@Eric Weireter Hi Eric, I wish you much success in the Pittsburgh market. 

If you guys want to come out my way in Brooklyn, basically near Prospect Park, I would be happy to meet with you.If you read my posts and my background, you'll find I have 2 decades of Real Estate Investing history in Brooklyn.I currently own 7 multi-Family Investment properties, generally 3 and 4 Family buildings, in Bed-Stuy, Clinton Hill, Windsor Terrace, and Ditmas Park, with partners.The total Assets are worth over $15 Million.If my strategies are not necessarily aligned with yours, at worst you will walk away with an understanding on how to be a successful buy and hold Investor in a highly expensive and appreciating market like Brooklyn.You don't have to invest my way.

I recently sat in a seminar for "success path " in New Jersey , and it seemed very skeptical... has anyone gone through there process successfully?

I.e. the smaller the space the high price per square foot you can achieve (and thus increase the buildings return).

I operate as an agent in a relatively expensive area in CT and this is a common question I get a lot from people as they start the process of buying a house hack.My clients who have had the most success have identified areas they felt comfortable living FIRST and then found a property that fit their budget.  

I'd appreciate hearing what you've done successfully in the past, as well as your feedback on the options I'm considering:1) Get the house under contract, with closing date set for June after her school year is over.

Like with a many sales techniques you don't get a good sample size (and won't likely find success) if you just target 50 homes.  

@Timothy Martin  Congrats on driving for dollars success!  

You, of course, have the opportunity to stop investing on our platform, but to mischaracterize the success that you have had with Patch of Land on this forum is not appropriate. 

An related 3rd party called the qualified intermediary is required in most cases to complete a successful 1031 exchange.