I was able to analyze mostly properties in my target area, north of downtown San Antonio, with a few others scattered around other parts of the city.I am adding some additional post following this one for you to review. 

That always makes me laugh a little.I just set up my first round of direct mail postcards (1,000) to absentee owners with properties scattered throughout the Honolulu county.

However, Memphis has a lot of bad areas scattered through out even in the best of zip codes and the tenant pool can be difficult to qualify depending on your standards.

Welcome to the site......When im not dealing out of state...im pretty much scattered all over Ca.

Thanks - yes earnest money was my understanding - I just couldn't understand the strategy of getting scatter gunning to get so many under contract, even if the earnest is $1500 and you keep 20, still 15k down the drain.

I would just assume have a few larger properties to maintain rather than 70 SF units scattered around multiple cities/states.

There still are small (< 50 units) '60s vintage properties scattered around that have room with value add but it's a hot market.Portland has higher caps in the suburbs but smaller institutions are there too.

It sounds like it is worth it to spend the extra money to get everything I need in one package, so I will probably go that route.Rick & Gita - We completed our first flip using an Excel spreadsheet, and there is no way that I am going that route again now that I am having to wade through a sea of receipts and mileage notes scattered all over the place.  

Real estate is very broad so unless you narrow it down you can find yourself wasting a lot of time and effort only to find yourself scattered all over.

To offset that brain scatter id add a higher percentage to repairs as a worse case one size fits all model and be prepared and if nothing happens you'd just be in favor.