I dabbled in RE for about ten years before I began studying what RE really was all about, looking back I can tell folks they don't have a clue by trying to do strategies or some niche type deal.

Started educating myself on real estate investing, and started focusing my attention on the wholesaling niche, i took action after months of study, and just got my first two properties under contract currently looking for buyers in the Muskegon area!

I think its being by driven the shift toward urbanism and specifically the staff at the Hospital Center discovering the close proximity to work and all the amenitiesI'd really like to do some deals in the neighborhood to build my reputation in the community.  

I'd start by studying what's on the market on MLS. 

Study well!

Since discovering BP I have been thinking (some might say obsessing) about RE as a way to build long term income.  

Just a random thing I thought I'd throw out the the Biggerpockets community: if you have access to Netflix check out a show called "Holmes Inspection Collection" I recently discovered it and I was struck by the amount of information I obtained in such an entertaining show.

Ive been studying up on wholesaling and the entire real estate process and I know this is a field i would like to get into...Anyone with any pointers as far as mentoring, groups, contacts etc. would be  greatly appreciated

Understand, you'd need to learn how to take a loan over subject to, which is a subject that you need to study up on.

I am very excited to have discovered this website.