I've been warning people for a very long time not to bid at the sales unless: 1. you know the rules2. do your due diligence3. physically see the propertyAt one sale a person from another country didn't know the difference from "free and clear" and "clouded title". 

Duquesne and University of Pittsburgh students make up the majority of the landscape due to its' close proximity to campus and night life scene.  

They would know your account number easily.2nd, I quoted the part about the physical address vs PO Box.

I was thinking of looking elsewhere where prices are much less, though it would still be quite a large DP, and I don't feel comfortable buying properties I cannot physically visit as it's my first time. 

One of my most exciting was purchasing, owning and flipping 5 condos in Oklahoma over 5 year span without ever physically seeing the properties or ever visiting the State of Oklahoma.

Yes, always check first that the fuel source is not disconnected (or too low if oil or propane).Another odd one can happen on the high efficiency direct vented units; with those, on a windy day, things like loose paper or plastic bags can blow within close enough proximity to the air intake pipe, and then get sucked into the intake pipe and blocking the opening.

The physical location was perfect for me even though the neighborhood itself was transitional.

Real estate has always interested me due to the fact that unlike investing in stocks, real estate is something you can actually see, change, and physically watch grow.

In that case, the proximity to the bar would probably be a negative for many potential tenants.

Your money might be better served assisting you to attain a physical earning asset.