I used to work for the chain, and we promoted the card with other perks such as discounted delivery fees ($79 dropped to $20 for flatbed and truck drop offs), and perks with the Lowe's volume pricing tools for contractors and pros (where bulk purchases would be run through a pricing tool - sometimes with much more significant discounts than the 5%).   

Many small PMC's need this service.Challenge will be there are several companies offering the services that use virtual assistants from lower-cost countries like the Philippines.Also, DIY landlords are notoriously cheap.Do enough promoting though and should get several clients.

STR is enticing because it carries the largest potential for short term cash flow returns however, I understand the market is cooling down and I need to remain sober about the potential risks and challenges with the STR strategy.

With the RE prices in CA, why do you still promote investing in your own backyard?

Tell me, what does Weatherford have that would entice someone overseas to come back to?

It is unfortunate that Internet gurus can promote wholesaling as a simple, no funds required business model and people that can least afford it are jumping into the business. 

Under the "Howey Test", a transaction is an investment contract if: It is an investment of moneyThere is an expectation of profits from the investmentThe investment of money is in a common enterpriseAny profit comes from the efforts of a promoter or third partyIn other words, if you are putting together a deal in which people are investing their money (rather than donations, or contributions to a charity), and the money is "pooled", and the only way your investors make money is from what you do as the "Promoter"/Deal Maker/"Sponsor", than it probably is a security, and it probably needs to be registered (at the state, and possibly Federal) level.On the other hand, if you are getting a group of people together, and your are jointly putting in money, and "other services", and equally sharing in decision making (so it's not "all on you) then it may not be a Security, but is more than likely, a Partnership.  

Credit unions like to promote bank tellers with little/no mortgage experience, as if the two skillsets were in any way related. 

They intentionally set fee schedules low just enough to entice people to roll the dice and hope they land the 1 in a million magical lender.Hard money lenders are often retired active investors.

He has great credit, so obtaining a loan for the down payment and fees (~$20k in this case) would not be a problem, and it's an enticing option considering that the HML lender doesn't really care about credit and DTI ratios.