I agree with what nephets said, you may want to look into getting a job that aligns with your real estate interests to help you gain more knowledge.If however your credit is stellar then I would also recommend that you find a local bank and work up a good relationship with a lender there.

A company I can have a personal relationship with if I need help with any wholesale situation.

so what is your relationship to this company?

How good is your relationship with your landlord?

When you have more of a relationship with him you can tell him that you wholesale properties to investors around the nation.

It may be incomplete and slow, but its better than nothing.If you have a working relationship with an appraiser, they might be able to help, too.

Each area has an historical appreciation rate.

You also need to develop a good working relationship with your local building department and city officials (city council members, etc).

It reads as if you are trying to carve as much profit upfront as possible versus form long lasting relationships.

What your family fails to understand is that although the real estate market is generally bad, this is also a historic opportunity to buy real estate at a huge discount!