Find one that can offer you leads and training as well as all the supporting connections such as a good lender, title company, inspectors, appraisers, etc.Also when interviewing with various teams look to see if you think your personality will be a good fit for that office/team.

Interviewing contractors and gathering bids now - fun stuff!

My view from studying Jeff Watson's work and his interview of the Ohio RE board summarizes the strictest view as:  if you take full risk of a RE deal, sign a P&S contract with serious earnest money (more than $10) and make good on closing on your contract within what ever period of time you (the buyer) and seller agree to, that's not a licensed activity.  

One of my favorite features are the podcasts that have interviews with successful investors and others in the business to show give tips and warnings without a ton of hype or a sales pitch. 

When hiring the assistant you were looking for, did you interview that applicant in person?

You need to interview and check history on these people.

Interview the people.

Check out the Start Here page http://www.biggerpockets.com/starthere Check out BiggerPockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide - A fantastic free book that walks through many of the key topics of real estate investing.Check out the free BiggerPockets Podcast - A weekly podcast with interviews and a ton of great advice.

I have a buddy Billy Alvaro, I have an AWESOME interview with him on my video blog [here if your interested: http://youtu.be/xx9UeTNKFek ] that does a lot of fire damaged houses and he says that they are always his best money makers!

The short term goal is to stop renting, put my money towards something that pays me vs the other way around and to get my feet wet in REI.BPSo far I've listened to a couple of podcasts, 1 of an interview with Mehran K, who buys multi-families out of state and another by a fella (sorry can't remember his name) who bought his first multi-family live-in in the Boston area.