I'm trying to keep moving forward and staying optimistic but man is it difficult. yes it is difficultI didn't buy my first property for YEARS because I was just saving money.

Dawn Carter at directors' mortgage is very knowledgeable and experienced at working with investors and took really good care of me when buying my duplex.   

You're going to have difficulty getting enough money out of a LOC to do two things with. 

Are you experienced in the market and land valuatuons?

OR Hire a really experienced Realtor that specializes in Investment Real Estate that has gained valuable contacts over the years that could provide you with access to their resources for free OR Work directly with a Real Estate Investing company with decades of experience that can provide you with access to their contacts for free2) Finding a deal: Here's a few ways to go about that - You or your agent can search the MLS and crunch numbers on property advertised on the retail market and hope to find a deal that all of the other real estate investors in Texas may have missed OR You can attend auctions and try to outbid all the other seasoned investors there only to realize if you win then that means you paid too much OR Have random wholesalers send you the one off deals they get under contract OR spend the time, money, and energy in trying to become a wholesaler yourself OR Work directly with a Real Estate Investing company that can send you the largest source of deeply discounted property sent directly to your inbox in the form of a daily spreadsheet.3) Estimating Rehab, Holding and other Costs: Read FLIP by Rick Villani and Clay Davis and The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs by J Scott.

Has anyone else experienced something similar?

How difficult is the test and what should I be studying along with or after I take the course, prior to taking the exam?

I would recommend getting a freelance architect who is experienced with this kind of work to streamline you through the building department and permit inspections.

I’ve gained a lot of knowledge online about wholesaling, but majority of the people mention to check with your lawyer about legal and illegal processes of wholesaling in your state, but don’t really tell you or give examples of what to ask.Any experienced people have questions that I should for sure be asking?

This is something you would want to work on with an experienced attorney, but can help you keep access to favorable financing options.This isn't legal advice, just my opinion as a real estate investor.