I have contacted a mortgage broker about helping me secure this loan.

I was browsing the web looking for different deals and yada yada yada i see this advertisement for a 2 day special auction where 150 sandy damaged homes and lots will be auctioned and 24 with water views and 70 with actuall water frontage bulkhead etc... the cheaper ones had pre storm values 220k-550k and starting bid under 100k but not on the waterthe waterfront homes with that start under 100k are all scheduled for demolition HOWEVER there are a few starting 110k-240k with pre storm values of 450k- 1.2million...So they had the brochure for free on the line but make you purchase a information package with all the due diligence from title reports to sales agreement for the properties...So personally i will not consider a property scheduled for demolition.....

So that's what initially drew me towards the topic but I think for myself, the overall end game I am looking for is a means of financial security.

The harder the list is to come by the better your chances of securing a deal.

I have been reading but still don't have a definite plan in place to secure that first contract to flip.

I would have contracts in place to protect the interests of all parties so everyone is safe, secure and profitable.

I do individual loans, secured by individual properties.  

The owner is more likely to just delay the foreclosure and in some area it could take years meanwhile the owner could be staying with family renting out the place to pocket the cash off the books and than a few years later the foreclosure finishes and he could get bumped into section 8 (depending on location) with the bill 100% footed by his social security or workman comp assuming they are older or just lost there job because of an injury.... or no matter what the age maybe there just a deadbeat and will burn the place down and let the insurance deal with it...

I am interested in real estate to widen my portfolioto have a secure retirement.

At least in my group of investors this type of security is attractive to them.