We got an amazing contractor who did a brilliant job and completed the rehab in two months.

They have a portfolio of options that sell first to locals for as little as $1,000 if you have the rehab budget and local contractors.

You pay a once off membership cheapest one is $18k, and then after his team will find you deals, you put down the down payment and his team will do the financing and if there is any work that needs to be done they get the contractors and over look the whole project from start to finish and manage it also.

That's why developers have project managers on top of the contractors. 

I had a RE license as an Investor/Contractor and never saw that it saved much money (My experience anyway) People think you save 2.5 - 3% on every deal because you don't pay a Buyer's agent.....but most sellers are not dumb and will not automatically 'give' you that money, they will either expect that they keep it or maybe work out some kind of a split.So if you are just going to be an investor, there is no way that it is worth the cost (IMO)

William,The best thing I did was drive around the area I was looking to invest and started talking with contractors.

They've got these city-specific groups where investors from all over the place come together to share the best vendors, suppliers, and trustworthy contractors in the area.

I have two friends who own rental properties and they are successful with their properties, I read Rich Dad Poor Dad twice along with Rental Property Investing and Power of Habit, I've been told by multiple people apart of the Baby Boomer and Generation X that they wish they invested in Real Estate at my age, I was a Resident Advisor at my University and I enjoyed that role so some of the skills are transferrable, and lastly this is the best time for me to take a risk.

@Grace Hartman I don't mean this in a negative way but you're in this situation due to lack of experience, terribly high contractor quotes, or a combination.

Many BP people see contractor, RE agent and property manager as the only options to enter the RE business.