It's one of the harder markets to find cash flow in, on average, in the US right now, but not the worst.  

I also have houses in a beach side Florida market, and they appreciate nicely.  

May be able to get you a decent chunk of money and market it to my network of investors who would absolutely love that interest rate. 

Thanks Drew, will do - though without direct experience, I'm hoping the skills I have gained in the finance industry along with having gone through the process to obtain a real estate license will be considered. 

Either they did not do their homework right (appraisal comes in lower than their estimate, insurance/taxes are higher than their estimate, property did not have clear title, and/or the property has deferred maintenance) or they are shopping without having any experience in the industry. 

How did you find the right market?

What works in one market may not work in another.Feel free to reach out if you want to discuss strategies or specific markets further.

But, thank you for chiming in, and you're right, hopefully we all love RE and the stock market. 

Any tips for me or any best practices from fellow investors whose been in this industry for a while now?

We're the only PPL company in the U.S. that phone-qualifies each lead, guarantees contact with the homeowner, and guarantees a below-market asking price from the home-seller.