Unless you have $5 - 10k MONTHLY to spend on marketing this is what you need to do to have any chance for success with wholesaling.  

Private lenders are certainly an option but a fund structure would be much more efficient and scalable. 

I'm contacted by another landlord in the same town who needs help with a problematic tenant.

Most mortgage companies will not call loan due if payments are current but you do run that risk and need to be prepared to payoff or refi at a moments notice.

I do have a third goal, but too much will happen by the time my second goal materializes that my third goal will likely change drastically.Also, I tend to find myself wanting to ask market-specific questions to agents/lenders/investors/contractors/etc. a lot.

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

You need to wait until you receive the deed before rehabbing the property.

Anyone can live anywhere they want if they have the money, and sometimes houses are bought and then rented out without much background checking on the people moving in.

I have found that I will need more networking to build the team necessary to make it a reality.

The property just needs to have a rental certificate.