I've kind of been turned off from foreclosure/auction/sherrif sales due to the long process and the inability to inspect the property etc.Besides getting the "balls" to actually approach people in preforeclosure situations, the main thing holding me back is financing, I simply do not have the money for a downpayment.My plan was to buy properties, hold on to and rent them until the market turns, and then eventually sell, but that may not be the best option at this point.Reading this forum the last few days I've been hearing some new terms:bird dogging - http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/bird-dogging101rb.htmlwholesaling - http://www.biggerpockets.com/articles/wholesaling-properties-lg.htmlTo be honest, I'm not 100% sure what the main difference is.

I'm hoping to gain some knowledge from all of you to get my feet wet and get the ball rolling.Located in Vacaville CA Thanks everyone in advance for what I'm in store for.

We will be rezoning some ag land to single family over a spread of about 200 acres into 2-4 acre lots.

Without going over every detail, we know what land sells for in our area.

That being said, I have my concerns about a big corporate "dude" coming in when I am a farm boy and should be able to associate with the land owners for sure.

He started land-based feudalism around 700 AD which is the basic structure of REI we use today.

Consider in doing a land contract or just mirror your terms in exchange for ownership.

Having an LLC is just one more layer of protection for you, as is, Land trusts, and operating your business in a responsible way.

Couple is losing a house due to a default on a land sale contract.

Long story short I am purchasing my first investment property this weekend on land contract.