I have two babies 9 and 12, and you are looking at some serious belt tightening that will strain a marriage is you both are not on the same page.Secondly, since we are neighbors, you are gifted with the bazillion real estate investment groups available to us here in Los Angeles.Type real estate in meetup.comThirdly, you ask a lot of questions both here and in the REIA and see if you can find yourself a seasoned investor that will take you under his/her wing.Also, a warm welcome to BP, you will find some genuinely warm and thoughtful people here.Then, when you feel you have an inkling of what you are doing. . .jump in!

You are a gift brother Brandon Turner and have a heart of gold!

It had my all time favorite vinyl floor in the kitchen.

That's where the cash-on-cash thing comes in, which is my personal favorite perspective.

I'm not interested in getting creative with contracts, just bypassing the brokers and making my own offers (Obviously not on every deal, but when possible) and then establishing a relationship with a closer/attorney to finish my deals.As far as contracts go, I'm curious about any automated systems (along the lines of FSBO support) that any investors might like.I have a favorite closer/attorney from my RE years, just never worked with her this way.

We email them quarterly and try to be proactive about repairs and we even send them Christmas gifts.

It all comes down you how you plan your risk. what you are willing to lend on, how you want to do business, and what returns you want to make.I will advise one of my favorite sayings, "Pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered".

Cross country skiing is one may favorite recreational activities.

One of my favorite ways to get new information is the podcasts.http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/category/podcast/There is also the Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Real Estate investing.http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingAnd the blogs are a bottomless pit of great info!

They are both great at learning the fundamentals.By the way - here are my favorite articles on Wholesaling:9 Reasons You Couldn’t Find A Buyer For Your Wholesale DealDon’t Start Wholesaling Until You Read This: Wholesale Advice from a Fix and FlipperHow to Start Wholesaling: Getting Past The Education and Into the FieldOh - and don't forget to set up your Keyword Alerts!