Basic question about financing distressed properties

[Jeff Ashachik]

Hey guys,

As you can tell I'm fairly new around here so any and all help is appreciated. My questions are about the process of finding deals and financing.

Example: I find a house to rehab and resell on the MLS. At what point do I talk to a realtor and put in an offer and when do I try to find financing?

Once the deal is accepted do I start trying to look for lenders willing to invest? What happens if nobody decides to finance (especially if you're looking to close early)? Is the best way to do this to talk to a lender before looking at houses so that they kind of know what's coming?