I'm still working on my first deal and any question I have I always bring it to this forum and get it answered almost immediately with different kinds of perspective.

I see many ways of increasing our loan bandwidth and project total in general, but none of them appear to be wise from a risk management perspective.  

Well, think about it from another perspective: by allowing auction company bid on sellers' behalf, the process goes WAY faster.

I think the desirability of duplexes, either as investments or from a renter's perspective, is something that is pretty location-specific.  

Here is what Quads and Triplexes are available right now from a number perspective in the areas you have specified.  

I've got a lot more learning to do, but just would like to go ahead and get a reasonable perspective on it all.

I'm jumping back in... starting off fresh... trying to work this as a business and not a hobby... can't wait to see what your up to... maybe I will see you at a local REI meeting OR on March 7th with the BP local network event... take a surf I can't remember his name but it's on March 7th in Dublin I think...

Many degrees are just about useless from a job perspective.  

As for your agent friend, she may be correct from her perspective but I would ask what she has done to work with cash buyers. 

My perspective is that the gurus sell training/coaching as their primary business.