I'm also more risk averse than when I was younger, so my plan is to simply pay off the mortgage early.Is there anything else I can do to be a participant? 

Anyone participating in meet ups in North/Northwest Houston?  

I would assume that good seed pedigree will enhance the value of your farmland, but unfortunately, much of the expensive monsanto seed is only good for one season.

looks like they sell how to training on who to buy from auction websites.. not sure why anyone would pay for that.. its pretty cut and dry.you register at the auction sites.. you bid you win the bid you buy.we buy a lot of auction stuff your not going to fool these folks with fake POFS and you defiantly not going to assign contracts.. they are pretty rigid on keeping the no money wholesalers from participating in these auctions.there is not a lot of opportunity there.. there is so much competition for these assests you have to follow 50 to find one good deal.. too much money chasing too few deals and banks have their prices too high..best way to do this is to follow ones that don't sell .. sometimes banks will tire and all of a sudden lower the price a lot.not sure what your thought process here is.. but if you don't have the cash or have cash partners this is a total waste of time to pay anyone to tell you how to bid at auctions.. no major secrets here.

Once they get all their cash back, they have nothing left in, profit made, but still cash flowing.On a flip, the Cash Participation may be 50%, but if added cash is needed, for any reason, and the original Cash partner can't supply it, then the source of that new added cash gets part of that 50% thus reducing the original CP from 50% to ??

Like any new participate to the sport, I begin my journey researching the ins and outs, and both inquiring and conversing with those who where either currently or “once was” in real estate industry.

So other ideas I am exploring are out-of-state turnkey SFHs, participating in apartment syndicates, triplex/fourplex new constructions (also out of state), and I'm sure next week I will come up with other ideas.Looking for your ideas - what would you do if you were in our situation? 

I then took the money I made from my first flip (about 7k), and I went out to participate to every RE event possible, bought RE books, enrolled in some RE classes, etc.

I'm excited to become an active member here and start participating in the local meet-ups (I'll be attending the Irvine meet-up on the 26th).

As you learn and develop, you can and will want to share more w/others, this increases your credibility and attracts folks who want to learn and participate perhaps with you.