I can only point them to tools they can use online to check for school ratings and crime stats and decide themselves.

Start the apprenticeship, grind it out, go to college at night (night classes are mostly geared toward working adults), use your military benefits if you can, search for rental property in the meanwhile.Sometimes it can take a year or more to find a deal.

I’m trying to figure out how to search county records to locate properties of 10-50 units in Sacramento, CA.

Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersSet up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsRead Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingCheck out BP Podcasts: https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcast If you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select the name of that person which should appear below the comments box.

I’m not very familiar with Northwest Indiana, do you have any specific towns or neighborhoods I could should start my search with?

Many people are still wondering whether or not real estate is one of the best investment strategies for long-term wealth building. Is investing in homes still a smart investment for the average individual? Is a home s...

Hit the search button, dig around and learn away!

That could be a great way to find and stay engaged with local investors, realtors and opportunities. http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsYou can also search for other investors or brokers in the markets you're pursuing, and follow their journey on Bigger Pockets here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersBest of luck to you and look forward to following your success on BP!

It's about $20 for a basic criminal search and seems relatively thorough. 

That could be a great way to find and stay engaged with local investors, realtors and opportunities. http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsYou can also search for other investors or brokers (or even real estate attorneys) in any of the markets you're pursuing, and follow their journey on Bigger Pockets here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersBest of luck to you and look forward to following your success on BP!