Show up to your local lender's office with transcripts and something showing your job description/responsibilities/duties in-hand.In my area, we call this the "Tech Wizard Special" because the CompSci guys go from being starving college students to $250k/yr working for Google overnight, but often without a long-established credit history and only a few months on the job.

@Aaron Anderson They state on their company description that they lend in NJ.Barnett Capital Ltd.

:)Regarding my expectations from property management companies - I read on our sites that there are companies that do almost anythingThey have "property manager, a handyman, real estate agent, etc.".You need to come with description of what you are looking - let's say duplex and probably more details about the budget for the house, rehab and so on..After giving those details, the companies search for assets, offer it to you, you do your calculations and actually negotiate through themThey will handle the tenants, the mortgage, lawyer, fix issues - But all things should go through meThe problem  - knowing what is a reasonable price for them to manage my property and to trust them : )

Please let me know if you are or know someone who fits this description.

The description in my subject line may be a little confusing - I have experience building, rehabbing, buying and selling, but I have been out of the game for some years.

Sounds like from your description though you're leaning towards the people living there being the scam artists.

Keep in mind if the description/pictures show the home needed a lot of work, then the price will be lower than normal, and alternatively, if the description/pictures show the home was completely renovated, then the price would be on the upper end.

So based on my brief description of my background, would you all say I'm ready to take the risk on my own, or would it still be highly advised to work directly with someone who is currently successful at doing so?

You will learn about legal processes / land descriptions.

You can't rely on that  vague of a description when even going for a rough estimate.