Check for transfer costs before doing so. 

Sounds more like trying to win a popularity contest, aiming to gain votes and likes from people here that also have something against wholesaling.But OK let me play along.Let's fact-check this:OP: "It’ll truly be strange to even hear people and gurus trying to make big money off it."

Make sure to check in with some lenders because they can find you grants to help with closing cost. 

Also, check out Meetup.com and Eventbrite for real estate investor meetups in your area 

I absolutely agree with manually checking the competitions pricing.

The seller can pay for it at closing (the title agent will cut the check to the trade to ensure there is no resulting lien) and provide proof of the replacement to the insurance provider.  

If you are just looking to network I would go the route of meetups locally (you can check above at the toolbar, hoover over forums then to the right you have events and meetups.If you are looking to wholesale and build a list of buyers that fix and flip for deals you may have then I would pull lists from 3rd party sites like Property Radar or propstream.

@Mike Gi be sure to check Airbnb longer stays and Furnished Finder to see what your competition's pricing and decor are like and make your properties pet friendly if you can as this is always a way to out compete the competition.

Here are a few suggestions on how you can maximize the wealth of information available: Check out the blogs and podcasts, or take advantage of the search feature (magnifying glass).

You can also check their reviews online at Google, Facebook, or Yelp.