Quote from @Matthew Banks: I address this in my book, which I hope to release this summer.Get rid of paper as much as possible.

(Pro tip: labor and material costs will only continue to rise so it will usually save you money in the longrun to do as much work as possible sooner rather than later.) 

My first few deals will be smaller and possibly second position. 

Hello, I am new to the world of real estate and would like to learn as much as possible.

I wanted to get into my first real estate investment and was wondering if finding profitable homes in the market still possible.

There are some, not all, that take out as much cash as humanly possible and don't want to maintain or fix anything. 

I'm lost on where to start with this and really need help identifying the best possible way forward.

You'll have to turn the utilities on at the house: 300 - 500You get the work done as quick, efficient, and as good as possible and then list for sale or get a renter in there with a lease and start the refi process.

Strong rental demand indicates a higher likelihood of cash flow possibilities in the area.Consider the potential cash flow of any prospective investment property while evaluating it.

Looking forward to the possibility of making some magic happen!