The trick with them is just working with the good ones and not jumping into just any ole turnkey (or turnkey market). 

That, plus a few other little tricks may have worked.

In my experience, real estate agents typically don't know all the tricks of the trade like a good property manager does.

He covers absolutely everything in detail and gives away tricks and tips along with the software he uses for different steps.

I personally don't lie to sellers, I don't trick old ladies, honestly if I saw that the old lady needed as much as she could get I'd pass the deal to my agent and cut myself out the deal.

This goes away pretty quickly though once you pay off the card.Again, I used it too because it makes financial sense, but beware of the tricks & dangers.

@Adam Christopher In follow-up to the prior comments on putting less than 20% down, there is one little trick specific to the HomeReady program if you would rather put down 15% on a primary.

It's a dirty little landlording trick and it can backfire.

But there is a little trick, if you find a house you are interested in listed with a realtor, go to an open house by the realtor, especially a house that has been on the market for 90 days.

(Maybe you can "cash out" in areas without state capital gains taxes to minimize the hit, or some other trick of the trade?)