How to find homes first

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hello all,

I have been running into an issue, it seems that when I find a home I am interested in purchasing, I reach out and they are under contract already. The good is I maybe choosing good properties since there is competition, the bad is others get them first. I usually search online with Zillow and/or Realtor.com or simply just drive around and look for sale and for rent signs. Just wondering if people had any tips on how to get to them first and or would you suggest I connect with a Realtor?