Cost per lead (CPL) is crucial—it shows how much you're paying to get a potential seller or buyer’s info, and you want this as low as possible without sacrificing quality.

Creative financing can help sellers make more money, solve pain points, gets them the money they need, and help them avoid a high tax bill.

It is somewhat complex to try to explain on a forum, but at a high level, you (aka GP) and your family member (aka LP) would agree on how much the 2 of you would put in for the amount of equity needed (usually expressed as a %).

I cannot speak to the quality of the coaches but the sales staff seamed well trained.

First off, all high skill requiring items let's remove those.

high prices have made properties expensive and high rates have made money expensive. 

I'd highly recommend house hacking in your local market since you're in one of the highest cost of living areas in the US, especially if you're renting currently and planning on staying in the area for 5-10 years.It sounds sexy to go out and invest out of state for your first property.

Rates are high, usually in the high 8s or low 9s, and you may pay 2-4 points on the loan. 

BiggerPockets also has a calculator to analyze deals, and I highly recommend you start this as soon as possible, even if you are not ready to buy.

Sellers generally recognize that some assets are likely mispriced, whether too high or too low, because the sellers knows less than local investors and are likely relying in large part on BPOs.