If anyone is willing to share their experiences, advice, or point me towards resources that could help in understanding the market better, I would be immensely grateful.

Building a network here can open doors to partnerships, mentorships, and local insights.3.Explore the Blogs and Podcasts: BiggerPockets has tons of content—blogs, podcasts, webinars—that cover everything from beginner strategies to advanced investment tactics.4.Utilize the Deal Analysis Tools: If you’re considering an investment, the deal analysis calculators are invaluable for running numbers and understanding potential returns.5.Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to achieve, whether it’s learning a specific strategy or connecting with certain types of investors.

For the most part, I think I understand the basic idea of a 1031 Exchange.

This will help you understand their motivations, which can be crucial in negotiations.

You're smart for recognizing the importance of building relationships...very few wholesalers in my area understand this. 

The key will be to remain flexible, understand the local market dynamics, and position themselves to take advantage of the eventual boom when the project comes to life in 2025.

This is a two-way interview, so have a short list of questions to ask the mentor (What books do you recommend I read to gain a better understanding?

The biggest advantage of using someone local to where you're buying is that they will understand taxes, insurance, and similar items very well when it comes to DTI/DSCR calculations and payment quotes, and they will likely have a local network of service providers for ancillary services (survey, inspections, etc).

You have to be honest with yourself, understand the risks and assess if you can afford the negative cash flow.

@John Cooper I can understand your frustration.