For now, staying local allows me to leverage my property management experience—most of which came from working directly for family and close business associates who were property managers, contractors, and business owners.

I would talk to some lenders  getting land loans and development loans with no experience is next to impossible starting out.. 

Asking to anyone who has experience, knowledge or connections in these southern texas markets, how has this or does it affect your real estate strategy and returns? 

If you decide to pursue this option be sure to EXPLICITLY spell out how the maintenance of the buildings will be handled as these types of facilities tend to be hard on property from my experience.

Another draw back is short term your expenses will be higher because you are paying the mortgage plus paying back the loan but that is a short term draw back until the loan is paid back.How it works: I have experience with my wife's company and mine, each is a little different. 

., and based on previous life experience, I am confident somehow, somewhere, someday, I'll be able to use this information to my advantage.

I’ve had great experiences with both wellings and sunrise.   

If you’re referring to the “newbies” with $10k to their name that watch a video by Pace and get excited and pay for joining, go out with their last $5k and do a sub to with a “desperate” homeowner without revealing all the possible consequences (because they are unaware of the consequences through lack of experience and lack of knowledge and or choose not to inform the seller) then I agree, it’s probably going to turn out badly for all concerned.If on the other hand you’re referring to a seasoned investor with excellent credit, significant cash reserves, who wants to add a property to their portfolio without going through loan qualifying, and can pay enough to give the seller “walking away” money because of the low existing interest rates and or, and is dealing with a informed seller, then I find nothing wrong or negative about the transaction.  

You don't need to know everything to get started; you need a foundation to build on, and the rest will come through experience and then refining your education.You can build a basic understanding of investing in 3-6 months.

My options are very limitted and the situation is very draining even I follow the bigger pocket advises and I unvested a lot of time in learning and also have years of experience with tenant.