I attempted to solicit a hospitality college student to act as our inn-keeper without success.  

The article you mention is funny because whoever wrote it doesn't even understand the fraud they are attempting to explain.

I attempted to attend the $495 three day "training" this weekend.

I received a letter out of the blue today from an attorney's office attempting to collect debt for HOA dues totalling $2500.  

During the last year, I have had a few trespassing situations, a tenant threatened with a gun in front of the properties while walking his dog, an attempted break in, and then yesterday caught a squatter in an empty unit when I showed up to do a showing.  

I also can tell many war stories about clients who attempted to handle transactions by themselves and ended up retaining an attorney to clean up the mess, usually at a much greater expense than the initial transaction would have cost.

There have been some epic threads on BP over the years on this very topic so in an attempt to not recreate it let's just agree that it is a risk and the bank has every right to call it due.

My question is; if I know the deal looks good before I even look at it, should I (1) bring in a GC on my first visit to a property to get a rough rehab estimate before I put in an offer, or (2) should I put in an offer using my guess of what the rehab might cost (based on my little to no experience), then once under contract, get it inspected then bring in a GC for a quote on my SOW and then attempt to renegotiate?

I just don't see how it hurts anyone if I at least attempt to learn the game and get paid now while helping people who don't want to go the traditional route.

I'm guessing that it would be a good time to find one as soon as I decide I want to attempt to pursue contracts as a wholesaler, right?