(Three years of high school French and that's about all I remember. ^^)Welcome to the "living overseas and investing in the US" club.I help run a meetup out here in Seoul, South Korea - for both foreigners and ex-pats who are doing what you're doing.

I read three sentences and tuned out.

Hello Community:I attended a dinner party over the weekend and three of the couples who attended are currently looking to buy homes in the North Park area of Irvine, CA.  

All three of us are going to be living around Penn State area, and most properties there are relatively low in costs, but we're not sure how to gauge anything.Basically we'd ideally like to buy one, live in one of the units, and rent the other(s) out until we're done with school, or decide to move on to something else altogether.Any feedback would be great!

Three years is not unusual.

Like the Chicago "two flat" "three flat" terminology. 

Again, mostly interested in three things if anyone can share insight: 1. renovation budget (ballpark) 2. how to figure a post-construction value or ARV 3.

Three Referral CirclesFocus on three target areas to begin building a good referral network.

The contractor and two of his workers were working on the main floor when three men approached and knocked on the front door.

But you're right - overall, it's saturated and highly competitive (as is any tier of an industry that is targeted to the "beginner")I see you're doing work in DFW and Tokyo.