You have to make choices in life, do you need the "payments" or can you put those off and divert that money to savings for you first deal.  

Sometimes, you don't have a lot of choices.

I have noticed that a lot of rental units have furnace and hot water heaters in  the unit where the tenant pays all utilities,is this because it is cheaper in the long run to add the furnace and hot water heaters during the rehab and /or easier to just let the tenant pay everything.The property I am looking at does not have anything in it as far as heating but maybe the other owner was starting to run pipes for baseboard heating.I want to buy a 4 unit with a possible unit in basement so my question is, what choice should I make for the heating,which one is cheaper,more convenient for both  myself and the tenant.I do have a choice but don't know which route to take, or what are the questions to ask myself to make the proper choice.

From a consumer point of view, it comes down to having a wide range of CHOICES.

What is your opinion on the first purchase being the safest in terms of financial risk?

I've read your profile but curious to know what's driven the choices that you'd made (opportunity?

. - David you refer to C class multifamily, which in my opinion, is the safest investment in the DFW market.

If you want to invest out-of-state (which in CA is often a necessity), I would suggest doing a ton of research, narrowing it down to one or two solid choices, and then spending the couple hundred bucks to go meet the team.

Otherwise, your primary choices include buying flood insurance, try to flood proof the structure, sell it, or just let it flood and fix it each time.

Its all about ones own personal choices and decisions in life, because they are the ones that has 2 live with them.