However you plan to get into real estate, find a way to begin with a model you can scale efficiently.

I have no doubts that there are key pieces of knowledge that I am missing to improve my return and help me become more efficient, but I have to start somewhere. 

Thank you to everyone who contributes their time and energy on Bigger Pockets!

Is there a way to be more efficient when canvassing an area?

Brent,You have to tell us your definition of "financially efficient".

I'm about to enter into an investment deal with an energy company in which I will be entitled to a 15-year income stream.

It makes you dependent on those assessed values being accurate and in my area they can vary widely for similar properties.Assumming the govt is efficient is dangerous.Over many properties, the averages might work out, but the problem is that you are going to try to cherry pick the "best" deals where the values diverge the most.

The problem with focusing on 1 of those "1,000,000 Seemingly Important But Really Nonessential Things Newbies Stay Up Late At Night Worrying About Before They Actually Do A Deal" questions is that you have an extremely limited amount of energy/time/money/effort to put into your new business.

Even if that's the entire profit from the first deal, if you believe this investor has the knowledge, experience and skills necessary to teach you the business, it sounds worth it to me.And clearly he believes he can help you, as he's risking his time and energy with you for potentially no pay-off (if there is no first deal for you).

This can be my city or another city that you feel is really getting negative energy but has the potential and movement of a positive energy shift for the better in the city.