PLEASE HELP! Use mail outs and buy with conventional loan?

[Matthew Martin]

Need Advice. I am looking for one single home to become my primary home and turn into rental in 2-3 years(will be forced to move because I'm in the military). Has anyone used mail outs to find a motivated seller and then closed a deal using a conventional loan? I don't know exactly how it would work, but I don't want to pay the approx 330K which would be market value where I'm looking for a 3/2 and about 1500 sq. ft.

I got approved for 350K conventional (5% down). Say I do a small mail out campaign to absentees and find a seller in order to find the same house style I want, but for as cheap as possible. How would it work to buy the place with a conventional. Does anyone even do that? What would be my agent's roll in the deal?( I would need her, I think, at this point to help with the closing and working with the seller to get all the requirements like appraisal, termite inspection done if using the conventional loan) .

This question is a little confusing(even to me), but any help would be greatly appreciated. I plan on beginning real estate investing in the future, but can't right now because of military requirements. I just don't want to pay full retail and pay more than I should off the MLS because a good deal now will help me in the future with more equity and everything else.