How can one, who has only rudimentary knowledge in real estate without any boots on ground experience (read a few books), effectively choose a real estate agent?

I truly believe that it's always a good time to buy real estate, as long as you know where to go and where it makes sense.

(the way the conventional mortgage was a root canal)I am probably going to pay cash for the property upfront and then finance it after the close, so I have some time to explore financing products. 

My name is Meredith Young and I am currently a real estate agent in Athens GA, but it has always been my dream to build a fix and flip business!  

A new apartment building is set to rise in Panama City Beach, thanks to a $72M loan secured by Oldacre McDonald. As our beautiful city continues to grow, so does the demand for housing, jobs and investment opportuniti...

My First Multifamily Full Cycle Success Story: From Busy Attorney to Real Estate InvestorI’m thrilled to share the complete journey of my first real estate investment—a 44-unit multifamily property in Lawrence, KS—from acquisition to exit.Balancing a full-time legal career and fatherhood, real estate seemed like an impossible dream.

Working full time and investing in real estate is pretty normal. 

2) If the lease that the tenant agreed to included them maintaining the front yard/ landscaping - is it reasonable to deduct a 1 time yard clean-up from their security deposit? 

I looked into Huntsville, AL, and Columbus, OH which are referred to as the best places to buy real estate recently.

Not sure how much your taxes increased, but one way to cheaply and quickly drop your monthly payment is to increase your deductible on your insurance for the time being (please speak to your insurance agent about what this means for you).