How to vet real estate businesses and their investors

[Eric Eastman]

I kind of have the opposite problem of a lot of people trying to get started. I'm lucky in that I have a a very steady and well paying job and a cash to invest. But with a family, full-time job and helping my wife start her own business I don't have the other required resource for investing - time. Maybe in a year or two I can start on my own, but in the meantime I want to learn the business now while time is tough to come by and use my money wisely.

The question is how does someone who is looking to finance, invest with or partner up with a real estate investor vet that person? 

The obvious answer is networking, but what can you do beyond that and looking at financials involved in their deals? Some recent podcasts have featured experienced real estate business people who not only do well for their investors, but understand the obligation they have to those investors. The last thing they will do is burn an investor even if times get tough.

How can you find people like that and not someone who is over their head? Or someone who will hang an investor out to dry when times get tough? 

Thanks for your time on this.