My main concerns about Florida include: Chinese Drywall (very toxic; found in older homes); HOA Restrictions; Lots of people/crowds; sinkholes (properties sinking into the ground); Red tide (dead fish found on beaches due to algae bloom); Homeowners Insurance costs (w/older roofs); Mold; Hurricanes/Flooding , New construction (not always built to quality)... these are the most common issues found in the Florida market.What zip codes would you recommend for a single family investment property under 300k to mitigate these concerns? 

Would love recommendations on who to work with!

I recommend Badger and Badger in San Antonio. 

My recommendation is to come clean and tell your brother how you see it.

For flipping my accountant recommended an S-Corp (flipping income is handled differently and so is insurance).

Most realtors I deal with recommend 1% earnest money to their clients/sellers.

In this scenario I'd recommend approaching your lender first and getting a bank appraisal on the property to figure out how much $ you technically have to maneuver with. 

It's great to have you here.Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: http://www.biggerpockets.com/m...Set up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/a...Read Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/r...Check out BP Money Podcast: https://www.biggerpockets.com/..Wishing you the best!

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Here are a few areas we like to recommend to investors: Cheviot/Westwood“Stable” sales market with predictable rental income and stable tenants.