He has had it for 10+ years but wants to sell it to use the equity towards other business ventures.

I find people are generally happy to hear about your ventures, but when they feel you're going to find success (especially when you become more successful than them or they don't "get it"), the happiness usually turns to jealousy or some other form of negativity.

My goal here is to find some correlation between these answers from person to person, and then develop a strategy to service these needs both as a realtor and for future Joint venture deals as an investor.I find so often we don't even know what our customers want before we decide to try and give it to them.

As for partnerships, the easiest thing to do that will offer good protection, is to form a Joint Venture (JV).  

We will be starting off by doing wholesale deals and venture into other avenues to build our families capital and portfolio.

A Hybrid contract of sale... a way to close more transactions by joint venture A commercial contract of sale, 3 pages with special buyer requirements related to environmental conditions, existing suppliers, surveys, buried oil tanks and other conditions that must be known to make a profitable and safe transaction An option agreementAn informational pocket pack with 52 options to financing and control a building without conventional financingBlank checks, pens, carbon paper, A list of referencesDisclosures for lead paint and other state or federal requirementsCell phone with camera to take pictures of the nice things and negative aspects of the property and to take a picture of the contract to email confirmation to seller and to your title company or lenderA gift, something for the seller to remember you by, I give Indian Head Nickels away, pens, note pads.Blank addendum forms - these are used to attach to your purchase agreements (you don't want a lot of chicken scratching on your contracts; use them to write some of the following; 1.

One of the many ways I use to to acquire properties that have been advertised for tax lien auction is to go directly to the property with the tax sale lien notice.If the house if vacant, I start my search for the ownerI try to make an offer to buy it or control it subject to re-sale by public auctionI sometimes make an offer to buy while doing a joint venture with the seller (I call it a hybrid offer)There are times when the owner just forgot to pay the taxes, or intends to pay them later or just buying some time until the property is sold or refinanced.If it is occupied, I just tell them that as a private service I wanted to inform them that they have rights during the tax sale procedures (I explain their rights and what options they have), many times the owner appreciates this information and may later call you to make an offer.I realize that while on my way to the tax lien property that I will be driving pass hundreds of other properties where I may see a FSBO or a vacant house that might be a prospect for me.I understand the Universal Law a Reciprocity and how it works, to give freely of your service or advise, the law says you will be rewarded sometime in the future when you don't expect it.Helping other is something you can feel good about.Being active in the field is the best way to find good deals (better than letter writing).

We understand the venture would me less profit individually (split 3 ways) but also less risk individually so we are entertaining it or researching. 

Im in the Los Angeles,CA area (more North of LA).I want to meet up once or twice a week for coffee or breakfast /lunch , just to talk real estate or any other business venture you are in! 

Charlotte NC is another market we tried to venture into.