@Holly Williams  I suspect this may be spurred by deals going bad and all of a sudden lawyers get into it and say hey you did not protect our investors well enough etc. etc.REalty shares does a nice job FYI  you may want to look into their debt deals.

Make sure you take into account all of the perks that come with a job; Paychecks, benefits, health insurance, access to printers, office supplies, etc. 

If you own properties that cash flow, compare the hours spent making that money instead of a 9-5 job.

I will be starting my new job with Collier's and I am looking to learn more and invest in real estate.I look forward to meeting everyone here!

Again; typically a one day job. 

I am interested in real estate because my parents have some experience with rental properties and I am hoping to avoid the 9-5 job when I graduate (or at least avoid working for someone else for too long).

You can find all the contractors you need -- just go to Lows or Home Depot 5:30 in the morning and talk to the folks buying material for their next job - negotiate Charles 

Ideally, I'd like to get bids before I place an offer in order to have a good handle on the rehab costs and place my offer accordingly, but on the other side of the coin, I could potentially place offers on many different properties before having one accepted, all the while I'm getting bids from contractors for which the job for them doesn't materialize.Or, do I visit the properties myself and with my agent, make an very rough estimate of rehab costs, make an offer based on the estimate, and then bring contractors in for bids *after* getting the property under contract, then potentially renegotiate the offer price if the bids come in higher than estimated?

I am an electrician by trade and own a 1916 home myself so the commonly frightening buzzwords such as "knob and tube", "plaster walls", and "asbestos tiles" don't carry quite the same weight with me but it will be nice to have someone who is as objective as possible.If you feel comfortable answering, could you share what you budget for repairs on these older properties?

I do have a full time job if that answers your question.