices, respond to tenant needs in a timely manner, be respectful and courteous, be a community player, and landlord with integrity. 

Summary: Anyone doing even 30-45 minutes of analysis can see that at least one new residential REIT player is short of other traditional players in the multi-family space.

That one was always one of my favorites, and i know that Jack Sternberg took over there a # of years ago and had a Vegas event scheduled as recently as 2016-- however, I'm not sure how successful it was at all or even whether they are a serious player at all anymore.

I would like to take advantage of the 3% conventional loan first if I can; there are not many 5+ unit vacation resorts for sale in this area, but I am glad to know that I can afford one with the right down payment if I set my eyes on one in the future. 

This is hit or miss in Phoenix, although I'd say all the big players do not require an appraisal.