If your timeline is 1-2 years then money market or CD will be your best vehicle to park your money.You don't want to risk your principal in anything riskier with a short timeline.

.), scrubbing the public records for notice of defaults (a list you have to manually do as our county doesn't have the records online), bandit signs (but 3 wholesale players have entered our market and take down every sign we put up), door knocking (Which takes up too much time).

I've been interested in 4-plexus in the area, but it always seems they're in C/D class neighborhoods.

For me I want close to a 25% cash on cash return to put my money in, but there are lots of people that are ok with a lot less (CD's, stock market, savings accounts).  

I would recommend reading the blogs, scanning the forums and attend your local REIA to learn about the processes and the players in your market.

I am looking for things like: - investors on the move in the area- deals happening in the area and associated parties- Also, what is happening in other markets outside of Tampa (i.e. 1-4 corridor, Panhandle, SFL, Jax)Basically I want to know the players and the games they are playing.

So my question is who are the whole sellers and bigger players in the Phoenix market.

This also explains why publically traded Reits into SFRs only invest in A,B areas and not C, D areas generally.

This won't always work and the auctioneer always works for the seller to get the best price but that doesn't change the fact that at a lot of auctions when you show up and some of the players know each other there's already an idea about how its going to go.

If you are buying a home that isn't a lot of money with a fatter return it is most likely in a higher crime area with C/D tenants.