Do you experienced marketers have any advice on whether filtering by tax delinquent homes is even that much more effective?  

Hard to find foreclosures that are cost effective to rehab. 

It will impact Realtor.com, but I wonder what the knock-on effect to Realtors will be.

Usually depreciation is one of the most valuable tax savings effects of rental properties when you ordinarilly own them but how is that handled with a self-directed IRA? 

You could then release your lien for nominal or no consideration, thereby eliminating the 1st's issue with payment to the 2nd in the short sale.

I feel like depending on what the plans are for that land will effect the contract price.

What effect will that person being in the apartment with Ebola do to the prospects of renting that unit in the future, will it need to be disclosed?

I'm also not an 'expert' on this REI stuff, by any means... but 'market cycles' are 'predictable' in the sense that the same people control them and pray off of the 99.9% like clockwork... and as many an 'insider' have said, in effect: "Watch what the herd is doing... and be prepared, then do the OPPOSITE."

However i want to buy my very first home via first time buyer, i dont have money for a down payment and i dont want to make this decision effect me in my  real estate investing.

http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/10/03/the-beginners-guide-to-highly-effective-real-estate-networking/