The online tools are a good way to get a ballpark number and can sometimes be close to accurate, but a PM is able to tell you a more accurate amount. 

Any success stories?

when I used a capital gains calculator online, if I put zero money down and put the 2 loans, the cap gains is a lot lower than if I just recorded 1 loan and entered the money from the downpayment loan under cash.

Use your first deal as a stepping stone to long-term success!

There are a few in my area that I keep an eye on to see how successful they might be and I’m always looking for properties with potential to be something grand.

We use DealCheck to underwrite deals and QuickBooks Online for everything related to accounting and numbers.Classes allow for separate P&Ls for each property.

But I know there’s so much to learn from the collective wisdom of this community.Let’s share some insights:What’s been your most successful recent deal, and why?

Do people have experience doing so and have they been successful?

The resources and books you mentioned, like the BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginners Guide and The Book On Rental Property Investing, sound like excellent starting points.Prioritizing financial stability and eliminating debt is crucial, and I agree that a solid financial foundation is key to successful investing.

I think I've talked to maybe 2 tenants on the phone so far, and I didn't mind because there's a lot of scams online.