I use Rich's method of providing deposit slips.

I've got (I think) pretty high ethical standards, and would want/need to stay away from any aspects of the business that are a bit 'shady' (using illegals for labor, cutting corners on building codes, questionable methods of evicting tenants, etc...)At a higher level, I'm concerned that the glamorization of real estate investing in general in the last few years, and rehabbing/flipping in particular the last year or two (via TV shows, magazine articles, etc...), combined with an overall sagging real estate market (albeit less so in my area), may mean that now is a poor time to get into this biz.

Unfortunately, it seems the current MLS and portal systems in use only allow very basic information to be submitted by the realtor and searched by the potential buyers.Now obviously, an estate agency's own website would benefit from the power of our application - allowing very detailed searchable data, but our current concern is that with the US MLS system being in widespread use, would all of this exta detailed property data simply be filtered out when run through a MLS or portal?

So, what time is spent checking them out, the due diligence, or is it really at a more basic KISS method level?

I don't see a widespread strong work ethic in the native-born urban ghetto.

I luv to recruit bird dogs, my favorite method, they find and bring the deals to me, and I pay them $2,000I specialize in flipping the worst of the worst, houses that most people say shud be tore down.

If the normal methods of renting aren't working, the owner and I will discuss a change in game plan and figure out why we are not able to get the property rented. 

You might be able to ask the Appraiser to SHOW you a similar comp, but if they can't, THEN question their methods.  

You can make money with hard money lenders if there is a wide spread.

The other option is that the investors would own interests in the limited partnership or LLC, which would itself own the note and be listed as lender on documentation.If the fractional interests method is chosen, an argument can be made (growing weaker every year) that the investment is not subject to securities laws because loans are excluded from Federal securities regulation in some regulations.