I wanted to gather as much info as I could before I go and drop a few hundred bucks.

Rob Drum puts out a ton of great info for investors in Birmingham

I thought that was good info from @Rick Bassett but I was a little confused by the conclusion that is was barely worth it when you consider the extra work.You didn't detail or even mention in your post how much extra work or what that entails.

Please click on the links, give them a read, and share your thoughts in the comments.First is a post that I feel will help not get overwhelmed with the amount of info that is here on BP:https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52761-the-simple-guide-to-getting-started-on-bpThe second is a post that will help get you focused with your real estate investing goals:https://www.biggerpockets.com/blogs/5868/52743-im-new-to-bp-any-advice-would-be-appriciatedThe last one is a post that will help you choose an “investor friendly” real estate agent.

Hey Tevin, a lot of people included search criteria such as equity, mortgage type, last sale of the home, absentee owners, and age of owner.

Again, depending on the age and condition of the property, and the quality of tenants.Add an additional 10% for PM.  

In that case the title insurer would evaluate all pertinent info (such as period of time of use and type and extent of the encroachments).

I'll PM you my contact info if you'd like to speak further. 

Great community here and a wealth of info to tap into.

I'm here to tell you and give you info that the minority of real estate investors are doing, not the majority.