If you are running a mid term rental property, how is your business?

Go straight into focusing on creative finance, subject to, and minimal cash down deals and build from there.I want to hear your thoughts on what direction to take here if you were in my shoes given these constraints (full time job and a few thousand saved) and you want to optimize for passive income first, then value appreciation?

. - any cost accounted for prior to permit) should be considered as equity in the deal once ready to build. 

This is a relationship-based business.

Your realtor should be the backbone of your business and be able to help with sending you personalized deal flow, building the rest of your real estate team (PMs, GCs, lenders, etc), showing you the good/bad neighborhoods, developing scope of work and estimating renovations, and so much more!

Did it really make me an expert investor who does all these deals they were talking about?

These strategies would will grow you cash flow safely without dealing with a bank. 

It takes a long time to find an off market deal.

In the family deals we have agreed that family always comes first and in the event of conflict we will just sell the deals.

Coaching can absolutely 10x your business, but theres always a risk of a bad experience.