But when I am at these events I can tell right away that the majority have no clue and will never do anything.. but there is always those 10 to 20 students that walk out of there with the knowledge they learned and become players.. its just like anything real estate related.. 100% of people try RE sales or wholesaling and 50 to 90% fail straight away.. you have guys out there selling how to wholesale programs for 10 to 40k.. and that is even worse than the flipping guys.  

What kinds of key players should I be looking for?

In the last couple of days I have been watching a lot Kobe Bryant highlights.He was a basketball player and I am a real estate investor. 

William Tharp , go to your local REIA and see who the main players are in this space.They may be interested or you could reach out to a couple family offices or angels to see if they will fund the deal.Send me info on the project as well.

Also, how many players are there in the game?

Know who are real players on your Cash Buyers List and give them exclusive 1st look. 

Call me anytime if you want my opinion on who the players are in each of the markets

West coast lenders all want originals back and review before they fund.. its why we sign docs on a Tuesday and maybe fund on a Thursday.. they also won't fund without recording numbers. this is the general feedback I have heard from all the new players that have entered the investor market...

Honesty, competency and a good business reputation are qualities to look for IMO.I don't think most investors should be looking for someone who takes orders, you don't want a "yes" man, you need someone who knows more than you do and who will assist, be a player, and keep you from making mistakes!

@David Begley  they are trying to penetrate the HML space here in Oregon and if they can't close in 5 to 10 days they will not get a lot of shots at the best players.