Growth is fundamentally driven by population.

I have a fundamental problem with paying someone who is representing someone else in negotiations against you?

I would start by digging into the fundamentals of your target market, finding out property prices, neighborhoods that meet your goals.

Very affordable.I'm not suggesting you actually become an agent, however I read too many stories on BP forums where someone has missed a fundamental principal of real estate and been burned by an otherwise avoidable experience. 

After getting over my deflated ego, I started educating myself on the fundamentals of real estate investing found here on BP.

@Alec DeAngelo there's already plenty of great feedback in this thread--I would agree with most people that $10k is probably not worth it--esp. given that all of the most fundamental info is widely available for free (or for a few bucks for a book).Having said that, I do think that having a mentor of some type can be extremely valuable, and that a truly experienced mentor can provide value above and beyond what forums, books, podcasts, etc. can provide. 

Lago Vista has the same core fundamentals as the already hot hill county lakeside markets of Lakeway, Westlake, Steiner Ranch, etc. … multiple golf courses, lakefront community parks, and reputable school districts.

Any lending decision, whether private or conventional, fundamentally comes down to what are sometimes called the "three Cs" of lending: collateral, credit, and capacity.

Fundamentally, these are stories that represent some aspect of reality.

Also, get some good books on the fundamentals of real estate investing.