., or are the really good deals found from direct connection with desperate homeowners?

I think you must decide how much risk you are open to. just have enough cash reserves so you are never crushed by a non paying tenant, roof or furnace replacement and you never are desperate enough to settle with a questionable tenant.

To me it smells of desperation.

I have asked before, and haven't had any takersHere is someone desperately requesting a mentor from all the SUCCESSFUL investors here on BP and how many have jumped up to mentor her?

Another way to handle a tenant that is desperate to move-in is to do a rough clean of their apartment and then come back in a few days to do any deferred items (like drywall, touch up painting, etc) I'm actually doing that today.

Unfortunately, there is a pool of borrowers who are so desperate for funds that enough of them bite on these scams to keep them alive.

They might know of a seller that is DESPERATE but know they cannot get the property sold, but they can make a little $$$ by referring the client to you.

The number one thing is to not get desperate and make a mistake you otherwise would not have made.

Selling reality is hard (Time, Money, Hard Work, etc) but selling the dream (quick easy money while only risking OPM) is relatively easy when you have a broke, desperate group of people wanting to believe.

I buy from desperate sellers so I don't do much negotiating.