If the market involves in a way I don't like, I can go and invest elsewhere.The results you mentioned are great but it's the percentage return that matters, not the amount of dollars. 5 properties with double digit returns are great but again, people need to be cautious when looking at this.Let me illustrate what I mean with one of my own examples, a recent acquisition in Spain, because it perfectly illustrates the point I'm trying to make here.

Also, the higher percentage ethynol blends are hard on engines designed for typical gasoline consumption.

Then find a financial partner (private lender) and share a percentage of the forced appreciation from your ARV refi.

My conclusion: The small quantity of Wake county courthouse sales will not lead to a material change in inventory, especially since a large percentage of property becomes 'held for investment' vs.

So make sure you have the funds lined up in advance, and and also that you've followed the process to register for the auction (i.e. deposit, etc).Also note that a large percentage of foreclosures end up going back to the bank at auction.

Can we say we are entertaining offers starting at "X" for a certain time frame (90-120 days or so) and require a percentage of the offer for a deposit. 

I suspect that a large percentage performed the flip for the learning experience but not by plan; they expected a profit that was not achieved.It would be safest if you realize your first flip could lose money and, if it makes money, the financial compensation likely would not justify the effort and risk.Ideally you would have gain some key knowledge and maybe some skills that could be leveraged on your next flip. 

I am also quite new to investing so I will not venture a guess at what you should budget, but I know some like to budget a percentage of rental income(5%,8%, 10%). 

Generally, investors usually go off of a few rule-of-thumb percentage philosophies (Look up "The 70% Rule", "The 50% Rule", "The 1% Rule" for some starter ones) to determine if an investment will give them a good profit.

All other investment homes will require the percentages below.1-4 homes = 2% of loan amounts for reserves5-6 homes = 4% of loan amounts for reserves7-10 homes=6% of loan amounts for reservesExample from Fannie Mae Website:Calculation of Reserves for Multiple Financed PropertiesIf the borrower owns other financed properties (determined in accordance with B2-2-03, Multiple Financed Properties for the Same Borrower), additional reserves must be calculated and documented for financed properties other than the subject property and the borrower’s principal residence.