Check out the Ultimate Beginners Guide if you're just starting out and check out the Podcasts if you spend time in your car, gym,etc.

My ultimate goal is to purchase and develop land in the ever receding outer exurbs in my region.Here is a little about my world of late: Home Automation and Security technology is developing at breakneck speeds these days and staying on the cutting edge is a full time job, especially when it comes to understanding the vulnerabilities associated with these new technologies (think "Hackers"...they really, really, really do wreak havoc..no joke).

I've been interested in investing in real estate for many years, but ultimately I let fear get in the way.

Either the numbers work or they don't, so what an ultimate property tax assessment represents on an item by item basis I don't see as particularly relevant.

Being an agent give you an advantage to finding more deals and ultimately helping more people, that is why I work as both.

Your number 3 has me thinking about owning real estate on the moon:) I'd encourage you to read through The Ultimate Beginner's Guide for Wholesaling as it takes you through the ins and outs of wholesaling.

I have not read the Ultimate Beginners guide to Real Estate but will do so when I'm done typing this post.

If you choose to go it alone, refer back to BP podcasts where people talk about how they manage their own properties and check the show notes for links to the software, resources etc. that they use to be professional, organized and ultimately successful.  

Brandon Turner has written two excellent reference books on both Ultimate Guide to Real Estate Investing and Managing Rental Properties.

There are a lot of great resources here including the podcasts and I believe there are a few free books as well (including the Bigger Pockets Ultimate Beginner's Guide).