And I feel the ideal portfolio can benefit from the diversification of both.Directly owned properties are great because they give you maximum control and the ability to tweak them exactly how you want.

Ideally by the end of the year.

My goal is to do contract assignments and buy/hold properties so having someone that is knowledgeable in both areas would be ideal.

I can control settings for if and when it auto locks itself.

Ideally I'd like to find a Duplex on the Kansas Side or North KC side, live in one side, rent out the side.

But I still have a few doors on Auto-Owners used to be written through BB&T agents.  

I realize that it's hard to get something under $100k that would be in an ideal short term rental location but I'm curious if anyone knows if a smaller house in a "regular" neighborhood of Pensacola would have any viability as a short term rental?

You ideally want a fiduciary financial planner that not only provides investment management, but year-round proactive planning that helps you reduce your taxes, increase cash flow, protect your liabilities, etc.

Historically speaking Indianapolis has been a pretty flat market and that's why it's been an ideal location for investors (both in and out of state) for years.

So the auto didactic way is the way to go for me.