Not opinions and pro-formas.That's the reason we spend time getting to know you and understand your investing goals, risk tolerance, and investment criteria.  

You need to gauge your own risk tolerance level, including all your personal assets.

Pub 946, How to Depreciate Property) that you can also find online and are listed on page 2 of Pub 527.Depending on what your tolerance is for numbers and taxes, the info above may tell you what you need to know and save you some money.Good luck,Steve

I have little tolerance for agents that break some of the most fundamental rules of their business.

It definitely depends on your risk tolerance, but if I were you, I would use HELOC first for the 20% down, and get a mortgage if you could, and keep the cash as a reserve, but that's just me.I have been in touch with a few contractors, but haven't worked with them enough to put my name behind them (not that my name means anything yet!)

Depends on your risk tolerance.  

If I was bit more risk tolerant, I could invest $100k into each deal. 

Getting your personal finances in order will take less time (since your full time job eats up most of it) and will build a foundation allowing you to be more tolerant to risk once you start investing.I think Scott Trench's book "Set for Life" would be absolutely perfect for you!

Look for seller financed deals if you want to accelerate your pace and can tolerate the leverage.

(Expected Value=$3000(1/6)-$500(5/6)=$83)If you want a sure fire investment that simply implies your risk tolerance is low.