You can network locally to you for real estate investor projects, and work both the flipping and your trade at the same time. 

Before I was a jack of all trades, helping to market houses for rent, doing scopes of works for contractors, and trying to fit in.

That's the agents duty and skill.

I'll make a 'colleague' request so that we might trade info. 

You would be better off learning a trade out of high school, avoiding the student debt, while earning a solid income for investing. 

I've been involved in about every trade in the construction industry over the last 15 years.

I've been involved in about every trade in the construction industry over the last 15 years.

If you are going to own it until you die, your basis doesn't matter and you might as well have them gift it to you now.If your parents are wealthy or the property is worth more than $5 million, then the trade-offs are more complicated due to estate tax and gift tax considerations.

Each has its own set of risk/reward trade-offs.  

I am a software developer by trade and am blessed to have an excellent career with a decent salary that leaves me with some disposable income that I'm hoping to put into some smart investments to generate passive income.