Now it seems that most threads like these are nothing but commercials for people who are here to sell their products.

Most suppliers will only warranty replacement, leaving you on the hook the pay a GC to remove and reinstall a product.

I plan on starting slow with some duplexes.

Many of these give sales pitches, gurus try to sell their products or mentoring programs, or someone tries to get you to invest in a REI Fund by a group of people pooling their money, for some REI and promising an unrealistic return.

My only problem is that I want to make a lifetime career out of real estate and that particular market here is slow.

The only way, to close in a LLC and avoid what I previously mentioned regarding Mortgage Products and the subsequent consequences, is the have the seller be the bank using Seller Financing. 

Kind of like the idea that you can start slow and continue to build on itself as you begin to get responses and make deals.I agree that you should identify your goals, do a little research about average costs for the marketing pieces, and see what you can accomplish right away.

Won't that be faster and more productive?

The lender makes a big difference as well depending on what products they offer.

Explained that one way was fast and the other slow, and sometimes the speed would spark a desire to sell at a low price.