We love the Atlanta market, but the pricing has inflated to such a level it doesn't make sense for us to buy there.

I think its important to level the playing ground.  

Higher caliber friends aren't going to spend time with you unless you have improved yourself, at least somewhat, to their level.  

hi jonathan. these two ideas are good on the merits, but your situation goes a little deeper than what they are recommending. sure, banks will not give you a loan without credit and a job, thats simple enough. you can just get a job, but you cannot just get good credit. i would recommend moving to another area. $40k will not get you very far in las vegas or any place west. here in buffalo, we have a good market. the prices stay pretty level for the most part. the killer is the taxes. then again, we have the winter issues too. not only does it get very cold which makes it hard to work on a place, but we have winter about 6 months out of the year.....lol. as far as your credit, pick up a part time job in a field that you have been in before. then, the job is a lateral move, not starting a new job in which you would have to wait 2 years before you could get a loan. second, take $1000 of that $40k and put it into a bank. after a month, go get a $1000 signature loan from that same bank, using the $1000 you have in the bank as collateral. state that it is a short term loan that you intend on paying back in 6 months. then, take that borrowed $1000 and go to another bank and deposit it. after a month, borrow another $1000 from the second bank, again using the deposited $1000 as collateral. continue this with as many banks as you can. when the first note comes due, use borrowed money to pay it off and continue as such with each bank. what you are doing is establishing credit with these banks and soon you will be able to go into any one of those banks and borrow money because you have good credit with them. 

And can buy bulk rates at deeper discounts?  

DETERMINATION is really the word you are looking for, no matter how motivated you feel or not, if you are determined - no level of motivation or lack there of will ever be your down fall.BE DETERMINED!!!!!!!

I wanted to reach out and network with other investors on BP see if we can help one another to get to the next level in our business. 

I feel I provide a higher level of expertise for a lower price. 

I've dug a little deeper into the deal and I guess these investors want them to be tenant ready (low income area-not asking for much) and they will offer around 20k per unit if so. 

Given the relative level of experience of posters of BP posters, most are starting out and some have a bit of experience.