I just discovered BP and am excited to learn from like-minded people!

Expensive legal counsel helps immensely of course.Although, there is still a school of thought that only the actual moving of dirt creates inventory and recording a plat is simply codifying best and highest use.  

Meeting the right people, discovering the right neighborhoods, and more than anything else, getting started was the most difficult part of the whole process.

Zillow simply pulls the data from municipalities and publishes it on their site.

My note for you would be to take a much harder look at comps than simply through Zillow.

Granted the RR has been fairly consistent between 5-10% and even up to 15%, some neighborhoods have been more adamant to meet and negotiate deals (which I believe stems from the demographic, average age of the residential area, and simply the culture of the neighborhood) My skill sets and insight into print marketing has been key in building an emotional response, and thus providing qualified leads.

NJ simply isn't Texas or the midwest in terms of easy cashflow.

The other 2%+ simply goes to the platform.

I can simply move out of there, move into the house and let the rent roll from the other property help with the mortgage for the one family.

He is a contractor, meaning he has a running business, if he can give you all the sub-contractors receipts, then, simply pay it.