You will be basically betting on the appreciation if buying this property will eliminate your ability to save more money to go towards rentals in the future until you sell and realize that appreciation.I would look at what the worst case scenario would be and what does this do to your timeline / plans.  

Because of the margins, Can do deals pretty much all day every daywhere you basically just aquire the property, sometimes a bit of 'mop and glop', then just hand it over to a realtor with say a 20k markup, move on to the next one etc.

If you haven't listened to the podcasts you may not know that term but it's basically that thing that is unique to you that can be leveraged to get you a toe hold in Real Estate.

If you're a newbie, I believe it is an absolute basic requirement.Not only will it help clear up some outstanding issues and provide a detailed step-by-step procedure, but also the speakers, Shirley Henderson in particular, offer some valuable tips I have yet to see in any book, YouTube video, etc., or anyone here on bigger pockets.For instance, they will go over the process of double closing, how is totally unnecessary and why only newbie wholesalers would consider it.

Thanks for the input…so basically if we find a property on the MLS and run the numbers and it seems like an okay deal, we're probably not actually getting the best deal? 

I am more risk adverse so I would not count on long term appreciation with a negative cash flow property especially in DC/NOVA...there is always a ceiling on how high the appreciation can go when you are already starting out with average home costs for a basic house that needs heavy cosmetic rehab funding on top of the over $350K - $450K house in an Ok area of DC/NOVA.I submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request at the County Code Enforcement office and got a list of blighted (Vacant) and other code violation properties.  

Then find a realtor.The realtor I used for my purchase basically just linked me in on his MLS.

If so, you can search the county records to see what liens are filed of record against the property and to get a basic chain of title.

I basically just trade up.

(2) If the money is in fact being taxed twice, is this loss offset by the fact that this is basically an interest-free loan (you're paying yourself back the interest instead of another third party)?