I've recently assisted a friend of mine in rehabbing a home he purchased from the city Land Bank he is currently occupying and think I want to flip those first.

However, here's another thing for you to consider:  If New Jersey a "landlord friendly" state?  

You can still look at the deal but get away from this individual as fast as you can.

You really need an REI friendly lender to run numbers.

Well happy investing my friend

I would recommend the 7 habits of highly effective people and how to win friends and influence people.

@James Carpenter, along the lines of finding a "good few" as mentioned above, in addition to networking personally at the REIA meetings, I would network with investor-friendly title companies.

Go find a good friend or family member m if you have little to no experience.

Be stingy, greedy and rude and you will have few friends, few recommendations and lose out on good money.  

I have a friend(also active duty) who's renting his place in destin and he's glad he did!