In terms of Rental Education, I recommend, Long Distance Real Estate Investing by David Greene; The Book on Rental Property Investing by Brandon Turner; The ABC's of Real Estate Investing by Ken McElroy; and anything by Robert Kyosaki …..These are just a few of my favorites out of a BIG list of books.   6) Start analyzing deals.  7) Become an expert on your local market.

My current personal favorite business and productivity book is Gary Keller's "The One Thing." 

It won't be a problem for you, right up until it is.I can't tell you how many phone calls I've received from new, excited wholesalers that have gone to a seminar where a guru tells them how to operate illegally.Here's the link to MA law on who needs a license - and it definitely covers the favorite dodge of "I'm not selling real estate - I'm only selling my equitable interest in a contract". 

My favorite motivational poster (so far):

A favorite trick of sellers is that for one or two years before they put their property up for sale they stop doing any preventive maintenance, and only do the repairs that are absolutely necessary, in the cheapest way possible.  

Some systems may not have a proper or common account or chart of accounts that applies to RE, but knowing the applications of such accounts, you can still "slot" an item to effect the proper accounting even if that account name might be different.......hope that makes sense.

I would by all means buy in SR a 4 plex .reasons are1. 3.5% fha owner occ... nice to get into a CA rental for 3.5% down2. you can rinse repeat annually until you have used up your 4 mortgage slots. there by owning 16 doors in Sonoma county all with 3.5% down on each.. does not get much better than that for N.

Joel is one of my favorite people on this site!  

Either way, I'm in CA as well (LA) and passive income is my favorite!

My favorite idea that keeps resurfacing is avoiding probate by getting deeds from heirs of deceased owners and then filing a QTA.