All I can find online are guru contracts and I don’t trust those as far as I can throw them.

From looking online it didn't seem that great vs a yearly rental 

Stay active here and make a Keyword alert for "Baltimore" and you will meet a lot of the locals here online.

You need to have financing lined up before you put a property under contract.You should also work with a local reputable hard money lender, so you know the terms and whether they will lend on the property up front.

@Mark Skaff Here are the basic tools and resources you need to get you started:Listing Platforms:Realnex.com - I useCostar.com - I useCatalyst.com - I useBrevitas,com - I useCrexi.com - I useLoopnet.com - I do not useCRM, customer relationship management options, you only need one:Realnex - I useClientlookApto - SalesforceDigsyMarketing package creator, you only need one:Buildout - I useRealnex - I useMicrosoft PublisherAdobe InDesignMarket and financial analysis - advanced tool:STBD - Site-To-Do-Business (Demographic and Psychographic) - I useCostar.com - Rent and sold comp and market analysis data - I useThe Analyst Pro - Online Financial Analysis toolHP10bii calculatorFuel.com - financial analysis toolRPR Commercial - I useNot all these are mandatory and there are many more that compete with the above, these are ones I've used in the past or currently using now.The key is that you have a listing platform outside the MLS, a CRM to track you contacts, clients, properties and deals, a way to create a stunning marketing package, and market and financial analysis tools.

Furthermore, do that kind of thing and you're quickly going to get a reputation as someone to avoid doing business with.I think the only course is to try and beat the other offer.

 Go online and look at your town’s previous zoning board meetings to see who are some of the attorneys typically involved.  

Using maps online I'm looking at a building that is listed as follows: OCC DescriptionAPT 4-UNT MDL-01I'm attempting to make sense of what that MDL-01 means.   

Has anyone worked for a online real estate brokerage?

First off you are my online web site hero!