If you negotiate price on a home, market that home or contract publicly, locate a buyer, sell to that new buyer and make a fee for it, that constitutes brokering without a license.

The average age of the number 1 single family home owner is greater than 2010 and less than 15 years old and they are now building homes new construction and owning them. the exact opposite of your strategy. older homes are the cheaper ones and unless you have experience I'd build in columbus close to downtown. same reason Toledo and Cleveland don't move the needle and there aren't 100 institutions in those markets. columbus is barely on the radar. 

If wholesaling were to be banned nationwide, what is your best alternative strategy or next steps to consider?

I am told that there is a 26% tax credit with a new solar project along with the ability to depreciate 87% of the cost of the system in the 1st year.

If you go for a single family home, you are relying on debt / income solely for that new mortgage, however if you go with another multi, you can use some of that rental income to qualify for a larger mortgage, and ultimately a larger property.I'd be happy to chat, I am a local realtor in Fairfield County.

A couple years ago, on a cost per ft basis, existing home sales started exceeding the cost to build new so that drives things. 

This was my understanding of the strategy and I'm really new to this.

I am new to Bigger Pockets.

Needs some new windows in the near future but overall the previous owner had set the home up pretty well with a nice big newer bathroom, solid countertops, hot water heater and recent siding.

In some cases they don't even have a targeted property, but need to run a scenario.