I will definitely check them out

Max, unless you know the ins and outs of buying property on your own then yes, I would definitely hire a realtor. 

Definitely somewhere a sold renter would want to live!

I'll definitely check that out. 

Definitely one of the best choices I've made.

Our tax code definitely favors the rich (including me to some extent).

Hi @Ashli Addison, welcome to BP and the REI world, yes i agree there can definitely be an information overload with educating yourself in REI, but its good that you are now jumping to take the next step and get some forward motion on your business, while you will never stop learning taking the first steps and making real progress is a big accomplishment and one step most new people never take "study from the sidelines" but best of luck with your REI adventures and post up any deals/success/questions you get, we all like to see each other succeed,good luck,jay,

I have no definitive legal proof that meth was ever even in the house.3.

My criteria are pretty strict in terms of location for a place I want to live:Walking distance to Newport or ~20 min via public transitNear to PATH (<= .75 mi) to be able to get into ManhattanEverything I’ve seen in the forums leads me to believe any properties in areas meeting these criteria are going to be highly competitive, and I only have about $100k to put down on a purchase.

However, for the amount you have, the expenses and paperwork, I wouldn't suggest going down this path.