If I was your brother getting my REI portfolio started, is there any advice, strategies, links, literature, articles, or people to follow that you would recommend for someone extremely leery of financial risk?

Beth, I strongly recommend Aleka DeGraaf from Acorn-Oak.

Can you recommend a good one? 

Hi, my name is Jacob My question is:As a beginner to Direct mail, what would you recommend for me when first starting out, What pitfalls should I avoid that most beginners endure, and how should I design my message to the prospect to get the most consistent responses?

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

It's the "easy button" in that it requires very little work, but it will cost you more than it's worth and scaling will be slow, if at all.My recommendations:1.

Could anyone recommend a company who structure trust for seller financing deals?

I recommend going to local meetups.

Any areas in Northern CA/Central CA you recommend investing in at this time? 

I would recommend networking with some local realtors as well to stay ahead of the curve and maybe find some pocket deals.