The podcasts are amazing resources to get informed.

There is so much to be gleaned from this amazing resource.  

And everyone rushes in to give some answer (no matter how amazing that answer) along the lines of, do the numbers,  use the 70% rule, get a contractor to give you a good cost o repairs, etc. etc. etc.Sorry.. great answers, but seriously..

I also want to add that I would not be where I am without the help from a great realtor and investor, and who I consider a friend.She was recommended to me by a bank when I first moved here and has been a tremendous mentor and friend.I also have a great bank, and loan officer who is so amazing and goes the extra mile every time.Finding these people to help you is not hard, and definitely worth the time.They make all the difference in failure and success.

Lots of amazing people work there.

It's amazing how much easier it is to sniff out a bad/good deal when you've been living in the area for the past year.

It is amazing how many real estate professionals post ads with crappy photos.

But it is amazing as far as ROI and cash flow go, so what you lose in one area you make up in another.

For example, homes found in Lake County (just 20 minutes from Downtown) can get you AMAZING ROIs due to their locations and lower taxes.

We have a roughly 1600 sq ft corner lot here with a pretty amazing backyard size for my neighborhood and it was mostly flat at time of purchase.