Builders getting burned in the Upstate right now are the ones underwriting suburban tract-home numbers to infill sites.

Tract builders continue their building......wonder why? 

Looking at a lot near a small downtown area that are two tracts combined. 

I then divided land into 7 tracts, went through IDEM and installed a private lift station and sewer main, and finally had zoning and plot plan approved for constructing more duplexes on these parcels.

I agree that it can be powerful when you want to take a stream of conscious thought and make it digestible for others, but on forums like these, where there is a high value put on personal relationships (even virtually), it does not come across as "working smarter". 

Digestible bites for people skimming details. 3.

@Matt Settle - great question for all newbies as they tend to overcomplicate things and there is A LOT of info out there to digest and it can sometimes be overload.If I were starting fresh today, my first deal would be a cash-flowing (not necessarily anything crazy) turnkey single-family home in a landlord-friendly, affordable market - somewhere in the Midwest or Southeast (think Birmingham, Georgia, TX, TN, OH or OK).Here’s why:Lower entry prices mean you can get in with less capital and less risk.Strong rent-to-price ratios make it easier to hit positive cash flow from day one.Turnkey properties let you start "earning while you’re learning" without needing to manage a full rehab or local tenants yourself.Builder and seller incentives help as well which are customary when you are shopping in this arena - things like concessions towards rate buy downs, cash back post closing, etc.Focus on markets where the numbers actually work - not just where you live.

Anyone thinking of investing in Lane Kawaoka  syndication. needs to be aware of his current tract record.He has lost control of  one of his Texas assets and apparently all of the passive investors capital.There may be more.

@David Fisher, The book "Paper Profits" by Josh Andrews is well written and easy to digest.

-GIS map, you can find the parcel # , legal tract name, and official parcel size of home.