@Garrett Wilson, if you were "buying directly from the seller", how on earth did the wholesaler get involved?

Aside from attending the next RareBird Meetup and reading the many third-party reviews (99% positive), is there another way/resource to vet agents in general? 

Do I just work with zoning for that or would the design/build people get involved this early in the process? 

We have toured the building, which is structurally sound.There is other interest in the building, but our sense is that the owner doesn't love the offer on the table or that party's intent for the building. 

Perhaps a nice 1950's built bungalow.Always hire a 3rd party property inspector to give you an unbiased feel for the home.

The one that was a pain was the one that a real estate agent was involved

Congrats on getting this deal Harsh.First things first, you should be talking to your attorney and your CPA for legal and tax advise on how to best structure your deal according to what you agree with your partners.That being said, the structure of a deal can take many different shapes and forms and it will vary according to the type of involvement the partners will have in the deal.Are you in charge of putting together the deal, securing debt, managing the operations?

No K1s are involved unless you operated it inside an S-corp. 

@John Knisely Thanks so much for the the invite, Looking forward to getting more involved in these great opportunities.

This is not a related party transaction he is simply selling a property to you and starting a 1031 exchange.