My Insurance Agent has strongly recommended that I put a Construction Agreement in place with my Contractor to shield me from liability, etc. 

You can certainly find a property for cash flow that may also bring you a strong return on that investment.

if his income is strong enough and not as much debt, he should be OKHope that helps..

What I do see is that a strong screening process improves your chances of getting a responsible resident. 

If you're looking for strong appreciation, Dallas and Houston are great markets.

You and the other posters here have been generous in indulging me in this exercise of considering this "partnership" / BRRRR, but demonstrating that we can invest successfully on our own power before seeking out partners is not only my strong preference but just sound business logic.As a new investor my head starts to spin when I start to think about investing, and the many gaps in my knowledge reveal themselves: how to structure a partnership? 

Relationships Matter More Than EverHaving everything in-house has also helped us build strong relationships with agents, contractors, and clients.

Cash flow is usually strong because rent prices are decent, and the cost of the property is relatively low compared to places like California.

It made Stessa's service look strong, which we both know it is not. 

It sounds like you’ve set a strong foundation for your real estate investing journey, especially with the time you’ve spent educating yourself.