Your friend the real estate agent is wrong.

You want to trained doing things correctly as many new agents get terminated hooked up with wrong people.

From the free online courses and videos to BP's very own podcast in itunes, you can't go wrong on this site!

If red flags pop up/ things smell fishy there's nothing wrong with asking firm questions and demanding solid answers.

They say they'll fix it Monday, but they need me to sign it today (even though it's wrong) anyway so that they can comply with a three-day federal requirement about lending disclosures.  

What is wrong with padding the pockets of the HOA? 

I'm new myself but due Dilligence is important especially if it's not a markrt you are familiar with - you could easily buy a property  in wrong area that could be very bad all around 

We made some good money on this place but we did just about everything wrong from buying to selling. 

The way I see it you can go wrong two ways. 1.

Then as your more familiar with the area and maybe even lock up a willing seller with a long term contingency, do another round of 1031s into the ideal property then.That way you don't buy the wrong property but you also don't lose the tax deferral.