For instance in Washington state they seem to have really chosen dumpy depressed areas which will be a challenge ti take advantage of; while here in neighboring Oregon they have designated some very mixed areas that seem to provide some real juicy opportunities for tax advantages.

This way, you can bump up the value of the property so you're stacking more than $425/mo by next year while still building credit (if you've chosen this route of purchase), *and* cash flowing for a spell.

@Scott Marshall I used to base the name of the LLC on the property it was meant to contain.However I found over time, that I sometimes needed an LLC for a different purpose, and then I started to wish I'd chosen more generic names.

I have thought about poring cement, making a 6” or so tall deck, or just using small rocks for the whole thing.  

I'm new to these forums and hoped to ask my first question - for those that have already reached their goals of financial independence, or are are getting close and making plans, I'm curious to hear where you have chosen to live and locate your primary residence or where you're eyeing to do so? 

Hi Martin,All these questions are going to depend on your chosen bank or credit union.

I have chosen these windows almost purely on cost and availability from the home store I frequent.The first deal was sold as a flip, so long term reliability wasn't that high on the list.

Without know your goals, I can't say any one is better than the other.I've chosen to live and invest in Dayton deliberately.

Then, finish with Long Distance Real Estate Investing which again narrows down your chosen field (rental properties) and looks at how to go about building teams and growing your portfolio from a distance.How did you choose these three books in particular?

See what people on BP are saying about your chosen area and maybe pick a couple of cities to do heavy research on.