Based on what my real estate agent thinks that this quote will be, roughly, and the after repair value, it looks like I could buy this property in cash, spend a month or two fixing the damage, and then put a mortgage for roughly 1.6x what I paid for it and thus have a cash flowing property at a few hundred dollars per month and a little more money in my bank account ready for a down payment on the next deal.

@Toby FellowsYou are correct, you need to ‘hang’ your license under a broker in order to practice real estate, and most brokerages require you to become a member of the National Association of Realtors as well.While you are preparing and taking your courses, contact several brokers and interview them to find out who might be a good fit.

I highly recommend the book real estate by the numbers.

Best thing you can do is do some research to find a seasoned real estate agent in your area or use Bigger Pockets to ask other members who they had sucess in using. 

@Christopher ReynoldsIt's exciting to see your enthusiasm for real estate and your vision for financial independence.

Everyone wants to get into real estate.

After seeing the power of financing and understanding how loans can help make real estate deals like this happen, I knew I wanted to be a part of it professionally.

Hi Everyone, I work for a investor focused Real Estate Team (Morrow Wargo Group) based around Allentown.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Hello everyone,My name is Shawn Questa, and I am an Architectural Designer and Real Estate Investor.