@Patricia Steiner all great points, but I vehemently (but respectfully) disagree with "How many bathrooms?

We noted it was very important to us because of the health of my daughter and we needed a safe environment.

Your lease will less be respected legally too.

A lot of forum members are very knowledgeable in their respective fields related to real estate investing, whether that is real estate sales, wholesaling, flipping, rentals, lending, self-directed IRA and Solo 401k investing, or tax and legal guidance.

So, to gain respect and credibility with your partners, “be all in” - when you see an opportunity, pick the brains of the RE experts within your network, do not overthink, and make a decision to move forward with good deals quickly and responsibly.

While it can be daunting, make sure you do your due diligence on the market (and focus on the respective neighborhood/community) as well as those who you're dealing with.Run your numbers of the turkey property you're interested in and be comfortable with them.

Keep in mind, I would be a very conscientious neighbor and would be very careful not to be respectful to my neighbors peace and quiet and the enjoyment of their homes and property.  

If you've been able to hold a property for 20+ years, then you'll probably be okay no matter what the interest rate environment is at that point, since the property will be mostly paid down and the income will likely have grown a healthy amount.In my opinion, most everything comes down to your initial buying criteria.

A lot of forum members are very knowledgeable in their respective fields related to real estate investing, whether that is real estate sales, wholesaling, flipping, rentals, lending, self-directed IRA and Solo 401k investing, or tax and legal guidance.Discounts on some products and services are offered to BP members: https://www.biggerpockets.com/perks/proAlerts can be really helpful too: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsThere are a few self-contained guides that you can access here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides

A lot of forum members are very knowledgeable in their respective fields related to real estate investing, whether that is real estate sales, wholesaling, flipping, rentals, lending, self-directed IRA and Solo 401k investing, or tax and legal guidance.