I am also a lender, with Chase Bank, but want to expand my knowledge on hard money and private financing options.

Speak with a local Realtor who knows the market, but also is knowledgeable about creative financing options.Good Investing...

I'm not an attorney or expert in AP specifically, but do have a working knowledge of it for Civil engineering/survey work and have had two projects where this came up and I was able to 'ride along' and see how it unfolded.First, if you 'know' the property has been taken by AP then there's nothing for you to do with the tax assessor etc.

They are 100% correct.The downside sometimes to forums is people have a superman complex and get the impression real estate is easy as they think everyone is doing it and just jump in without the knowledge or expertise.

@Christopher Mooney - I house-hack a 2 Unit Building in Bayridge Brooklyn which is a 45 minute subway ride to Manhattan Wall Street Financial District (a 7 mile drive).

Forming a business to protect my assets is an area I need to gain more knowledge in.

Most important thing is gaining enough knowledge to be able to purchase properties that's going to add value to the next few years of my life and my kids 

Get knowledge, follow experienced people, and leverage wisely.My Take:If you have two houses, excellent credit, and motivation to build wealth, you can learn to manage your money responsibly.Use HELOC, credit cards, and business credit funding to leverage your cash and buy properties faster.

That would provide you with both knowledge to help you run numbers but also provide you with a funnel network that can bring deals to you once you are ready to move on an actual property to invest in. 

@Don Konipol @Chris Seveney to my knowledge are current fund owners/managers and are very versed at the rules..