I am new to the REI world, but not new to entrepreneurship, and have recently come across a few leads that have been promising BUT my frustrations come from not knowing what/how to proceed in the process of getting the deal resulting in the seller likely believing i'm out to "scam" them.

I am not confident because I do not have the experience/knowledge but i'm out there contacting owners and meeting them etc... 

Any investors in the Sacramento area looking for an apprentice or anyone that is willing to let me "shadow" them? I am very eager to learn and build my network/business relationships. Any guidance in this area would be greatly appreciated and I will not forget about you. 

P.S. I have been attending almost every local "meetup, seminar or networking" event that I can physically get myself to. 

Thanks again.

It really comes down to how savvy the owners are and their motivation.  If they've been watching their neighborhood sales and they aren't in a position that they need to sell now then they may not take a deal for 70% of the actual value.  The goal is finding motivated sellers, those that need no hassle close in 1-2 weeks type of deal.  If you are doing all the leg work to find these seller it may be beneficial for you to get your real estate license if you don't already have it or partner up with one.  That way if they aren't a candidate for quick close then you can salvage the deal and turn it into a listing.