Actual competent comprehension and command of R.E.

Does that include comprehensive deal analysis software/spreadsheet? 

The following is a very cursory list of how I would approach this.1) Work with a real estate agent to do thorough research on sales prices (comps) for similar properties in the area.2) Work with an experienced RE consultant or developer to create a pro-forma based on solid research for your development that includes 1) a pre-development and development budget that includes a) soft costs like architect and engineer fees, geotech, permits, survey, builders risk insurance, legal, etc. and b) hard costs (construction costs); 2) sources and uses of funds; 3) cash flows; 4) sales (absorption) projections; and 5) a capital accumulation model for your different development scenarios to help determine which alternative would yield the highest investment return.3) Find a reputable architect and engineer to create drawings and help you through the permitting process.4) Submit drawings to GCs for bid.5) Update your pro-forma for the estimated construction costs and take it to several lenders to determine what the loan terms would be.6) Secure a loan, hire a GC, and start building.Again, the above is just a simple general overview and is not meant to be comprehensive by any means. 

There are a lot of great options out there; aside from providing the basics (ie. listing tool to get the property published to 10+ major sites, scheduling tool to schedule viewings, tenant screening with comprehensive applications which include nationwide criminal background checks + credit checks + eviction history, digital lease creation tool, rent collection tool, and maintenance tracking tool), some services also offer your tenants additional capabilities which makes it an easier sell on your end when getting them to transition over (ie. their ability to report on-time rent payments to the credit bureaus; this can create an added incentive for making sure they pay that rent on time).

For small landlords, I don't recommend comprehensive software, but for a property manager it is impossible to scale your business without it. 

fellow n00b here, so others can comment w much better lists i'd imagine.rich dad poor dad. personally not a fan of the format, but everyone seems to love this one. i read it in highschool but revisited it when beginning REI. despite the meh nature of the writing and anecdotes, there are a handful of principles and concepts that can serve as a sort of Copernican revolution to your outlook on finances, assets, REI, etc. protip: much easier to blaze through the boring portions and still pick up all the goodies when listening in audiobook format at 2-3x speed.multi-family millions by david lindahl was a great read for me. really helped me to dream big on the ultimate direction of my REI journey. i'm nowhere near the apartment complex stage, but many of the concepts bleed over to whatever angle your REI approach may take.ABCs of real estate investing was another beginner's guide that was helpful in orienting my thoughts. gary keller's the millionaire real estate investor is by far the most thorough, comprehensive, and helpful. like i'd mentioned above, i very much wish i'd read this one before getting our first deal. i'm in the middle of another that i can't remember the name of that deals w all the tax loopholes and provisions that REIs get to take advantage of. it's a solid one, but will be mainly used for reference in the future.out of what i've read so far, i'd suggest knocking out rich dad poor dad (again, on audiobook if you can handle that, will make the read much easier imo) and keller's book. orient your high level thinking via RDPD and get you a crapload of tools, charts, figures, ideas, etc. from Keller's nitty-gritty and incredibly practical work in TMREI.happy reading and happy holidays!

I guess I’d be considered a stalker in any other context.You see, my son turned me on to BP quite awhile ago and since that time, I’ve basically been addicted to it but never made the obligatory introduction or participated in the discussions (stealth mode).And now, to my chagrin, I wanted to ask a few questions but figured I’d better introduce myself first.I live in Lancaster County, PA.

The bank is going to be comprehensive.  

Read The Hand's Off Investor by @Brian Burke - it is by far the best introduction to syndications I have found and it also digs deep into analysis - of deals, markets and sponsors.  

I have never seen such unintelligent people in my life......no comprehension of how anything in a house works.....