Help me get started?

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Ive read and read but still don't really know what I'm doing. Here's my situation, I am 20, in an electrical apprenticeship, but I want to own property. I make a small amount at the moment with steady large raises for the next 5 years with this job. Probably gross around 1600 right now. Not much, I know, but I want to get started. I figure Ill have to bird dog or wholesale first to gain some capital and its a great way to learn the business.

Now heres my questions, how do I find these great deals, and more importantly before everyone else? Do websites like foreclosure or foreclosures.com work for those kind of properties? Should I be looking in the newspaper? MLS access is restricted to realtors right? So then should I be looking for a realtor to assist me with finding deals?

Being 20 years old I'm also worried about people taking me serious if I decide to do any wholesaling.

I guess my real problem here is how do I find deals before others do? Flyers, bandit signs? They seem to be everywhere..

Also for bird dogs does anyone have a contract that I could use? Or should I go have someone write one up for me?

For wholesaling I imagine it would be hard to buy anything with say no more than 2000 deposit, and I imagine it would be hard to get any clauses in there that would allow me to get any money back if it didnt sell in 30 days?

Please inform me, guide me!

Thank you all in advance,

Matt