If you are a construction worker, skilled tradesmen, handyman, etc do yourself a HUGE favor and guard your time.

For the deal I'd talk to a hard money lender or more favorably a lender that can get you a mortgage.

Then do yourself a favor and meet the other people grinding and hustling just like you - you'll get a more realistic perspective of how to be a real estate investor in the area and have a better experience.

The realtor who sold me my current properties does some rehabs, but it seems mostly like he'd be doing me a favor vs treating it like a business relationship. 

Not to mention the more favorable business climate being offered elsewhere.One of the reasons I decided to invest out of state is because of the massive fluctuations in home prices here.

Everything else is either designed to make it so difficult for creditors that they will be willing to negotiate a more favorable settlement; a crap shoot; or designed to give the client a false peace of mind while getting him to pay top dollar for legal and accounting fees.

Pretty much where my head is at, I am working on making this deal happen and slowly showing him how it can work in our favor.

Boutiques are obviously smaller, don’t have name recognition and usually lack formal training, branded marketing products with partner vendors and it’ll rely on you to get most of not all software for prospecting and databases but the commission splits are typically more favorable and it’s a smaller family feel.

Thing is, since we're not occupants anymore but "investors" instead, I've heard that the rates won't be nearly as favorable.

A CPA does their taxes for free as a personal favor but it looks like a 12 year old could have done them and I'm guessing it's cost them thousands over the years in overpaid taxes from improper filing.