I guess it was the framework for that community at that time. 

I think that framework will help clarify some of your other questions. 

I know they're pushed out until the end of October, so not sure if that time frame works for you, but Malachi has been great. 

If you can clearly, concisely, and exactly answer these questions then you have the framework already in place to provide you the guidance you are seeking.

With a bit of professional dress and presenting a framework for what you intend to accomplish, if not a full plan to build off of such as your property search criteria and your long term goals, even a newer Realtor who is still learning, or a less than professional agent will be more likely to succeed and stick around because you have set and can manage their expectations from that point moving forward.  

More about me - I started a year ago in REI and I read a lot of books and papers on remote RE investing, demographics movement across US, asset protection + listened to every single podcasts + analyzed 100s of properties and then created a system or framework for investing after many iterations.

So it is still a series of straight exchanges plus the reverse exchange framework. 

Knowing what the various types of vendors do, kind of puts a framework to the overall picture of how things work from due diligence to loan servicing and everything in between.

If our market had high turn over, or our strategy produced irregular income we would lean toward 12 months mortgage plus a major repair.I hope this is a useful framework for something to consider.

I know that there are less expensive alternatives but at the time the location, schedule and time-frame worked out conveniently for me and it was also run by a Keller Williams brokerage that I wanted to join.Personally, my instructor was a bit newer I think and didn't have all the information down pat.