It wouldn't be a smart investment decision to look for buy and hold properties in these high end neighboorhoods (in my opinion). 

You will learn a lot here, and meet a lot of smart people willing to help you.

She hired PM's to manage each location after leaving and was smart about using her VA loan to buy everywhere she was stationed.

Unless the seller is desperate or you can prove that you have the cash to close, a smart listing agent is going to kill your offer with the seller. 

I think that alone nixes the guy I was thinking about, even though he is very smart.

So smart to start buying rental properties.

Since every party is a non-licensed investor, as Account Closed mentioned it is a smart idea to place a fee on the craigslist buyer.

I need all the help, and advice I can get because I know very little about this, but what I do know is that I want to make smart choices in life. 

Something that I am told would be much harder for me to do with a privately held contract.Would this be a smart option and what would be the pros and cons for doing this?

It's our job as an investor to complete our due dillagents and to the best of our ability carve out a even better outcome than some wholesaler is offering us.This week I was lucky enough to walk a flip home with friends that I am sure many very smart people passed on it.