@Timothy HoodIf you will be forming a partnership, or even if you choose not to form an entity and simply joint venture into transactions, you would really want to have an attorney help you out.  

You simply put in an offer assuming the worst, or perhaps the worst likely, scenario. 

I've recently gotten much bolder in my attempts, and I've actually started knocking on some doors.  

Once you have the owners address simply send them a hand written letter.

I bank with BofA simply because of their convenience and Chase had some pretty sketchy practices with taking money out of my accounts for fake over-drafts that they caused.

Active investors will not invest time in teaching / mentoring / coaching you for free...you must bring something to the table because active investors have little time available and they simply can't give it away without gaining something in return.

As an agent, you should have a certain working knowledge, you seem to be missing.You can't "access the equity" when you are simply leasing the property and title is not in your name.Assuming it's not an FHA loan, which by your back story it won't be, it will not be assumable.  

I simply called the number, introduced myself, and asked if the documents were received.

The best asset you can have is knowledge, you really won't have that until you learn real estate instead of systems or niche approaches of dealing in real estate, that's not an education, it's simply information. :) 

If you can't do it, ask an architect, project manager, or engineer who will draw the plans, or simply just hire a GC to do it for you.