My clients have done most through mortgage companies too as I've found the bigger banks tend to mess up my deals.

Do you tend to go in armed with sketches and blueprints?

So these tend to yield more than core, with a little bit more risk.

I'm on some of the brokers mailing list along with monthly follow up calls to remind them of what I'm looking for , but they tend to send whatever they have in there current database rather than sourcing for property off market. 

Wear nitrile gloves and a respirator with organic vapor cartridges.

We find that these areas in/near good school districts tend to have those "B" and "A" type properties with a good return. 

If you go more higher end, your cash flow will be lower but the tenants take better care of the properties and tend to be able to pay rent consistently and on time - less headache.But pick a market and spend 6 months visiting it, meeting people and looking at deals.

The 50% rule tends to be more conservative than the actual numbers. 

White cabinets tend to make a kitchen look brighter, bigger and cleaner.

I tend to look at the whole picture.