While at the same time looking for a group that already invest in what you want and trying to break ground with them.

I'd be interested in talking to you more about your "boots on the ground" person here in KC.Thanks,Tyler

There is ONLY one real confidence booster.And I challenge anyone and everyone to the death on this one.Working hard, sweating tears and blood,  standing back up after you get bish-slapped to the ground, rising above it all trembling and bloody, .... depositing your first paycheck and hear that "chee cheeng"...

If my place burned to the ground then I would get my loan paid off, have my equity, and sell the lot.

Definitely an area where you need an ear to the ground with regards to each cities, and not for the faint of heart!

This is just another method that I have personally have had success in, its shocking how many people want to be in real estate, but they just don't have the time to do the ground work.

Practice FSBOs script my listing presentation stuff like that. 8-9 morning ascent we chat our affirmations, write in our journal for ten min of things we are grateful for and things we want then we have a motivation message by one of the brokers or owners of the company. 9-12.

I would describe Athens as stable and consider it to be somewhat of a middle ground between Madison and 35810.  

Now I connect with Realtors on the ground that know the neighborhood well, I also always ask about their network of Property Managers, number of General Contractors in their network (so I'm not waiting for a GC to finish one job before they get to my property), if they regularly deal with Out Of State Investors, etc...    

You should only agree to pay per progress arrangement, and have a 3rd party to be your eyes on the ground.