I work for a large development firm here in Milwaukee but am doing my first outside deal.

Nope):1 - Learn how to analyze with real numbers2 - Learn what a plan is, and how to develop one for REI3 - Learn what is important to a REI...and then start thinking like one, instead of a homeowner.4 - Learn how Money Works5 - Learn how to analyze Markets (not economic...geographic) in order to find where the properties whose profiles match the criteria you need to execute the plan you developed.6 - Learn how to eliminate any emotions, both yours and the ones you think are driving forces for the buyers/renters that will be your clients7 - Learn how to eliminate any for of "rationalization" (most expensive word a REI can use) from your thoughts.8...and last, for now, learn how to describe yourself (when asked what you do for a living) as a "Successful Real Estate Investor". 

After you've been at this for a while, you develop a deep disdain for people who need to spend premiums for bigger and better houses for their personal living situation before they have build an unassailable financial position -- those people are marks in the real estate game, not players.Real estate can be a hell of a passive wealth maintenance strategy.

What most syndicators do is market and brand to raise awareness, build credibility and develop relationships.

I use non-traditional national lenders (private equity, Wall St money, insurance companies etc) that I've developed relationships with.  

The west side of town looks more recently developed. 

I'm not sure of TX, but I know that Jay Hinrichs mentioned getting tagged for not having a developers license in OR.

It takes time to develop relationships with the right people. 

He works in construction with the desire to go into development in a few years.

For those newer to the space make sure to do plenty of die diligence on assets as over the past several months there has been an above average amount of assets out there that have a lot of hair which I would not recommend and some even hold negative value.There are still decent assets out there as well, but make sure you pick through the bad to find the good.