Unless that W-2 job also provides you with stock options or a salary in excess of $300k (no stats to back the $300k up, just an observation I've made with working with tons of different people). 

Great observation!

My goal is to observe the trends, discussions and future of the industry and get a global perspective. 

Conventional wisdom states that holding stocks long enough (e.g. 20+ years) should give you a nice, somewhat predictable average rate of return, based on long term observations of market appreciation. 

you are way better off representing yourself) but i am looking for more and also looking to network with the wholesalers (I may be wrong here, but I don't think those so called "wholesalers" want to network with you, I believe their goal is to make an assignment fee for themselves) My observations of those who call themselves "wholesalers" don't really have the skills or knowledge to flip properties, because they took a motel course on wholesaling, does not make them skilled real estate investors) and see if i can bring things to do deals to help us both (I think you need to think first of educating yourself before you try to network with others who may not have the skills that you think they have) i am a current business owner looking to start my own portfolio small soon. 

I grew up in Queens and often got the chance to observe my father who was a real estate investor.

I have a multi-family (fourplex) I manage myself as well as a SFH that I have a PM for, AND my brokerage has a property management wing that I observe.  

That is a great questions,  my observations is, why try to find that so called sub-market where other investors (competition) will be?

Be observant and take notes.  

However, floors are painfully obvious, and most observed, as are cabinets and countertops by buyers viewing your property....