I'm trying to get started in real estate investing with this going for me/against me:
Have almost $5,000 available from college prepaid that I don't want to use on a degree (my interests don't require a degree)
Just recently unemployed/freelance writer living with parents (no housing expenses)
Plenty of time on my hands available to possibly use for RE
Massive South Florida RE market (I'm in Southern Broward)
Limited available credit and can't freely open and use credit cards as I please due to credit score and job situation
Would probably get rejected immediately for any mortgage whatsoever
But I have available one of the best official REIA-condoned paid mentoring/hard money supplying programs in the country (BREIA's) that I could choose to opt for. I've seen in my neighborhood a bandit sign where an investor is looking to take on an apprentice possibly for a joint venture for a cut (plan to give him a call and inquire/gather info). And also I've purchased Bill Vaughn's The Simple Man's Guide To Real Estate Investing and have his info, contracts, and free mentoring by email.
Suggestions? Advice?
I can only really get my foot in minus the joint venture if I do doubles and wholesales which would be rather rare to find and work out it seems looking so far. BREIA's program seems like the best guarantee but they raised their price for the optimal program to $28,000 which would cost me $31,000 over probably 24 months after financing (they seem to emphasize short sales and they have as part of it access to their buyer's list). Feasible, but I'd like to avoid if there's another way to get help with hard money.
