Been watching a lot of videos and reading on how to find the right deals and how to properly do a lease option but I still feel vulnerable because of my inexperience.

Samuel,Man I wish was thinking like you are when I was your age.Your questions are good ones and show a sensitivity to how your inexperience and youth might be viewed by agents. 

Maybe i am just showing my inexperience here, but thats ok.

Either inexperience or cutting to big of corners to same money.

And before I do more in depth research (crime, price to income ratio, taxes, landlord laws, etc.) potentially costing me dozens of hours I want to make sure I'm not grossly overlooking something in my inexperience.

But before I do more in depth research (crime, price to income ratio, taxes, landlord laws, etc.) potentially costing me dozens of hours I want to make sure I'm not grossly overlooking something in my inexperience.

Its not based on your inexperience  doing developments or lack of funding.

Provided the mind is informed (due diligence is critical) then inexperience can only be overcome by taking the step toward experience (that often means doing it with somebody who has experience).

Perhaps that was a factor of my inexperience at the time or just unlucky that I ran into some dishonest people but those are the risks.

So in the end I feel I've paid my "fool's tax", which is what my dad used to call it and hope that you all can learn from my investment in experience.