There are variables involved, and there’s of course skill and effort required not just calls.

I’m trying to use my own skill set to my advantage.

That's just someone with poor negotiating skills. 

Along the way I've learned a lot of trade skills as well which goes a long way helping to maintain assets. 

To build a platform like that, you definitely need technical skills, but it needs to be informed by real estate domain experts as well.

Your construction skills can give you a significant advantage, allowing you to save on rehab costs or even flip properties for capital.

And exciting and for the very few that can pull it off can be quite financially rewarding.. you don't need architect type skills that's not needed until your actually going to build in most cases.. what you need is land planning Zoning city politics and it helps to understand basic underground construction .. but you don't need to be an engineer or especially an Architect to pull these deals off..

You’ll develop resilience, leadership, negotiation skills, vision, emotional control, and more.

Can you do contracting work on properties and learn valuable skills that will help you remodel properties, flip them, or otherwise learn as much as possible about the construction trade? 

---Investors always compare/hire people of Craigslist that are uninsured, questionable skills, are unreliable and offer no warranties.