So for instance, the Pentagon Federal Credit Union was set up for employees of the Pentagon, but if you join the "Voices for Troops" organization (it'll cost you $15 the first year and you don't have to renew after that) they'll let you join PFCU and get their awesome Pentagon Promise Visa card: www.penfed.org/Penfed-Promise/You do have to be careful when planning out your cash flow, though.  

Also, I would appreciate your thoughts on how you prefer to be approached-- for instance, would you rather be (1) provided a list of properties under contract with accompanying key info or (2) asked up-front for your selection criteria to direct a wholesaler's efforts?

The unlicensed PM had stolen from more than a few owners.. the DRE filed criminal charges and went after them pretty hard.. they got jail time.A complaint to the DRE should be made in this instance.. any type of law suit is not going to happen the amount your owed would be eaten up in attornies fees in a few billing cycles.

I would be sure to have one for that long a lease to know what the penalty will be if they terminate early. for instance can you keep the deposit. 

We have such a diverse county, just not sure where to start.I'm just wondering how ppl analyze a market--for instance a certain DOM, year of properties built, type of housing... idk.

For instance, if an applicant is somewhat aggressive and demanding when applying, he goes to the bottom of my pile.

For instance a wall plug replacement might be under 1 buck at Home Depot and take 10 minutes to put in but an electrician wants a 100 service call minimum.With larger size properties you can have a PM and full time repair person ONSITE that has no divided interests between other properties and the SOLE FOCUS is to keep your property going.Let's say you have an 18 unit complex throwing off 600 a door rent.The PM gets 8% monthly of gross rents. 48 X 18 = 864 a month = 10,368 a year potential income plus of course any tenant signing fees for first months rent etc.Now if the rents per door were much higher you could argue more income to the PM and repair person but usually the area costs much more for cost of living so it's offset.

For instance some will start small in the 4's and then say after 5 years it can go up 2% max a year until It hits 12%.

For instance, I hear good things about Grandmont-Rosedale, but I've never been out there myself.Of course, the most important thing you can do is check out the properties and their immediate neighborhoods themselves.

It would be a rare instance that the city would prefer a vacant economically unproductive (low to now property tax) lot in an infill location.However, as the guys above pointed out you need to check with zoning laws to see what you can build "as of right."