@Robert Brock, I guess my advice is not really any different than I would say to someone wanting to be a residential wholesaler: you need to add value to the transaction.Often times, having the deal tied up is the value, but more often then not, in my limited experience with commercial wholesalers and residential, the wholesaler has no idea what someone will actually pay, so they tie up a deal at too high a price and then add their fee that turns a bad investment into a horrible investment. 

Then, more advanced stuff that those without licenses will have a tough time with: active real estate agents working the area - so i can call them to preview my house - in case they run into potential buyers they know of in their office, Then, I have Listingbook software on my I-phone ( Works with MLS data- by subscription)- that actually knows the number of searches of homes in any given area - so I can blast a promotion of my house to all the agents that have clients looking in the area (not just my subdivision -unless that is what I want), and...for the investor in me: track all the mortgages recorded against the property, so I know how low of an offer I can make - based on the mortgages on the property.

With out knowing your actual cash position, it is tough to tell.

Call 3 references:  Verify that they work there, or that it is an actual person by asking where they work first, and don't mention who you are until after.  

If they actually use a reputable title company I'd do it but if not, I won't trust them.

But I think any experienced investor would agree that if you aren't doing value-add when it comes to real estate investing, you aren't actually investing.

I have never had an actual deal done.

Quote from @William Weston: I'm Christian and believe everything in my life is actually God's property, entrusted to me to watch over.

We have and do lend in Birmingham and have seen lots of folks buy 45k houses put in 30k and expect them to be worth 120k-130k but they are actually worth 80-85k. 

If you actually need to do permits on everything or just structural fixes and big items (I.e. roof, siding, windows, etc.).