He is in the West Suburbs of Chicago, if anyone is looking for an agent in that area.There is a low barrier to entry in this industry and many people perceive it as "easy money."

I've yet to see a lender allow any perceived equity in a property used as part of a required down payment.Why?

He got distracted and decided that he didn't want to work on it so, because of my own time constraints and (perceived) need to have someone to motivate me, I also dropped everything.

Sacrificing your geographical knowledge for what I perceived as an opportunity in areas I lack familiarity is unwise. 

Government does this by recording concurrent, simultaneous security instruments (DOT's in CA) to both discourage would-be borrowers from tapping the last ounce of perceived equity and if you read the HUD junior lien, it makes specific reference to such a breach.Clever hard money lenders know how to circumnavigate this issue.

Once you understand how to generate leads, solve people's problems, monetize the opportunities and discover the fundamental principals of perceived added value and other value concepts and apply these in your efforts, these gurus will be distant memories in your last like a bad burrito. 

Having matured professionally in high tech corporate America, I conversely was conditioned to perceive that my only realistic option for acting on my real estate passion, was to seek out cross industry opportunities as a prospective employee within the real estate segment.

Or I will make a cash offer which coupd be perceived as him buying for cash when really just the offer is cash. 

And when a tenant moves out, is there a good way to apply some part of the security deposit to cover perceived damages? 

Interested in learning how an "outsider" perceives what is going on here.