My long term goal is to start a real estate investment company, and I am hoping to purchase my first investment property within the next six months. 

He kept making excuses, saying the crew would start the following week, but nothing changed.

Unfortunately, I lost both my father and a close mentor within the past six weeks, and each left me significant real estate and some cash/investments.

As of last week, our partner has given us $44,000 and additionally we have paid about $49,300 into this project.

I've had a lender do this before to a borrower of mine and it just becomes a headache getting their calls and emails everyday for weeks.

Closing next week on a 4 br 2 full bath all in 80k, rented for 1400.  

I'd just make sure you have a VERY CLEAR SCOPE OF WORK no matter who you work with.If you decide to use someone besides your property manager, you need to have BOOTS ON THE GROUND that can view the property a couple of times a week at least! 

If you go to meetups for six months, at least one a month, you will be so far along with relationships.

My home is vacant and closing is in two weeks.

I hit that goal - which was incredbily tricky given my lack of funds and the overall lack of lenders lending on sfh investment properties back then - six years straight exactly.