Thanks guys I appreciate both of your tips and as I progress in my hunt I will be sure to ask questions as they arise.

You have found a great resource here with BP.Read as much as you can, ask questions whenever they arise, setup your alerts for keywords ad subscrie to the sub-forums of interest.

Remember, we never look for simple ways :DThe situation that I'm inquiring about will arise when we buy a flip with hard money, do a rehab and want to sell the house without waiting for subdivision to go through (rental with hard money won't work and we are not interested to refinance either). 

Do you have the funds and know-how to take care of any issues that arise?  

One could always look at price appreciation, but a rising tide lifts all boats (ie, in SF all neighborhoods went up, not just Mission, Bayshore, etc) so that wouldn't be enough.

I lived in Indy, and I know for a fact the city is growing well due to the arising Tech companies.

For instance, picking up single family rentals in Chattanooga may not be the best idea right now due to a rise in prices.  

As a new investor it was great to see how investment projects progress from beginning to end, especially when problems arise and you figure out a way to deal with them.

I do think networking opportunities probably arise more with proof of funds than a license..money talks.

Be friendly (kind-considerate-respectful), firm (be clear about your expectations and have the moxie to address issues as they arise), fair (comply with the law, no favoritism, appropriate response to the situation) , fast (quick to respond to maintenance requests and other tenant concerns), and flexible (when the situation warrants).