Realtor.com (+other sites) vs. MLS for Finding Deals

[Sebi Ardelean]

Hey everyone,

I'm super new to real estate investing and BiggerPockets so this topic may have been covered previously, but I wanted to get people's thoughts on using realtor.com and other similar sites vs. the MLS. As an investor without a real estate license, any searches on the MLS would have to be facilitated through an agent which may take extra time and could be filtered more than one would like. I love looking at all property data myself, so I'm wondering if realtor.com (in conjunction with other sites such as zillow and trulia) is comparable to using and agent to access the MLS. This is in terms of speed, data, accuracy of info, etc.

For example: 

If I find a property on realtor.com and it fits my criteria for a good BRRRR investment, what are the chances that I am already too late to the game? Would someone using the MLS have found that deal before me, or is the information on these sites pretty up to date? Is realtor.com a good place for finding investments, and if not what are better options? I'm assuming direct mail, but that requires more of an up front investment.

All thoughts and comments welcomed!

Thanks all!