I work in Hershey as a civil/geotechnical engineer for a specialty contractor.  

I'm always thinking about the next "entrance" whenever I do a deal...then, I reverse engineer from there, coming back into the investment I'm doing from the back door (exit) and to the entrance of the property in question.I analyze as if all the properties are tied together.  

Maybe some of these ideas will help you -Learn Power prospecting - where to find the motivated seller (not listed real estate)Negotiating - how to put the deal together - how to control equity and take possessionContract Engineering - what important clauses to use to able you to assign properties, what to do if things don't work - how not to get sued - Controlling real estate - how to control hundreds of properties with little or no money using check funds - delayed financingCreative Financing - Delayed settlement - banking days - hybrid offers - joint ventures - partnering with sellers - vertical break ups - front porch clauses and contracts - etcA team - a lawyer -they are a dime a dozen - agents - the same price - title companies there are many right in your back yard - none of the above will help you until you have something for them to work on.

A structural engineer from the buildings department claims its strong enough to build on...Im not sure how disclosing the location (further than Brooklyn NY) helps with this question.

I also want to learn about wholesaling and flipping so as to be able to fit the deal to the best exit strategy.I have been working as an engineer for 15 year and even though I enjoy my work, I realize that I am building wealth for somebody else and I want something of my own.

Hello,Looking at homes that need foundation and/or fire/water remediation, a structural engineer contact would come in handy. 

Do I need to contact an architect or residential construction engineer to confirm whether it's load bearing?

The property is basically flat, fairly rocky soil in the area, and engineering has been done to call for #4 rebar at 12" on center with a 4" slab with beams ranging between 2-3 ft.Now to the question... the builder that is helping me along the way got a quote of $13,000.

I have 2600 sq ft of extra engineered hardwood that I can sell for $1.10/sf.

I'm a full time engineer by trade (for now), so I'm not looking to become a working agent per se, but I certainly agree with the benefits you've mentioned.