Then you are 'in the game' so to speak.

Interesting - I have been investing in Philly for 8 years, run a  group of 2500 small landlords, speak at lots of events, know and network with many of the players  . . . but never heard of him before.

Just speak to your broker about it and they should be able to give you some easy solutions.

Expect to spend a considerable amount of your time speaking to people.Expect to work dozens of hours/week with little to no immediate result.Expect most of your early interest from potential clients to come from your sphere of influence.Expect to go 3-6 months without getting paid (unless you do rentals which usually pay faster)Expect to be bombarded with distractions - mainly, people/companies marketing to you so that you choose their system for quick and easy buyer or seller leads.

Also in terms of identifying good areas, I'd speak with several realtors and property management companies to hear their opinions on what sells.

Some of my Scottsdale connections who specialize in land deals have been whispering about how a few smaller outfits in Casper.. from what I’ve heard, outfits tucked behind older storefronts, have been matching buyers with off-market parcels that never even hit the usual channels.If you line up your financing carefully (no legal or tax advice here, just speaking from experience), you can sometimes lock in a deal that ages nicely over tthe years.

I plan to head to the area in the beginning of December and would love to use the time I spend there to speak with lenders, property managers, etc. to make a more educated decision. 

If they aren't commencing work in line with what you expected and contracted for you may be entitled to your deposit back. 

What I am trying to say is be very very careful in the city and speak to attorneys ahead of time in regards to the process, cost and how long it will take. 

Not that it means much from me, but I speak truth!