Two common ones: 1) Find a mentor to work with to show you the ropes.  2)Link up with a strong real estate broker that specializes in working with investors, preferably someone that does his own deals as well.  

Get yourself a mentor and go follow him/her around.  

I'd just like to throw it out there that, while I don't have a lot of knowledge in the real estate sector, I do have a nice camera and a decent eye for photography. I can at least take better pictures of your property...

They are always lazy and does not keep up their end of promise.I always prefer small group mentoring over one on one. 

I can navigate these things in your favor.One of my talents is contract mastery which comes from that has come from my background and experience in Oil & Gas.To get comfortable with the contracts your mentors teach you to practice writing and presenting contracts.

@Abdul Azeez, I think that the problem is that you are stacking the deck against yourself trying to do all of these things on your first deal:1) Purchasing the property from an online auction site / bank, which is notoriously tricky even for the experienced investor, due to their proprietary contracts and minimal due diligence period and strict deadlines.2) Working with a new contractor that you haven't used before, or seen their work before, and who may not be used to dealing with investors.3) Trying to get conventional financing on a property that has a short closing time and where the mechanical systems cannot be tested.4) Working on your first deal by yourself instead of partnering with a local investor who can guide you along, or at least a mentor who you can turn to with questions.My advice is to make it easier on yourself by considering buying a property with a standard contract and longer due diligence period, network with local investors who can provide you contractor contacts and also some guidance, and consider using private financing or hard money instead of bank financing.In my opinion, buying from the online auction sites is a more advanced strategy that you can use once you are able to ballpark construction costs yourself and/or you have a trusted contractor you've worked with before and/or you have private financing or hard money set up so you can close fast and/or you can purchase the property without interior access and hope to get lucky in terms of condition (but still buy at a price where you are comfortable doing a full rehab if necessary without losing much money) and/or you are familiar with agreement of sale contracts and closings in your state so you can assess the risks of using the bank's seller-friendly contract.You're already doing the right things by asking questions on this forum, and taking action.  

@Ashley SalinasI don't think your mentor is worried about losing deals.

You may get more success of finding a mentor by networking at your local REI, and/or look for active BP members in your area.

I am very eager to get started and I am looking for a mentor.  

I have now decided to become a Real Estate Investor in the NJ Real Estate market.I am seeking guidance, a mentor, private and hard money.