Account Closed As many above have stated, read and listen to BP to get started then rely on the expertise of others when you have specific questions to help you on the way.

@Cameron Tope thank you for your response and expertise!

Treat it like you are interviewing for a job worth $100,000 per year salary, because in effect that's what you are asking your investors to do: provide you with a large chunk of CASH that they spent years to acquire, and all you have is a dream and very little knowledge or experience.I've been doing rental properties for almost 15 years now, and I still haven't felt that I have the knowledge of the market and expertise to properly do what you're asking to do with no experience. 

Subsequently when our portfolio expanded to multiple properties and the total value exceeds $1mm we created a holdco for protection and tax efficiencies.If you need a CPA with real estate expertise, I can recommend you one in Vancouver. 

has anyone had any experience or expertise that they can recommend to me about this approach for my local market?

Hell, a biologist might have expertise in genetic algorithms that can help evaluate properties.

Hopefully someone with more expertise can chime in. 

Would you look for a "cost effective" doctor or lawyer if you determined you really needed their expertise?

@Scott Smith thank you for your input and sharing your expertise. 

We found the agent’s expertise to be invaluable in finessing the deal for several key reasons: determining fair market price, negotiating the purchase and sale contract, connecting us with a great inspector/lender/ title company, scheduling everything, handling all the paperwork, down payment, escrow, title work, contract deadlines, inspection objection negotiations, closing, etc. and consistently moving the deal forward to make the process smooth and efficient.