For as much as I deal with real estate and properties, I feel i need to be more knowledgable regarding utility companies.

Here is one I read this week,"Ideals are like stars.You willnot succeed in touching them with your hands.But, like seafaring man on the desert of waters, you can choose them as your guides.

I also make sure to give a call to people that I think the property is ideal for (based on their buying criteria).

This is the only way I deal with investors and I have years of experience putting together RE plans for investors. 

They know what the market is, they know they have good credit and a steady income and will be an ideal tenant, and they are on the lookout for a great deal.

This is why a 1:1 septic setup is ideal - if your system breaks then you know who broke it!

We are hopeful to close our first deal by the end of 2015, and ideally, we would like to house-hack on our first property.

I wouldn't recommend that to you, but you are ideally suited for buy and hold for sure!  

Steady cash flow and investing would be ideal at first.  

Ideally, I like the property to be in no flood zone at all.