You won't be scaring away the seller, this is a completely normal thing to request and your broker should be the one prodding the seller's side for this info up front (especially if the seller's side hasn't provided it already with the marketing material at the very least). 

Purchase price: $1,000 Cash invested: $1,000 Sale price: $4,500 Wrote letter to off market property land owners.

If you want to network or ask specific questions about your local market, go to your local real estate forum and connect with investors from your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/86-local-real-estate-networking5.

Cash flow, appreciation, tax benefits.

Most markets the physical vacancy is 5-10%, good chance you can find it by googling and seeing what the average is.

Purchased under market value, then rehabed myself with sweat (i am not the most talented DIY guy haha) What was the outcome?

Purchased under market value, then rehabed myself with sweat (i am not the most talented DIY guy haha) What was the outcome?

And I feel the ideal portfolio can benefit from the diversification of both.I feel directly owned properties are great because they give me maximum control and the ability to tweak them exactly how I want.

Micron Technology's decision to build a massive 1,400-acre semiconductor manufacturing plant in Clay, NY, a suburb of Syracuse, is poised to have a transformative effect on the local housing market.

If you want to network or ask specific questions about your local market, go to your local real estate forum and connect with investors from your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/86-local-real-estate-networking5.