Examples could include:Partnering with other investors to share risk.Using seller financing or lease options.Leveraging creative rehab techniques to save on costs.Negotiating with contractors in a unique way to reduce expenses.I’d love to hear any stories, tips, or approaches that helped you pull off a deal others might have instantly passed on.

Examples could include:Partnering with other investors to share risk.Using seller financing or lease options.Leveraging creative rehab techniques to save on costs.Negotiating with contractors in a unique way to reduce expenses.I’d love to hear any stories, tips, or approaches that helped you pull off a deal others might have instantly passed on.

For funding, explore options like FHA loans, personal savings, or creative financing, and focus on New Jersey markets that align with your goals, such as Newark for rentals or commuter towns for house hacking.

When you add that: "The downpayment and closing costs would be one large hurdle"; I can't tell if you can only afford to do this once (thus tying up whatever you have saved) or multiple times.  

(Respectfully- Please don't tell me to save up and quit my job it's just not realistic for me and won't be anytime soon)If you read the threads on BP concerning wholesaling, you should be able to draw a few conclusions1. 99% of people trying wholesaling fail2.

Has anyone saved money and closed with one of these new upstarts?

It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed when starting out, but it’s great that you’ve been saving and reading up on investing.

It is your first year when you get the major tax savings windfall due to cost segregation and bonus depreciation.

Quote from @David Young: My wife and I are new to this and are saving for our first property our goal is to start looking for properties in November 25, we have a couple questions, would it be wise to invest out of state for our first time investment (we do plan on physically going to see the properties to potentially invest in) ? 

Literally to save their lives.