I am working my way through "Start With Strategy" by Dave Meyer, and I am enjoying it a lot.

The "holding-operating" strategy makes sense for someone starting in real estate investing.

Do you think you're going to save money and/or time?

We just finished a renovation project that we started in our name and put into an LLC half way through. 

But for now I am continuing along with my normal W2, saving as much as possible, and learning every chance I get.I am looking to meet like-minded individuals and hopefully some mentors along the way.Steven              

Understanding How Real Property Works I am not making the argument to do anything unsafe or that you need to do all of the work on your properties yourself but I believe that understanding how real property works will save you from being ripped off, allow you to prioritize repairs more effectively, and get you out of tough situations by providing you with solutions to problems.Why Basic Home Maintenance Skills MatterCost Savings: Knowing how to do some basic things yourself can save thousands of dollars.

You should always start the call with something like this (not verbatim). 

But I'm now considering selling that Merced rental and using the equity to buy a San Diego house that I would use as a 2nd home/vacation home & rental.I would rent out a portion of the house & save a space for myself when I visit.  

. - the cost starts long before any generated income.  

We can help you out with offmarket aquisition and Property Management in Cincinnati , give me a call to see if we have answers to all the woes you had with your previous PM companies you used , or if you are new to investing in cincinnati we can start from basics and help you put as well