Buy Property A (get purchase cash from whatever source:  pocket, refinancing another property, hard money, etc.)Rehab Property A (get rehab repair cash from whatever source)Rent Property A (your due diligence should show you if you can cash flow after purchase/repairs)Refinance Property A (long term loan, pay cash received from loan to whatever source you received cash from)Repeat

What's your source for the $100/month insurance expense? 

Take a look at google maps and you’ll see that end of Main St. has mostly fast food, dollar stores/goodwill stores, liquor stores and check cashing stores, not trendy coffee shops, breweries or restaurants (yet).

What did you think/did you find it to be a reliable source and did you end up using it in any way to make a purchase decision? 

CLICK HERE for one source that includes a link to the real estate agency where you can get it straight from the horse's mouth.

Or did you mean you have another source of funds for the down payment, like a gift from family? 

Land trusts may preclude you from financing with a majority of investment property lenders -- I can't speak for traditional/conventional sources as I don't have experience there. 

Each of your responses had given me some good food for thought and action.

If I plan to own real estate investments as a viable source of income in my later years (hopefully sooner) would becoming a realtor be beneficial to me?

I have found they are good source of information.