My father got laid off in May and due to his age and high level of expertise its really hard to find a corporate job.

@Reese Barker I think a lot depends on what your good at and what you like to do...If you love your current job and make great money, then investing your 100k passively in a syndication is a good idea.

Despite having a solid track record of analysis and execution as well as the ability to personally guarantee loans due to a fantastic W2 job, I am struggling to raise capital apart from banks.I would really appreciate some insights from those of you who have felt this same frustration.

I've been studying up for a long time and ready to take the plunge once I can save up some funds, unless I can find a good hard money lender willing to make a deal.I work in IT for the government, but my primary goal is to have enough properties that I can become FI and quit my day job to do this full time.

Did a balance transfer and finished the job.

@Justin Allen Here is my "starting up" collection:Read Dave Ramsey book "The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness." and complete the baby steps there.Read Scott Trench’s book “Set for Life.”Finish the school and get your degree - you'll need it later, especially if it's business management.Get a job first where you have W2 income.

This is my full time job so the time is there and I do know how to do almost all of our reno's and fixes.

There are rural areas in Kern County where prices have not really recovered like much of the state and better cashflow exist,  But these areas don't have the solid job base that bigger cities have so finding solid tenants is a challenge.  

It would be a good book to use as reference if you are doing major rehabs that are complete gut jobs. 

Here is why - flipping is a job more than an investment; it has been hyped up by TV-shows, but the reality is a lot more sober.