@Drew Fein may be able to assist.

If anyone is interested in my contracting services, or assisting with future investment opportunities please contact me and I am happy to respond or help. 

I also want to purchase the property by the end of the year and was wondering if there are some grants that would help me with down payment assistance and if it would be recommended in my situation.

You can also offer to assist them in small ways, like researching properties or helping with social media.

Quote from @Laura Krukowski: I am a real estate agent in the Catskills if you need any assistance in buying!

They are also more flexible with LLCs and can streamline the underwriting process, focusing on the cash flow of the property which further assists scaling your portfolio. 

Please feel free to comment or connect with me directly.Thank you so much for your time and assistance!

I thought to myself, even though I have been selling for about 25 years, if I were to buy in their jurisdiction I would find an excellent agent to assist me.

Meaning, they are not willing to:- sell their property off market- go into contract with a wholesaler- sell their property for a discount (i.e. they want 'top dollar')In cases like these, an agent can still assist the homeowner by helping them sell the traditional way.That said, wholesaling can be lucrative so I echo the advice you've received here - get out there and speak to people in the industry who are willing to share helpful information.All the best!

How long did it take you to get rental assistance funds from the state?