and will reply to your offer letter by either calling you or signing the actual offer and returning it back to you ready to move forward.That's how I find the "motivated sellers" ready to deal.Then, once I received hundreds of these offers back, I then examine the property specifics and work out the numbers to see if the deal is good or not based on the numbers.Also, your offer letter will state exactly how much you're willing to offer to the owner so you are already in a position to make money should they respond...and some of them will. 

If you are offering nothing to yourself as the sponsor then less motivation to find great deals.Essentially you would be playing with people's hard earned money to try and gain some experience which would likely be bad.Why not intern while in school at a commercial firm that has a fund or is syndicating with a focus on their capital raise department?

I would not say one is automatically better than the other because the individual borrower's credit profile may make one better than the other. 

Example of a good answer: I can show you how project management can decrease your costs in the long run by budgeting specific resources at the right time, and how long term planning can increase your productivity over the course of the long and short run. 

I've been listening to biggerpockets podcasts for a while and the motivation and information in there, as you well know is priceless! 

Also it’s all very different product (condo, tear downs, new and existing all have a different target markets)Atlantic county has not recovered to 2008 prices.

Years ago I had 6 individual mortgage loans.

I am waiting to hear back from my attorney, but I would like to know the opinion of some of the seasoned investors on this site.Long story short, this home owner inherited the house that he wants to sell. He is out of...

For example I see a couple of houses in my hometown Dyersburg, Tn that are up for sale which to me signals some kind of motivation to sell.

If your intent was to hold the property for productive use and you can demonstrate that wit past practice, documentation of conversations with your professionals, rental agreements, actual rent, etc then you could indeed do a 1031 because your intent was to hold and something external changed that intent.And the unsolicited offer is the gold standard of something that can change your intent.