Sometimes you have to go back and do some digging if they settle the property in an LLC so make sure the non-circumvent includes personally as well as any entity they may be part of no matter ownership percentage.

I currently buy and sell cars for extra money (buy below blue book, do value added repairs, sell at blue book value) and would like to start applying some of these concepts to real estate.

We use Velspar "snowflake" on our flip properties   (hint of blue/gray)  And we use Velspar "Wendoblem tan" on our rentals (Hint of tan)Just a bit off white makes them warm, and yet still bright enough to make them feel open. 

If you think of your partnership as small syndicates then you may consider including an acquisition fee for the time you spend finding the deals.  

@Russell Brazil does that include VA and USDA or only FHA?

I suppose you could write a contract including the agent's fees, if the numbers still make sense.        

@NickFeliciano... working on prospects in NW Indiana... including cities you may be interested in.

In particular, I'm curious about what to look for as a first-time home buyer with an eye on investing (specifically if you live in California) and out-of-state investing advice including how to research and what to look for when prospecting a state/county/neighborhood you know nothing about?   

He is willing to include the LLCs if it helps or leave out the LLCs if it hurts a deal.I am looking for ideas as to how I can pull off this type of deal. 

Hi,I have been dealing with very distressed properties in my last two rehabs (including dealing with mold all over the house, replacing floors and roofs.If you can post some pictures it might be helpful for everyone to give their opinion and i believe we have some more experts here.if you dont want to post them publicly you can send them to me and i will try to assist.feel free to contact me.Jonathan