@jeff khel thanks for your input, I ended up retracting the contract as the homeowner had all these additional stipulations indicating she wasnt as motivated as she claimed she was.

Very Motivating, and thought provoking.

After listening to podcasts and reading articles on BP for the past few months, I became motivated to pursue a career in real estate investing.My goal is to be a buy and hold investor in the Maryland area. 

Your situation can motivate so many people here on BP. 

But it's really not the strategy, it is the consistency in the strategy and if you have the money to maintain the correct marketing course to get the motivated sellers.I hope this helps.

He has made it clear that he isn't planning on selling it out from under us and we can rent as long as we'd like, though he is motivated to sell to us as soon as possible because he's moving into a new home well outside of this area and won't be having reason to regularly come back here to check on it, etc. 

I found a motivated seller in west oak lane area near 66th ave.

My questions are would you need a license of some sort for this, if not do you just start by finding a property with a motivated seller and contact them and begin negotiations?

I’ve looked into lots of options for my self to get there and I know real estate is what’s in my future and I want to flip houses I have been wakIng up at 330 am for years now and have worked my butt off to get to the top of my industry, Im ready to work for myself, I have been reading any book I can on real estate and flipping houses and just business books and self motivational books.

Unless the HML is motivated by the thought of foreclosing to get the house, and most prefer not to do that.