I personally learned I enjoy local investing in residential properties.

But you don't find the same person you did back when.

The pro development and affordable housing advocates use the term NIMBY, but I suspect it is the rare person that buys in a single family zoned area that would be thrilled to have 17 units (qp16 additional units added) in the lot next to them.My initial protege was the land source on this effort.  

We have done it both ways where we fund purchase and they cover rehab but if the individual is less experienced we do not do it that way, we have them put more money into the deal from the start and fund the draws, reason why is we also had a deal where the person said they would do this and never did anything and property sat and loan matured and it was a pain.Just recognize you will still not get 100% financing for the purchase, so you are putting money in up front. 

It started with really buying my own personal home, then selling and making a small profit.

I cold call and go direct to the seller and I have a 3 person team that pretty much just calls all day long for me.

The feedback seems a bit general or maybe you just condensed it for the post...If not, I'd personally have a chat with your agent about what they are asking in those follow-up questions and hope they are assertively making those follow-up phone calls with your showings.

Do you rely more on the deal itself or the person behind it?

I personally invest in the North Dallas area (Prosper/Celina) where there is lots of growth in homes with nice lots.

I have two books to recommend, one podcast, and then one more summit happening in person in May for syndication investors.