A Financial Management course 6.

So you would want the most recent financials from lets say August 2015 to August 2016.  

Bigger Pockets is lacking in strong resources for real estate ventures that succeed.

One of the first things I did 4 years ago was to join the Rhode island Real Estate investors Group (RIREIG) which has been invaluable as a resource.  

You might look into form some type of corporation or a LLC depending on your financial wealth.  

You're looking for tenants who are responsible (financially, take care of house/pets, etc.), who you can control, and that will be easy to work with.I disagree with other responses.

I said "start" because I have no experience, only the interest to get started, and some cash resources.  

I have done my research in regards to paying off my student loans first, but they are at a 3.2% interest rate and I still think it is more beneficial financially to invest now while I am relatively young.

the biggest issues are that the available tenant base drops dramatically around October and doesn't pick up again till the end of the school year.People are no different than animals in that regard.They want to be settled and hunkered down in a property before the school year and/or bad weather starts.Quality tenants with good financial backgrounds don't want to move their families in the middle of an icy,snowy winter for obvious reasons,and good college students have already started school in August.Many of the few available tenants will have questionable backgrounds like recent job loss,previous eviction,bad credit,difficult income verification and don't make 3 times the rent,criminal records,etc.   

Pete Fortunato is also a very good resource to look up.http://www.bartowrealestate.com/about.htmlhttp://peterfortunato.com/