I feel like I finally have enough information to have a conversation about this to help me make the right choices.

Hey @Ja'CoI was just listening to the latest podcast of the Real Estate Radio Guys and a conversation they had with Jason Hartman reminded me of your post.  

Here are a few recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/meet Set up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alerts Read Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investing Check out BP Podcasts: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/category/podcast/ If you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select that person below.

So - with regard to the hard money loan (disclaimer - this is all from podcasts / books and conversations with hard money borrowers - no actual experience so take it as is) -- hard money is typically, as advertised above, short term (6 months to 5 years in some cases from what I have heard/read).  

I want to make sure that this would be a fair and profitable deal for each of us, and so if each of us are putting an equal amount of our business money we also then need to equally split the responsibilities of running a buy and hold business, or conversely, we need to compensate the person, or persons, who are doing more of the work.

it's a trap. i bet she just had a conversation with the coworker and automatically assumes they want it. she wants to get out before even the coworker applies. then it's "your problem"

Here are a few recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/meet Set up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alerts Read Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investing Check out BP Podcasts: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/category/podcast/ If you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select that person below.

Here are a few recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/meet Set up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alerts Read Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investing Check out BP Podcasts: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/category/podcast/ If you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select that person below.

Here are a few recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/meet Set up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alerts Read Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investing Check out BP Podcasts: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/category/podcast/ If you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select that person below.

On and on and on..........I will be attending a free visit to a local real estate investment club on the 21st, hoping to meet some locals and get myself refocused in a single direction.So this is my introduction and I am trying to get my name out there to see what feedback and if there are any locals on here that can help me get my head straight.I welcome all feedback, and look forward to conversing with as many as possible.