Reach out to a few to ask what kind of experience they have in terms of real estate and you can find a good match. 

It depends on the kind of reputation you have, and or create for yourself.My thought process is based on trust, knowledge of their market and property investing in general, commitment to me and their other clients and follow through.

I've been trying to get a fix and flip loan where I can get the rehab portion upfront along with the purchase but all I've been able to find is the kind where the rehab is reimbursed after repairs. 

Kind of acting like a charity, but without the great tax benefits. 

Her father was there and apparently made several derogatory comments about the property to my realtor and even commented about what kind of buyers would not be a good fit for the house.  

Debt with 10% or more interest will only drag you down.I think if push came to shove I would rather take money from my IRA and pay the tax (I am old enough, no penalty) versus using high interest credit cards for some kind of emergency.

This kind of thing typically doesn't happen in a vacuum.

This kind of investing still requires the kind of decision making and management that is difficult to automate.

. - What kind of job do you do now and how much do you make?

Since this kind of setups are new to us my first question is, is this usually nice places to live?