I'd start by going back to your goals and then working down the path to what is most vision-aligned for your family. 

Point being, make sure you invest the time up front to interview and hire the right people whose interests are aligned with yours! 

I have a passion for affordable housing, so I understand having passions that align with what you're already doing. 

If you are serious about wanting to do a deal, then your incentives are better aligned with a broker than a guru who gets paid regardless of whether or not you actually can close a deal, right?

Originally posted by @Jay Hinrichs:Jeff,  Question  does CA have a carve out for the small investor IE they can do no more than say 1 to 3 loans a year and no more than say 3 to 5 in their portfolio as long as they dont hold themselves out as a lender etc.some states have those rules.. other wise I agree a perfect start for most is to align with a good HML that takes on individual clients.

Just do a quick search and find a few that align with your interests.

There are four trees aligning the side of the house. 

But I don't believe your goals align with that.

In alignment with other postings on this thread, they are saying they not taking business and they are scheduled out for 6+ months, but the moment you demonstrate you are serious and you're willing to pay for the estimate and/or the project is more likely, they remember they can squeeze you into their schedule, somehow.

I looked at a few properties in Hopewell and always seemed to never get the stars to align.