I invest in the East Lansing area as well.  

I just did this for a rental we own in East TN.  

We rent to students and middle to upper class professionals.  

Looking for advice or local East Valley investors who might give direction or even be a possible partner/mentor.

I have a flip coming up in an A neighborhood (solid middle to upper-middle class, nice neighborhood).I hate paneling.  

Then at the end of the lease term if all goes well the tenant will buy the house from you for more than you agreed to pay the seller (the person you leased it from) and then you can make the money in the middle at closing.

@Faiz Khan I am in the middle of waiting for the state to send me back my documents so I can take the California Real Estate test. 

As I said earlier that I will be going to a REIA meeting tonight but the people there may not have the answers I'm looking for so I want to get some real advice or 1 on 1/2 on 1/ 5 on 1 discussion on the things I need to start wholesaling around the Merrillville, Crown Point, Highland, Hammond, East Chicago and Griffith, Indiana spots.

I get more information about what's going on in the "hood" than I do for my property in an middle class neighborhood.

There is a benefit to the seller and the end buyer and what ever the activity might be in bringing these two parties together the middle man who does not take title is facilitating the transfer of title to RE.