Outside of ARV's and basic area details....what are some other important factors, data, numbers, demographics etc - I should have a good grasp on when considering an area to target?  

I have met a person who I have exchanged contact information with, but I never asked what exactly what kind of business relationship that he was looking for.

after tailgating for the first time and having a ball we were leaving the game and heading into NYC when we met a group of American girls at the train station leaving the game. we got talking and I took a liking to one particular girl ( my now wife ).

Account ClosedIntroverts can prospect leads very well (data, design & copy for targeted mailings, etc) imo, up until it comes time to chat with the seller(s).

It may not be perfect for you as it only goes out 7 years but you can add more data/rows as needed.

I've been using city-data dot com, spotcrime (which, honestly, is kind of hard for me to interpret) and neighborhood scout. 

If data is available on the MLS then use that and always verify it once you start your due diligence period.  

How do you immerse yourself in the data?

If you originate a new note and the borrower occupies the property, then you will need to have it originated with a qualified loan originator, like a mortgage broker, and make sure that the borrower has submitted the proper financial data to qualify for the loan.

The online sites like list source and yellow letters do it all the time.I think the key difference is that while those companies sell lists based on the same data, it should rarely be the "same list".