As one can understand it’s a daunting task to select an area out of 52 states.

Without knowing specifics of your situation it's hard to know what your "unfair advantage" is.

Well, the way I see it, homeowners given the advantage of mortgage modifications and special payment plans with lower monthly payments are like dieters.

POL and most other RECF platforms are less institutionally focused so an individual can still select their investments usually without being bought out by an institution first.

Although they may  be easy,  the advantage of the 401k is there is no bank telling you that you can pay it back, you have to know that yourself.

I know it costs money, but after it's all done you will be glad you did versus having the tenant take advantage of you.

Soft Costs:If you are your own realtor you can shave off 3% which gives you a competitive advantage so you can offer more.  

Here are a few recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/meet Set up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsIf you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select that person below.

The main benefit of buying your primary home first is the first time government home buyer programs and the fact that you will get the lowest interest rates here plus the tax advantages and lower down payment etc. 

Here are a few recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/meet Set up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alerts Read Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investing Check out BP Podcasts: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/category/podcast/ If you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select that person below.