The best way to analyze real estate cash flow is to complete an APOD (Annual Property Operating Data) worksheet, including all cash flows and tax implecations (taxing & depreciation/cost recovery) to determine the before and after tax ownership benefit (or loss).This is only the first step in analyzing a property's performance.

Next step: Marketing.

The only time you should run title searches is when you’re buying from the courthouse steps or working with preforeclosures, neither of which I would recommend.Your buyer’s lender will typically determine when and where escrow will be opened.The fast-paced nature of wholesaling makes running title searches prior to making offers and signing contracts impractical.

I don't even know where to start, so I'm trying to better understand the steps I need to take to identify a good deal and even how to proceed once a good deal is identified.

We (the Association) had been lobbying the State Legisture for seven years to change the Landlord/Tenant Laws of OK. this year it looks like we might make it.Landlords, everywhere, have been having tenant problems since the first rental house was built!

Then, assign the contract to your end buyer, and step out of the way.

Action beats inaction.When I find myself paralyzed by thought, I take a (non-critical) blind step.

Being a newbie not sure what should be the steps to:how to approach the owners,what to offer them (for example: for a 300k property- if they have 200k already in equity, on average what should offer to them.)how to valuate the property (actual + repairs), how to search if there are other loans or not,how to take over the loan.and anything else I must need to take in to account.Since it will be the the first time for me so not sure how you advise me to move forward.Thanks.Seth

4.Don't get caught up in the steps, get caught up in the outcome?

I am, however, still fairly unclear on few steps in the basic sequence/process of purchasing a property.Generally speaking:-Find the prop.