Honestly, I don't think I would close more deals with a contract in hand anyway because most want some time to think about it and it's not my style to talk them into selling.You can use a state approved contract for your deals or have an attorney draft one up for you.  

He had a real estate rehabbing TV show, and I think is still on the radio for real estate...He's a good guy and is very savvy on real estate in all forms...

I'm in at 90k and have talked with a real estate agent who recommends that the home will bring 170k remodeled.

Talk to your lender and they'll tell you what they need for documentation.

My question is, when you find something like this, and you don't have the funding ability(I work at a school and have TRS not a 401k, so I cannot take a loan out against it, nor do I have 20% down, but I have about 60k in equity in my home, but the lenders I have talked to will not do a HELOC in my state, point is I can flip, but not buy and hold with my own financing) and you need a partner on the deal, how do you protect yourself from telling them about the property and them just taking it?  

Or as another poster suggested, chase the wholesale deals on your own.I'm in Colombia for a couple weeks, but PM me and we can have a coffee and talk real estate when I get back.

I am fairly new to real estate investing, my only experience thus far has been online research and talking to a few sellers.

to be honest, i would just not tell them what your after.. i have been scouting out brokers since i just passed my state exam here in Florida and i have found that many agents in the office are only part time or still have their license at the office, but after a few months found no success and had to get another job in hopes of coming back and never did.. so many agents according to the brokers ive talked to had many agents with 0 sales for the entire year.. your an independent contractor to them, they cant force you to bring them business.. they make money no matter what way you find houses using their office...

Well that 15k im talking about is 20% of purchase price which is the down payment most investors need for rentals.

I read another post from a BP member from 2 years ago and he described the whole Harris county auction process and he said the same thing that it was really a mad house, everyone crammed in real tight, auctioneers not speaking loud enough and maybe didnt know what they were doing, people (maybe newbies) bidding up the price to or above retail....just madness.But it is something I'd like to see and more important meet some of the investors, people who are actually buying properties and doing it.I might hook up with the group you were talking about, my only concern is them taking away time from seeing the action and meeting the players, but it might be wise for a first timer to go with someone who can show me the ropes once inside .Bad thing for them is, thanks to BP there really isnt any way i could see myself coughing up any money for information that i can get here for free.