Alpha Flow also has some useful free tools for screening investments across multiple properties and tracking performance. 

I figured I should learn to start analyzing properties with the tools biggerpockets provides before I actually start investing.

Adwords is just a tool.

Two of the more popular ones are Atlanta REIA and Georgia REIA.

I have a realtor and my wife and I are going to take note of potential repairs that need to be made and try to estimate the costs - I think there's a tool on BP for that from what I've heard.

It turns out that at the biggest school nearby, someone built a massive apartment complex for college students right next to campus which is popular among students for living off campus.

Once ive found a zip code I would like to saturate with marketing I do a google drive for dollars and just use google maps as a tool to walk up and down streets i may be interested in purchasing property.

Your mortgage is a great financial tool.

As such, it is just another tool.

My advise (as both an investor and wife of a realtor), would be to use Zillow sold comps as your first analysis tool.