I was nearly scammed by a seller in the US who I met in person, met his "associates", toured the property with and everything, but my tip off to do more research was that he was against using a third party to hold funds in escrow even when I said I would personally pay all associated fees and noted that it would not delay closing at all. 

Feel free to reach out if you want to chat or have any tips for a newcomer like me!

Any tips on doing this and not looking like an idiot while doing so are MUCH appreciated.

Or tips how to find someone like you?

Here are a few tips to help you consider: Get Pre-Approved: If you haven't already, get pre-approved for a mortgage.

I appreciate the tip about Ed and WHM - I'll be sure to check them out.

California It seems like the market quite competitive.I'd love to hear more about your experiences and any tips you have for navigating these different aspects of real estate investing and development.

As far as syndications, I talked to two of them and I'm not a fan - you need to really vet the GPs and ask lots of questions.

I like the pricing suggestion from @Jon Martin , as well as the budget design tips, I do think they help.3.

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and tips!