The market in flipping grows with rapid appreciation and once saturated corrects itself. 

They buy a decked out F350 they don't need and can't afford, live from job to job and the risk/reward of going to trial made it too risky to pursue.Live and learn.Oh and I suspect the problem is worse in rapidly growing areas.

Hence, I want to invest my time and educational dollars as efficiently as possible to more rapidly get to a point where I'm actually comfortable enough to pull the trigger on a deal.

While I do think that Austin will continue to grow rapidly for the next few decades I think there are just too many unknowns to account for.

Let me know which are best of the following:Raleigh, NCGreensboro, SCTampa, FLJacksonville, FLColumbus, OHKansas City, KSIndianapolis, INGrand Rapids, WIAnn Arbor, MIOklahoma City, OKAtlanta, GAAny help would be greatly appreciated. 

The climate is rapidly changing, full time agents are becoming more and more self sufficient, however, very relying on technology.  

Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla.1.386.0030Grand Rapids-Wyoming, Mich.2.964.2531Boise City, Idaho2.005.0032San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, Calif.2.504.3733Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, S.C.2.804.0034Madison, Wis.1.725.0535Albuquerque, N.M.2.923.7136Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, Texas2.244.1937Winston-Salem, N.C.3.003.2138Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Calif.0.525.6639Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Niagara Falls, N.Y.1.274.8940Fresno, Calif.1.294.8141San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, Calif.0.945.1442Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Mich.1.174.7743Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz.3.662.2644Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, Calif.2.293.6245Augusta-Richmond County, Ga.

Every now and then you can find a deal, the rental pool is strong, good schools, not a lot of crime, etc and the city is rapidly growing.

The financial center of Brickell is beautiful and you can buy a brand new studio apt. for $400k.Homestead is experiencing new, rapid growth because they have the most vacant land in the Miami metro area, but it is at the very southern end of the peninsula. 

But with this kind of negative cash flow, you are betting that appreciation is growing more rapidly than the interest you're paying--just to beat putting $900/mo in a savings account.On top of that, you're still in the window where you call sell this tax free using the primary residence exemption.Using the $80K on a $350-400K multi or two $200K homes on a 30 year fixed will provide the same appreciation while having someone but you pay off the mortgage.