A casino doesn't gamble, the individual player is gambling but the House isn't gambling. 

The players are all the same.

What has lead me to discover that I like to get things done is that I am currently living in France as a professional basketball player.

Finally at the finish line and just got word that my contractor had to take another project and wouldn't be able to do mine at this time.

I’m going to be 18 soon so I’ve been preparing myself with knowledge of real estate investing and what it’s gonna be lookin like I want to know from seasoned players in the game where I can start taking steps toward to make something happen soon or near future.

Wholesalers are historically unreliable, maybe 2 in 10 are actual volume players, with the other 80% being inconsistent. 

I really appreciate you taking the time to bring up newer players like myself.

Here are some key details:Purchase Price: $172,000Rehab Costs: $100,000Financing and Holding Costs through Term: $48,000 (all in cost of roughly $320,000)Balloon Payment: $272,000ARV: $300,000 - $350,000; the variance is explained by some investors using below-grade finishes and also using "fire sale" tactics.The DOM in the market varies, with some properties selling in 60-90 days and others sitting for up to 180 days.

The fact he is doing it himself and he needs $5,000 from you to get the deal done tells me he is not much of a player and is quite amateurish.

You will want to avoid markets where a single industry dominates the local economy in the number of jobs since these kinds of markets a incredibly susceptible to swings in the market.Census Bureau: Building Permits Survey (BPS) The purpose of the Building Permits Survey (BPS) is to provide national, state, and local statistics on the number and valuation of new privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in the United States.