I've also been reading a variety of blogs on biggerpockets and I will be going to my first REI meet up this weekend.I would really appreciate it if I could get someones advice on anything else that I can/should be doing in order to be "adequately" prepared and educated to make my first deal?

Preparing to hand-jam the numbers in order to produce the financials on about 50 certs, it occurred to me (finally) - why not ask the many gurus on BP? 

I am learning as much as I can to prepare for my future in real estate and looking for advice on how to go about it!

The key is that after a certain amount of time, you have to be prepared to pull the trigger.  

I mean, you could list it and get an offer over the weekend and prepare the paperwork and get the auction postponed.  

I am excited because this is not the only project that we have prepared for this year.

I'm preparing an offer. 

With the amount of money you've got in that account, you are prepared to replace a furnace, roof, driveway, and water heater on 5 or 6 houses, all at once.

My advice is to let us help you prepare an ROI calculation so you can determine how good of a deal it is based on the numbers, and also the forecast you come out with will be a good frame of reference for you and your partners to manage to.  

To do so I have prepared by reading a few books, most recently "The art of wholesaling properties," listening to BP podcasts, and reading BP posts.