I have recently moved to Steadley Insurance Company for my rental properties as my insurance broker found they were cheaper than Liberty Mutual Insurance which I have had in the past. 

You end up generating some cash flow in interim and purchase at the mutually agreed upon price in say 28-24 months.

To understand this gap, I would love to get my hands on a mutually exclusive, completely exhaustive list of activities a realtor does as part of their 3%.

This seems to be the case in states like Florida too, where you have to send it to auctionWhile this stinks for investors, it appears beneficial to the homeowners.

Your mentor has needs; try to meet them and develop a mutually beneficial relationship.A mentor can benefit your growth, but it's not as simple as one post on a forum full of strangers.

Making sure it's a beneficial relationship for all! 

On a "small" loan amount like his, he found it more beneficial to pay the extra .25% to rate to get the 3 year PPP. reason: it added only $17 per month to his payment every month; a small price to pay to open the door for refi or sale 2 years sooner. 

This approach can be particularly beneficial if you want to reinvest the income or use it to offset other taxable income.Cons: Properties with lower purchase prices may be in less desirable neighborhoods, which could mean slower appreciation and potentially higher maintenance costs.Appreciation Properties:Pros: Investing in more expensive properties in better neighborhoods can lead to significant appreciation over time.

I am particularly interested in book recommendations, any other ideas to add to my curriculum, and any other resources  that could be beneficial for investors. 

I've called back the two I spoke with already (Liberty Mutual and Allstate) and asked to speak to someone about commercial.