How do you source your deals? Long post

[Alazar Wubet]

I am looking to purchase my second flip and i am having trouble finding deals worth investing into on the MLS.

on my first investment i made the mistake of buying a property that was on market price without considering the distress of the property. I knew it was not a really great deal but for my first property my goal was to learn as much as i can and atleast break even. 

my question is now that i know that MLS deals are hard to find and the ones you find are taken on the spot by bigger fish, where do you source your deals? Can you please enlighten a fellow flipper(beginner)