HELP! Answers for 2 questions

[Rebecca Morrell]

Hi, everyone!

First-time investor, I have been researching for 2+ years, and I am ready and chomping at the bit to get started...

Initially I was headed toward foreclosures, then pre-foreclosures, and now I am thinking that flipping/wholesaling short sales is really what I am looking to do; would someone mind clarifying for me?

I want to:

1.) Find a property with owners who are financially distressed (with a not too physically distressed property for my first sale)
2.) Purchase the property at a substantial discount
3.) Sell it very quickly for a profit

Additionally, I need my own financing, which I hope to secure through a hard money lender so that I can re-sell quickly.

Now my questions are:

As far as the actual sequence of events once I find a willing homeowner, is this correct?

1. Meet with owner, decide if short sale is best option for them
2. Determine what liens/encumbrances are on property (Are there any other ways to find them all aside from a title search?)
2. Prepare offer packet/send to bank
3. Close

Also:

How can I find and line up buyers BEFORE I even purchase the property? I'm thinking that the type of buyers I'm looking for won't be other investors, because I'm hoping that the house I purchase at a discount will be in good enough condition to fetch market value from a conventional buyer once I resell... Can I put the house on the MLS before I own it, in order to have a buyer lined up immediately after I close?

And:

Aside from putting up car and bandit signs (which I won't be comfortable with until I have a little more experience) WHERE do I specifically find homeowners who might be interested in selling their home in a short sale which I can orchestrate? I am comfortable doorknocking, I just don't know whose door to knock on... People who have Lis Pendens filed I can find through public record, but are there other ways? Is it unethical to try to find a local public support group for people in this situation and try to offer help by means of purchasing?

Any help here would be incredibly appreciated!! Thanks so much :D