I suggest you enter private money goldmine in search botton at top right of the screen and read the previous posts....here is one that gives good perspective as well as a link to legitimate private lenders.http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/92/topics/1488...

Engaging does not make you money.

Real estate investing is forgiving; the average person can still make money even with some big mistakes.

ask questions.also, you have to have money to invest. 

Nobody likes being left in the dark when you’ve got money and time on the line!

I'd also like to plug Bigger Pockets because of what you said, but also because of the education you can get here on the website.  

If you're planning to rehab properties for rental or flipping, a hard money lender might be the right fit.

The challenge for a PMC is having the time to answer all your HUNDREDS of questions and handholding you as you learn, while still making money.

(The Black Friday sale on the Bigger Pockets bookstore was where I did my own Christmas shopping so my family knew what to ‘buy’ for me!).

By teaching them how to make money instead of offering a crutch.