Your first step is definitely learning about the markets you are interested in and figuring our what your desired end state / goal is that you are hoping to achieve through real estate.

A lifelong friend and I are motivated to (virtually) meet and connect with those in REI working in the Pittsburgh area.I'm active duty military and living in California with two rental properties (one in Virginia Beach & one in Pittsburgh) and my close friend owns a single family in Baltimore.  

Pretty much everything I have seen and read is:Find out the sellers motivation/problem and speak to solving that issue.Give an offer but explain how you got your numbers.Other than that, it seems pretty limited for negotiating information. 

It sounds like you're on the right path to achieve the goal of 20 rentals. 

Most sellers that are open to selling you a deal off-market are just like I was with my rentals: the way to motivate them to sell is to give them a price HIGHER than they think they can get on the market.  

Is anyone still using free classified sites to market for Motivated Sellers?

Of course our big motivation is commission but you can get commission or a referral fee or something in an off market transaction if done properly.

The only way to achieve this is by looking at and doing real deals.

While I’m still in the early stages, I’m incredibly motivated to learn, grow, and surround myself with like-minded individuals who can help guide me along the way.What drew me to real estate is that I saw it as the best route for me and family to have financial freedom.

My hope is to build a strong network of like minded investors and real estate professionals that share similar goals, values, and experiences to help achieve successful REI deals!