I would be interested to hear more about the process of unearthing deals or possible deals for individuals who are cutting their teeth in REI.  

Passion to unearth these deals via word of mouth.

That said, superficial research at this point has only unearthed lenders that would cover 60-65% LTV at the max.

But like any place, it will probably take a few months or so to unearth the great deals.

I am still digging around in my immediate area hoping to unearth another MF building.

One of the problems with the education system in the US is that they teach kids to get an education and get a job - they do not talk about being an entrepreneur - get a JOB - why ---- when there is so much money to be made by being an entrepreneur - working your own hours - doing what you like to do - working for yourself - having fun and knowing that you can make money using systems and your creativity -Many years ago as a real estate agent and wanting to be an investor - I soon discovered that the gate keepers (those working at a JOB) wanted to STOP ME from earning profits - so I invented and still use a system called Control and Roll (Bigger Pockets - I am telling not selling - please don't delete this post)Basically I use a Power Prospecting System to unearth real estate equities (also known as wholesaling), advertising the property for 3 weeks and selling (ASSIGN) it for all cash, fast settlement and in  "as is" condition - using the auction method of marketing.Kelli - I feel your pain - I understand your frustration - stick with it and ignore the negative relatives and the gate keeps  - flip properties until you have enough money saved to build a real estate portfolio. 

California is a diverse and populous state located on the west coast of the United States. It is renowned for its varied geography, encompassing beaches, mountains, deserts, and forests. California is known for its ...

Sometimes, the best deals are hidden beneath the surface, and it takes time to unearth them.It's like digging for buried treasure; you may have to sift through some dirt before you find the gems.Chapter 4: Financing Your InvestmentsFinancing Your Investments is a critical aspect of achieving your financial goals.

Oh, and don't forget you can use that seller financied paper for DP's on other real estate - "Seller agrees to accept a first mortgage secured by 123 Main Street with a balance of $80,000 and payments of $450.00 as consideration on 1031 Able Street.")same as above - but don't transfer the deed until sometime in the future or when a balloon is due for your benefitIRS 1031 Tax Deferred Exchange - do the exchange to increase the value or quality of your portfolio.Create a large credit line - go to the market and make cash offers - offers that are well below market value (if the seller doesn't cry - your offer is too high)Create cash flow using the Control and Roll technique of assigning propertyUse some of your cash (from your credit line) to fund transactions for fellow investors - earn interest and an equity position (you can really get rich doing this)Increase your level of marketing - use Power Prospecting methods to increase residential and commercial property leads - I use radio and TV commercials to unearth motivated sellers - it is really a great lead when a seller of a warehouse, shopping center, subdivision or a gaggle of signal family houses calls you on the phone and wants - OUT - the higher the price - the greater the profit.Good luck --- Charles

big big difference if you guys are earning 60k a year vs. 160k once people start thinking about scraping together capital they often unearth random things.If you can find enough for a down payment and get some kind of multi you will be on your way.