Any advice/tips is most welcome and thanks in advance in taking time to help me in my learning process.  

welcome here and congrats in taking the next step.I invested out of States many times and now there are diffenrent list availables, over 1000 a month, that makes it a lot easier now, and also 3 houses for $50k with turn key program for lease-option buyers... pretty amazing how the market OOS evolved a lot since I started OOS in 2008, barely speaking English and being from Canada, with all the problems I had to overcome.In California, I discovered that right now, the condos 1br/1ba in Long Beach are the ones who can provide some equity and cash-flow. :-)Good luck and we are here to help!

About 15 yrs ago I was a full time contractor who specialized in taking rental homes that were battered and bruised and getting them ready to sell. 

However, I have a low 600 credit score and I don't think my partner is interested in taking out a mortgage for our first deal.

@Andrew PostellI'm aware of DFE, but not interested in taking a chance on a low appraisal or having all of my rehab budget sunk into these properties.  

Trying to structure my intake of the plentiful information available!

It does stink a bit on its own so an air intake is good.On that big of area of the whole house spraying might be best, quickest,most efficient.

My big question is this....I already know I am not interested in taking on flip projects anywhere in the immediate area of new york city, for obvious reasons....I'm too new to this to take on that kind of risk, the prices are crazy, and it looks like you need big investments to make small immediate rewards. 

Hi, I'm interested in taking out a hard money loan to fix up my house.  

I also sprayed some into the intake vents.