If it doesn't smell good to you..then don't invest regardless of who says what.1) Understand the Industry and related Industries (Real Estate, Mortgages, Credit, etc.)2) Learn how to evaluate a property so that you are not relying on someone else (valuations, construction costs, market conditions, etc.)3) Learn how to "vet" the sponsor/developer (Borrower/Investor) with regard to overall character, credit management, experience, resources/team, attitude, etc.4) Have your attorney draw up the Mortgage, Note, Trust Documents and related documents that will be used to secure your interest in the property5) Secure Title Insurance with a Survey on each transaction (understand how to read a title report and specifically the B2 exemptions page(s))6) Secure Property Insurance on each transaction (replacement value if possible)7) Secure either a BPO and/or actual Appraisal on each transaction (as-is as well as Subject To values and an income approach on duplexes and up)8) Do not release money on a construction project until x percentage is completed (Draw Schedule) and never release the final payment until the project is fully completed - Use a 3rd party Inspector (familiar with the Construction Industry) to determine percentage of completion / line item itemized9) At the first sign of distress by the Sponsor or the Project, be ready to act and act swiftly10) Have FUN! 

It gets harder to do college 'character building' (i.e. debauchery) once you start a family and a career.

That enabled us to get him in a property that needed minimal updates, met all of his needs, and gave him the amount of character that he was looking for in a home.One of the things we did with John was talk about how long he wanted to live on the property.

All these counties have many different characters.  

You can be as ugly as they come but if you have a positive attitude and confidence people will gravitate towards that spark of character and be willing to do business with you.

There are some who are what I believe are fair/good turnkey providers to some downright shady characters, but even the best of them are the ones who are adhering to the axiom you make your money when you buy real estate.  

You do not want to be getting your buyer involved with any shady characters or wholesale companies.

We're well aware of that possibility, but feel we've known each other long enough and are close enough that no character issues will interfere with our goals.).

In essence, don't be dumb like me.)Fast forward to June and we can't get this guy in the workshop to contain his mess and keep it from spilling onto the other tenants yard, as well as issues with him bringing over sketchy characters, so we give him notice to move out.

I look at substantiated and accurate underwriting, and the character and record of the sponsor. 50/50 or 80/20 won't save you if the deal is bad.