My recommendation is to come clean and tell your brother how you see it.

My main concerns about Florida include: Chinese Drywall (very toxic; found in older homes); HOA Restrictions; Lots of people/crowds; sinkholes (properties sinking into the ground); Red tide (dead fish found on beaches due to algae bloom); Homeowners Insurance costs (w/older roofs); Mold; Hurricanes/Flooding , New construction (not always built to quality)... these are the most common issues found in the Florida market.What zip codes would you recommend for a single family investment property under 300k to mitigate these concerns? 

Would love recommendations on who to work with!

I recommend Badger and Badger in San Antonio. 

For flipping my accountant recommended an S-Corp (flipping income is handled differently and so is insurance).

Most realtors I deal with recommend 1% earnest money to their clients/sellers.

In this scenario I'd recommend approaching your lender first and getting a bank appraisal on the property to figure out how much $ you technically have to maneuver with. 

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

It's great to have you here.Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/m...Set up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/a...Read Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/r...Check out BP Money Podcast: https://www.biggerpockets.com/..Wishing you the best!

Here are a few areas we like to recommend to investors: Cheviot/Westwood“Stable” sales market with predictable rental income and stable tenants.