@Salome Ditmars Although it is great to get referrals this is also something you should take upon yourself to get to know the sponsor and establish a relationship with them since this is your hard earned money you are looking invest with them. 

@Otis Clayton To partner in real estate effectively, establish a clear structure like an LLC for liability protection or a Joint Venture for single projects.

Eliminate debt, establish a budget, and save.

And boom you buy a lot for the price of a single lot and with some simple forms to the city you get to re establish the old lots..

My understanding is that O.J. used asset protection trusts established in Nevada with spendthrift clauses to protect his assets from creditors...   

I get CC offers on LLCs I establish within months of launching them.

Additionally:Is there a specific state where it makes more sense to establish the holding company (now that anonymity in states like WY or DE isn’t the focus)?

These are very risk gambles that should only be attempted with money you don't really care about.  

It's not a get rich quick scheme, it's a lot of active work and I would have 5 yrs in my head at a minimum before you truly become established and stabilized. 

A terms sheet will tell a pro whether you know what you're talking about and give them a structure of the deal you propose, but it won't establish credibility with respect to your financial ability to pull off the deal.