I would love to connect with people in the industry in my area that might be able to help me take my real estate ventures to the next level.Please let me know if there are any articles I should read to get started or members I should follow.

Basically, you need to take 10x massive action and keep adding tools to your tool belt such as land trusts, joint venture partners with private money, credit partners, subject to, lease options, seller financing, hard money with 90% of acquisition and 100% of rehab, assigning contracts for a fee, etc. 

Welcome to the Forum and a new venture in Real Estate. 

You can get separate lawsuit protection if you go to a liability insurance broker on top of your E and O I coach subject to, lease option assignments , joint ventures with sellers on minor rehabs, Wholesale flips, etc.

@Christopher Telles@Wayne BrooksAs a close out to this post I thought I'd update the outcome for anyone else venturing in to read.1-Found out that yes in the diagram above this is all about the road into the property with the homes adjoining onto the road.2-There was some kind of fall out prior to the new and last deed (#3) that resulted in some sort of judicial judgement - (foreclosure or threatened thereof by another party, with the owners wife retaining the property (road).)3-The deed from the wife (now deceased) was done back in 1995 to 2 individuals.4-The easement is still in the wife's name and the property appraisers office has the deceased wife as the owner.I talked to the clerk the court on the phone about all of this and she was quite helpful. :) I'm finding these conversations with the appraisers, deed, and tax offices to be of great help and the people so far have been more than willing to help out.So the clerk saw what I did in the public records, notwithstanding having a title search done, that the differences I suppose could be looked at in "ownership" was the fact that the property (road) was deeded to these other individuals back in 1995 but the appraisers office does not recognize them as owners rather the wife whose husband willed it to her.

Of course, it would be better if you didn't have to sink 200 - 400K into the downtown condo in the first place.If you want better cash flow and less cash up-front, you are going to have to venture a little further afield.Sound like you are about 2-years into your 5yr mortgage term  - and, at 3%, you went fixed-rate - which means the penalty to break the mortgage likely outweighs the benefit of refinancing (currently you should be able to get 2.5 ... or lower if you would entertain a variable rate mortgage).  

I would also venture as much to say that you will for sure need local guidance and advice. 

I love the outdoors, and hope to spend more time there upon graduation.Why Real Estate/Vision:I didn't decide to venture into real estate simply for the personal gains, rather I see real estate as a financial vehicle to allow my wife and future (Lord willing) children an avenue to not be bound by my 9-5.

That election as to the type of business you are can change by default when more than half of the income is derived from another or when you spend a significant amount of time in another business classification.A regulatory agency may look to the IRS Code as a basis to determine if activities are accomplished as a business venture, but they are not required to as they may base their opinion on many other aspects, such as the population activity, are you dealing with three people or 30 or 300?

Many investors are buying higher than normal, but the flip side is that the finished homes are selling fast.Investors are beginning to venture further north in SnoCo like Marysville, and finding nice deals and a good market.