At the same time, I don't know anything about structuring a deal or landlording or any of that- I was thinking it would be better to split the profits with a mentor and learn the proper way of doing things along the way.I did buy the books to get a real estate license here in California through firsttuesday.us, and will be studying for the sales license exam.

Been buying a lot of study books.

They are both great at learning the fundamentals.Also - here's a couple articles you might enjoy:The 21 Best Real Estate Investing Books Ever How to Rent Your House: The Definitive Step by Step GuideOh - and don't forget to set up your Keyword Alerts!

I had always been interested in real estate, and with some encouragement from a couple of friends I started reading investment books and doing some research.

Two - (this is the escrow part) the HOA is in charge of regular maintenance of the exterior and "routine" painting of the exterior as it even says in their own rule book.

One of the banks favorite questions is how long have you been at your job?

If you'd rather gamble tens of thousands of dollars on the same information you could get here or from reading books and taking action yourself just to feel like you've better earned your knowledge or have put in more somehow that's your perogative.

@Randy King,Get you a good insurance policy and forget about all the books and snake-oil salesmen.

Any general advice or links to articles/books/podcasts you've found especially helpful would be appreciated!

You have selected a great area.Check out the Start Here page http://www.biggerpockets.com/starthereCheck out BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide - A fantastic free book that walks through many of the key topics of real estate investing.Check out the free BiggerPockets Podcast - A weekly podcast with interviews and a ton of great advice.