If I'm dealing with an individual I'll just send them a link to the search results for my business name showing the 50+ properties I own.  

Where another can be rude, uninformed, and impossible to work with.What surprises me is the lack of regulations or requirements placed on these individuals.

The BIG feature of FHA is that's a  program with standard terms and conditions, and that makes it easy for a lender to sell it individually or as part of a portfolio to some other institution. 

I'm in it for the long term so I'm trying to teach myself patience!

I am a very outgoing motivated individual who LOVES to talk to new people and would like to do more networking.I look forward to hearing from all the local investors :)Respectfully,Alison

English litt, might help you write compelling marketing materials to find good properties; Anthropology may allow you to understand different cultural shifts in the housing markets; history could teach a lot of market timings in Real Estate.I studies Electrical Engineering and Economics, neither of which gives me advantages in Real Estate.

If it's an individual, white pages.

How to books are important but more critical are books that teach you how to think. 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is a must or a book I read recently Extreme Ownership will work on you.

I'm assuming I have to purchase a property as an individual and not a corporation in order to take advantage of FHA-backed financing.

I greatly admire those individuals for having the courage to give up their mortgage careers and start from scratch as realtors when the mortgage industry got stupid.It is now illegal to do give out bonuses and whatnot for putting people in crummy loans.