PS get some negotiation skills asapAnd run the numbers on a deal 5 times before buying. 

:I think it's worth mentioning that you can put tile over plywood but it might not hold up as well and I would use polymer-modified thinset instead of regular thinsetI also skip underlayment on laminates that don't have underpad attached because I don't see much added value in the underlayment If you are laying tile over plywood, or any subfloor other than concrete, you want to first make certain your subfloor is stable - no vertical deflection - and then use an uncoupling membrane (ditra, protegga, old-fashioned felt & wire {if you have the skill, but the newer membrane products are better}, etc) to absorb any remaining movement in your subfloor.

Many professional plumbers have the extra skill set necessary to work with natural gas lines, so ask a professional.

It takes years to gain the knowledge and experience necessary to become a professional in any industry/business, so why not cut down your learning curve and use another person's knowledge, skills and contacts to get started sooner rather than later.

Are Realtracs numbers just as good to plug in for me to practice my analysis skills?

Part of what I do is to help bring them to a more realistic vision.I've become quite adept at Google Sketchup, which allows me to plan (to scale) what I want to do with an area, and I think these skills could definitely apply to an overall home rehab.

Things have been a lot tougher the past year (not just here, but all over the country), so you have to have marketing and negotiation skills -- you can't just buy stuff off the MLS like you could from 2008-2011 (those were great times :).Good luck!

We just acquired a property in suburban Portland OR where almost half the tenants had bought and installed window air conditioners (with various amounts of skill).

There are plenty of real estate "gurus" that will spout off how you too can invest in real estate without any money, any credit, any education, any skill, etc. etc.

I do not have licensed guys for anything that's relatively low skill.2) I would get a policy equal to the arv of your property (i spend the 15 bucks extra per month to not have to worry!)