I am very interested in real estate investing and flipping (I have a decent amount of construction experience) I was wondering what some good resources are to look at when evaluating a property, especially in the Dayton / Cincinnati area.  

The thread addresses a different topic, the Real Estate Professional status, but the same principle applies to the hours in both contexts.

I am looking to purchase real estate for both investment purpose as well as to offset as much tax liability as possible. 

One way would be to get the real estate under contract, then bring an experienced partner in who also has access to capital, and stay in the deal as a minority equity partner.

Too many new investors think that real estate is all about the cashflow.It's NOT! 

@Jacob HavlovickBigger Pockets is a great place to find a real estate tax accountant.A good real estate accountant can save you thousands of dollars by leveraging entity selection and formation, tax deductions, cost segregations, bonus depreciation and tax planning.I recommend finding an accountant who specializes in real estate taxation, business taxation, financial planning and tax planning.You may want to consider working with your accountant remotely to expand your options.I would also recommend looking for a accountant willing to work with you throughout the year.

To thrive in real estate investing, you must maintain a firm grip on your finances.

Any recommendations on real estate investing course or classes? 

In Real Estate, you can have smooth transactions for sure. 

It would be a great opportunity to extend out to some real estate professionals.