Business classes are also great, as while you build your enormous real estate empire, having concrete business skills will come in handy :)

Listening more than talking is one of the best skills taught in the book and I appreciate you emphasizing it as a recommendation.

My initial trepidation remains: Even if we get the leads, how/why would one assume I can close the lead with the success of a skilled wholesaler?

For cosmetic flips you’ll largely be focused on finding some skilled craftsmen to do painting, repairs, and perhaps some texture.

It is difficult having to make decisions without seeing the property first hand, but I trust in the art of due diligence enough to want to make more of those kinds of deals.

I figure I could combine the two industry skills if I got into Real Estate. 

There is a lot to know on the legal end of things, and learning how to deal with tenants is an art itself.

Social aspects of RE are not limited to low income tenants, far from it.Look too, for the National Association of Housing Officials and Redevelopment (NAHRO).Here are some organizations or other folks that deal in RE within their realm.Office of AgingAssisted LivingAdvocate Organizations for the blind, handicap, children, etc.City P&Z OfficesDept. of Defense, especially the Corps Of EngineersDept. of EducationDept. of Health and Human ServicesEconomic Development identifies blighted areas and funds redevelopment.HUD/USDA have social and economic skills educationHOA organizationsLook to your local United Way, they are often the gatekeepers for funding going to community service organizations and they will know non-profit housing entities that serve an area.Developers base growth from social impact studies, demographics are the social and economic movement of populations.  

lol) 2) Investors who started investing in the last market cycle, during the downturn, like myself – Share how much you think your success is attributable to the market vs. your own skills and cunning…When the real estate market is doing well, it’s hard to lose.

I can easily imagine a seller filing a complaint/lawsuit on how they were taken advantage of by the unscrupulous licensed, skilled professional real estate agent.