Michele, yes, I spend a lot of my drive time listening to podcasts.

I have spend almost the past year reading and studying anything and everything I can find.  

and buyers willing to spend more on updated homes (that's a buy and flip). 

Not to mention all the time you will spend dealing with the HOA board.  

In 1988, Michael Weiss, in his fascinating book The Clustering of America, introduced the idea that neighborhoods can be grouped in terms of lifestyles, consumer spending, demographics, and socioeconomic variables.

I have been spending every free moment educating myself about real estate investing through the Bigger Pockets website and related materials.  

Yes, the MLS was one of the things that I thought might be an advantage but I really don't think I/we'll be spending our time waiting to jump at the next property that comes along. 

Spend a little money save a lot of time.

I think you often hear about people doing deals with no money out of pocket, but it's not realistic, and most of those stories don't contain the back stories of who actually financed their "no money down" deal - uncle, mom and dad, or the seller of the property that didn't know any better.  

Not wanting to spend all of my saved money for the downpayment and costs to update I brought my brother in on the deal.