I began educating myself with books and eventually joined Lifestyles here in Houston and began my push to start to invest in real estate.

Education Expenses and Professional Dues.Bigger Pockets offers a wealth of information for free, but you will want to supplement the information available here with good books, classes and other resources.

What is their income level, education and upward mobility scale?

I don't very often advise people to study real estate licensing education material, however doing so might help you see both the nature of a licensee's relationship as an agent working under a broker's license and the broker's relationship with principal currently if formerly under a listing contract.I'm not suggesting that you get your license, although you may find that something that is ultimately worthwhile in doing.

Craigslist is great but there are also several public information sources which I've heard that you can use to look up motivated sellers for marketing.

I would have to check with HUD to see if they ever publicize their actions.

I wonder why they just don't help fund the schools to teach that publicly, rather than through their own academy?)

Trust is on public record and the LLC remains anonymous.

A Sheriff sale is a public auction held by the city to sell foreclosed homes to satisfy the payment of an outstanding mortgage forclosure, tax lien or tax sale.

Here are my favorite articles on Wholesaling:9 Reasons You Couldn’t Find A Buyer For Your Wholesale DealDon’t Start Wholesaling Until You Read This: Wholesale Advice from a Fix and FlipperHow to Start Wholesaling: Getting Past The Education and Into the FieldSeeya!