But I'm wondering if they are as useful and applicable (i.e. the ability to edit) and if there are other more cost effective means to obtain said documents.

It goes over what to look for in markets and some markets he likes for 2019 https://www.biggerpockets.com/member-blogs/9145/83...

A lot of forum members are experts in their respective fields related to real estate investing, whether that is real estate sales, wholesaling, flipping, buy and hold investing, lending, self-directed IRA and Solo 401k investing, or tax and legal guidance.There are some pretty nice discounts on many products and services offered as Perks to BP members that you might want to check out: https://www.biggerpockets.com/perks/proIf you haven’t been to it already, the Bigger Pockets blog features links to their fantastic podcast and many great articles: https://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/The site has quite a few tools that can be helpful for new members.

My market is Lansing, Michigan.I just watched a video on The silent killer that is CapEx and read a blog and the comment section on why 30k homes are bad for long term buy and hold rental strategy.

Can anyone suggest effective platforms they use and are satisfied with (because the system provides accurate information)? 

Quick sidebar, if the same prospect receives 25 postcards from different sellers all saying the same thing, the message begins to lose effectiveness, and it might be time for the savvy marketer to move to something new. 

Yes, you definitely have to set that up in advance - doing a 1031 is complicated and involves using a 3rd party to hold funds, various timelines for identifying the exchange property, and lots of other restrictions.There's a ton of content on the site about the details - search the forums or the blog and you'll find it.

Even short term would help, so you can get your feet wet and prove you can run the units effectively.

Yes in theory you can wholesale off the MLS but in today's competitive market it is not a very effective strategy.  

As the property appreciates or rents increase, you can effectively phase yourself out of the property and purchase another, all while keeping the same initial mortgage.Newer investors like this strategy because it allows for a lower down payment versus purchasing a "true" investment property (which usually requires higher down payments).