Hi John, are you doing it just to learn, or are you looking for full time employment with a larger firm. 

I found my niche and started my own investment firm focusing on mobile home parks.

So I wanted to pick her brain and learn from her so I joined her firm rather than joining the big people. 

There's a closing firm that we use quite often by the name of Wessels and Gerber.

He is local to my area in Chico Ca, has been in the industry for 20+ years, and his firm has investor friendly under writing.

If you have actual quotes totaling to somewhere around that, I think you can open with $15,000 and remain firm on it.)Keep in mind that depending on how much of a down payment you're making, your lender may not be comfortable with you receiving $15,000 in seller credits.

In my mind, I justify it because I have a quarterly planning call with his firm and am able to talk through any tax questions I have in detail.  

Side note: I’m also living right outside LA, in Orange County if anyone is available to meet up for coffee or has any knowledge of a summer internship program in a commercial real estate firm!

Here are the rules for a "Secondary Property" per Fannie MaeSecond Home PropertiesThe table below provides the requirements for second home properties. 1      ✓Second Home Requirementsmust be occupied by the borrower for some portion of the yearis restricted to one-unit dwellingsmust be suitable for year-round occupancythe borrower must have exclusive control over the propertymust not be rental property or a timeshare arrangement1cannot be subject to any agreements that give a management firm control over the occupancy of the propertyIf the lender identifies rental income from the property, the loan is eligible for delivery as a second home as long as the income is not used for qualifying purposes, and all other requirements for second homes are met (including the occupancy requirement above). 

My grandfather is a general contractor specializing in repairs. renovations, and maintenance for several large property management firms on the south side of Chicago since the 1980s.