I have 3 guys that buy 98% of what I get and if I come across something they don't want, I use the MLS to track down the cash buyers in the neighborhood.

In my newbie opinion, the biggest bonus for having a real estate license would be getting access to properties without needing to coordinate with your agent.As an example, driving through a neighborhood and spotting a vacant house with a for sale sign on it.

We chose a low income neighborhood that is being revitalized, so that got us to low income, and the rest kind of evolved.

I've driven many of the masterplan communities and smaller neighborhoods.

It's a 3 bed/2.5 bath colonial with a pretty open layout (considering it was built in 1969) which would have to go one of 2 ways -1) HELOC it and do a total rehab then list and sell for top dollar, pay off HELOC and use proceeds to fund this "joint venture"2) Sell as is, which is def going to be 50 cents or less on the dollar compared sold comps in the neighborhood (anywhere from 300K to 500K) and use proceeds to fund this "join venture"---> I'd love to hear pros and cons to both of those points <---From an investor perspective - what is the best way I should approach this?

If I bought a house in that neighborhood I would not try for more than$1200 no matter how nice.

He ranks as one of the brightest real estate capital fund investors in Austin.Marisue Mullins

I know Detroit and its neighborhoods very well as it was my hometown.

So, I didn't pursue it.I've also watched this process for my neighborhood.

I am working on an article to compare different markets.As far as "becoming familiar with the rental market", I don't know if you mean the health of the rental market, the neighborhoods, or talking to property managers.