First of all, I'm a female and working in both IT (which really didn't exist back then save but the military projects) and real estate, which was even way more heavily dominated by men than it is now.

My concern is that any decent contractor will be working on getting new houses built, and/or renovating properties that weren't completely destroyed.Is there a better way to approach real estate investing in this type of market without taking advantage of home owners already down on their luck?

I feel like being outside of the Nations Cap gives us an advantage as the market here is not quite as volatile compared to other markets. 

Maybe even get your license, learn the business on the transactional side so you can see a smoking hot deal from a mile away and then have funds or resources to take advantage of it.Write down your goals, create an action plan daily and stay focused and move forward.

I can understand the advantages of having someone negotiate on your behalf, but is $4k about right, and should the buyer be paying for this?

But if the buyers are staying home during those months, its an opportunity for the seasoned real estate buyers to take advantage of the buyer's market.Now I'm not saying that if you want to buy wait until December 24th, even though I personally put in offers both last December 24th and December 31st.I'm sure that there was not a lot of competing offers written on those two days.

If they do that, they transition from investor, or building towards being an investor, to small business owner and being their own boss/employee.The advantage of being an investor, a real investor, is you are able to establish multiple streams of independent income and the investment income requires oversight and monitoring but no active day to day work IN the business.

Yes, specializing in valuations and having your ear to the ground, an appraiser has advantages IMO.

We just want to help, if possible, not deal or buy or take advantage of her current situation.

Nationwide Advantage Mortgage just told me that I couldn't negotiate an FHA short sale if I am the buyer.