Identify the first date you can have the sale and enjoy the homeowners capital gains exclusion (ask your tax preparer - probably 2 years from closing of purchase). 

They prey on those that want to leverage the equity to get more income from the mid west while enjoying the beauty of the west coast. 

It's not frugal or smart), I enjoy all the modern amenities in life (I eat out a couple times a month using Groupon or other deals), I have a newer Ford Focus in mind condition (yes we are a 1 car family!)

The meetings are always full of like-minded investors of all experience levels and it's a very comfortable place to make new contacts no matter how much experience you have.Hope you enjoy the meeting!

Oh and Enjoy!

I have thoroughly enjoyed this website over the past few days and I am looking forward to my first step into the world of real estate investing.

Seems to me finding a seller that just inherited a property or who has fallen on hard times and can no longer afford a home in vacation land would be the way I would go in your shoes.Keep us updated on your journey.

All repairs shall be taken care of by the seller since they have yet to vacate.

But prior to her vacation she promised I'd be closed on my refinance in 2 weeks (the 1st of which she was gone).

I pulled out cash from that to buy another investment property in California that is considered a vacation home, but I am also renting out for short-term vacation rental when we're not using it.