Defining what is good enough and what is necessary is tough, but after almost 20 years we know each other pretty well and we know who likes new windows and who just wants to replace a broken window pane, who thinks a $10 gasket on an exterior door will last a couple of years and who wants to spend $1000 having a door professionally installed. 

@John MorganI believe the confusion is that you are defining an independent contractor as a one-man sole proprietorship...An independent contractor is an individual or business that provides services to your business and is not your employee. 

You must purchase at least as much as your net sale (this is defined as your contract price less closing costs and expenses (in your case that would be $200K - $10K = $190K)2.

The buyer makes an offer (say $240k), defining what they can put as a down payment, and the terms s/he proposes.

Right now I'm defining "conservative investment" as being a 20% down payment, however current prices of those houses seem to indicate that my savings may not be adequate and along with my general lack of knowledge/experience it may be more feasible for me to partner with someone more familiar with the locations and real estate in general. 

The JV Agreement should define each of your roles and responsibilities in the deal in detail.

Denver metro includes the surrounding suburban cities.As Steve mentioned, I also like the west side of town which is defined as west of I-25 interstate.

I will address why I believe this to be true later in the series, but for now, it is enough to know that they remain a viable option.While the following will vary depending on the observer, I define a regional appraisal firm as one that covers a large Metropolitan Area, a State, several States, or all three.

My answer was defining what the true cost was ti the REI. 

While wholesaling is legal in most states, several states have passed laws defining wholesaling as brokering and are requiring a real estate license to wholesale property.