I'm personally more interested in the number of accounts outstanding, proportion of balance to limit, how often any have been late, and the nature of the accounts than anything else, because the first month the tenant has to choose between car payments for husband, wife, daughter, and mom, and paying the rent, they're going to choose the car payments. 

depend on the nature of the deal.

This smoothes out the inflation a bit nationally, but it also inflates markets like Cleveland more than they would naturally, due to the ease of distance investing now.Many articles in our local business journal recently discussed how lifelong apartment reposition-ers are moving into development due to the completion in the apartment space.

As I worked there long enough the conversations became second nature.

I live in Oakland, so naturally I look around in my backyard.

Ensure that your approach comes natural to you and you will do fine.  

I have traveled there twice but could not comment intelligently on the true nature of the area.

This will vary depending on the value of the time lost, local laws which may favor tenants and hobble landlords and the occupants obsessive nature, access to information (damn internet) and determination.I've been involved in plenty of cases where the landlord lost perspective and it becomes a battle of wills, personality and tenacity...not money.

The key is the TYPE of real estate and whether you want to be active or passive in nature.

Quite a list of prerequisites: http://mortgage.nationwidelicensingsystem.org/slr/PublishedStateDocuments/GA-Mtg-Lender-License-Description.pdfSome exemptions include:  Federally insured financial institutions and their wholly owned subsidiaries;  W-2 Employees of licensees and registrants (see Code);  Attorneys who provide legal services who are not in the business of negotiating loans;  Any person performing any act relating to mortgage loans under order of any court ;  Nonprofit corporations making mortgage loans to promote home ownership or improvements for the disadvantaged;  Any natural person who makes five or fewer mortgage loans in any one calendar year;  Other… refer to Code Section 7-1-1001.Bob