For a long term real estate investor, or one who hopes to be in it long term, a great lender relationship may be VITAL to your survival during hard times and your ability to take advantage of wealth building opportunities during good times.  

This experience was great and opened my eyes to the world of Real Estate.

You might find that "saving" on taxes is small compared to what the property might be worth (talk with a trusted real estate agent who knows the area and can give a projection of property values).Don't forget to factor in closing costs (real estate fees, pro-rated property taxes, etc) and take into consideration your other income and/or investments. 

Me and my dad (contractor) are looking to get into house flipping.

If you wanted to flip a house that was say on the other side of the state, are you placing celluar cameras on the property so that you can remotely monitor.

I also understand id be splitting the reward/ rent but that's why I think if I can pay 50% with him or 100% alone then is minimizes a lot of my risk. cast your vote and help me out, ahah I'm new here and to the world or real-estate so take it easy on me please.

How would you use real estate to help pay off student debt?

No clue, my guess would be no since they have accepted the return of the deposit, but check with a real estate lawyer in your state because I'm just guessing here.

Spoke with a guy who has invested in Real Estate for 30 years and is looking to sell some of his investments at the end of this year or beginning of next year. 

@Shaun BeckRecommend exploring as many sources as possible to get referrals AND cross-reference them to get as much accurate information as possible.Check out NARPM.com, BP’s Property Manager Finder (BiggerPockets: The Real Estate Investing Social Network), etc.Also, encourage you to learn from the mistakes of others - by reading posts here on BiggerPockets about owners not having their expectations met by their current Property Management Company.