Years later, we realized what we missed out on by selling the ones we did as we'd have met our goal already if we'd have just dealt with the problems, minor in retrospect.  

Most people missed these nuggets because they didn't have that backgound.

Don't miss The BiggerPockets Podcast - they are great for learning how others are finding success.Also - be sure to check out House Flipping: The Best of BiggerPockets.

am I missing something 

I am closing on my first rental property and I am quickly realizing that I am missing this crucial piece of the puzzle.  

@Brant Vaught I'm not sure how you could have missed ALL the information available on this topic. 

@Ariel OzickI disagree a lot of creditors only report to one credit bureau so you need to look at all three bureaus to see if you miss anything.Joe Gore

Managing a big marketing campaign is a lot of work so I can't say that I miss it but I think direct mail was a necessary first step and it allowed me to build a lot of relationships with other investors that I still maintain today. 

Hi Chad,Michael has a good point about the building next door...In your calculations, I noticed that you were missing some costs to acquire the property such as the closing cost and inspection cost.   

It's hit or miss in my area.