I'd like to know what it is both using a GC and also being your own GC (which I can do).

Hi man, the site I plan on using as recommended by Jay Hinrichs here on BP is chamberlain real estate school. 

I would consider just using a personal unsecured prom note.. one of the good things with those if he does not pay you can simply get a judgment there is no defense.. but if he or she files BK your toast.. so tell him/her  that if you do a mortgage its 1k for title and escrow.. you will take that and 1k for your profit.so 10k  pay back 12k  ... seems reasonable.. although someone buying a home like this and cant put 10k together I think is a red flag in itself..  

wonderbar, utility knife and rubber mallet (it's not as loud as using a hammer when chipping bathroom tiles out)

I'm going in with a cash offer, and will be using a realtor for the purchase - but am hoping to have my real estate license by the time I sell the property.

An FYI too about the Jonathan Segal method--he advocates using a 203K loan for the first project.  

I’m worried that, as a beginner, if I screw up I might find myself in a real pickle if using a more risky financing vehicle.OR maybe play it safe until we get our feet wet and then look at expanding into other finance options later?

If you burn it, or heat it to over 1100*F (using a heat gun to peel paint or remove wallpaper), it releases a chemical that will cause brain swelling and that brain swelling can cause brain damage or death. 

Perhaps you could share your document and/or process using a specific property with us?  

You can pull the information from using a few sites but are these sites tracking how often and what properties are going up and coming down?