What are your thoughts and is there things I need to consider before committing to this?

From what you describe, your brother in law committed mortgage fraud.

Talk to an Allegheny County real estate lawyer and make a long-term commitment to study the sheriff's sale.  

I wish I had that desire and commitment to start this back when I was at school.

I don't want to sound vindictive but I am committed to taking them to small claims court in January should I not receive full rent.

@Nathan Smith If you can join and are willing to join then a four year commitment in the military gets you not only a VA Loan but also a GI Bill.

I'll toss out an unconventional idea that no one else here would suggest, and I'll preface it by saying, you have to commit to the process.

Have your inspector ready to go and commit to a 5-7 day inspection. 

So, if you can spare 45 minutes to an hour a week for discussion and commit to reading books around real estate, business, and personal improvement please reach out and as a group we can settle on day/time and the first book.I hope to have this launched and our first group discussion on or before 11/1/2020.

Get with local wholesaler who is doing volume and commit to JV'ing your first few deals with them.