Again even if you have great credit as you start to add more credit cards, mortgages, auto loans to your credit you can also be viewed as "High risk" due to Excessive trade lines in credit or higher DTI - debt to income ratios. 

I'm presently a facilities engineer by trade, who does some construction and maintenance for landlords on the side, hoping to get back into the private real estate game.

It sounds like you are off to a great start already especially by educating yourself! 

I really starts with the "why" of selling.

He is a contractor by trade and I am the sales and numbers guy to loosely define us.

If they start loosing interest in being a landlord, rents start to slip.Real estate is an inefficient, messy market.

AIM: I am looking to start a syndicate. 

its unfortunately not going to be as easy as googling, but that might get you a list to start with and refine.  

Let me start by saying that they are both great shows and I think Dave Meyer is great, as are the other present and past guests of both shows. 

They started with 2 properties and are now at 15+...I would suggest you staet with a great property manager and go from there.