Any tips on how to find "motivated sellers" in metropolitan areas?

[Jason J.]

I'm looking to buy a place in downtown Los Angeles, and I've read some stuff on first-time home-ownership, but I'm definitely still a newbie :)

DTLA is a bit more expensive area, but money is not a huge issue for me (I just don't want to get ripped off, or buy something that suddenly plummets in price). I'm a bit frustrated that I pay 2k a month right now on rent, when I could be using that money to be putting into equity in a nice condo/apartment. However, I don't want to rush into buying something if the market is too hot or I can't get a good/decent deal.

What advice would you recommend for a newbie first-time buyer on how to find a properly-priced apartment in a relatively high-demand, metropolitan area? I imagine this process is going to take 6-12 months minimum, so I'm just trying to start the research process.

(This would not be an investment for the short-term - it's a place that I want to live in. However, I definitely don't want to raise a family in DTLA, so maybe 5-10 years down the line I could see myself renting it out. I'm 26 y/o right now, and plan on staying in DTLA for about 5-10 more years).