I don't know what the issue is/was, but I think a lot of customers want to play games and he probably did his best to keep them on the straight and narrow. 

But it sounds like you should also balance your decision on what fits you and your families preference and style since you will be using it personally. 2.

Besides that, just wanted to chime in real quick - I'd highly check in with a CPA and I am no tax expert, so wanted to preference that.

Hey all, as the title states I'm brand new to the real estate game and I'm looking to find people in the area who are willing to loosely guide/teach me how to wholesale/flip properties.Are there any networking events in the area I'd be able to connect with?

My biggest goal for this year is just to get into the game of real estate 

The question is mostly a personal financial planning question and it depends on your preference and what balance of risk and access you'd like and would be comfortable with.

For wholesalers: How are you adapting to buyer preferences or creating irresistible deals despite tighter margins?

Private lenders, like who I work with, prefer to lend to properties held under an LLC. 

Something more passive via a syndication could work for them, and otherwise they'd probably prefer something simple like a long term single family rental. 

I prefer buy and hold.