I imagine it can be tricky without face-to-face interaction, but it sounds like you’ve got a solid approach.Honestly, I don't have a process for establishing trust with sellers other than being polite and professional.

The one guy I spoke with said they make money only when they sell to potential investors and they only sell new construction homes that are usually pre-leased to buyers (currently they are building in Texas state and Missouri State).

Many “wholesalers” get all excited when getting a property under contract only to discover that a thorough inspection by a knowledgable professional results in repair costs 2 - 3 times higher than they calculated. 

Know that every long term lender will require a survey and if something comes up on it when you are trying to sell or refi, you could get stuck in hard money without an easy or quick way to get out.Is there a pre-payment penalty?

I actually ended up going through a big career change, and attended a 6-month bootcamp to learn Software Development after 7 years cooking professionally in fine-dining kitchens. 

I guess that you could call me a 'professional host'.  

Readers should seek professional advice. 

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Get some professional photos.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?