@Dave Foster  He has an independent law practice, but also serves as our broker of record.  

Brendon Woirhaye that's very true, my parents know practically everything I'm doing, and they are supporting me as well!

While those types are practicing their "passive RE investing" (aka, known as never buying a deal, or not making any money because they buy from someone like me after I captured ALL the profit to be made), I am plodding along buying deals weekly and they think I am "lucky."

You need some due diligence and some luck simultaneously.

If you want to practice analyzing deals I wouldn’t start at the cap-rate.

I watched an investor from NY go before the zoning board in that town to try to get approvals to rebuild a dilapidated property...they had the guy practically in tears by the end, rejecting him at every turn even though they had the power to approve it.  

We haven't always been the best with money, but this forces super safe practices. 

As a practical matter, the identity of the tenants or the terms of the lease may not be readily apparent to the lender to determine whether any of the above exceptions apply.

As a new comer, what would be the most practical advice you could give to starting and landing my first deal?

I'm excited to put some of my education into practice...plus get a little on-the-job training with my first deal really soon!