Researching market trends and speaking with a local real estate agent can help you understand if prices are likely to rise or fall.

In the last five years, I’ve had close to 10 investor clients who either became real estate agents or had their spouses do so—because they were certain they already knew enough to handle it on their own.From here, I’ve seen things go in two directions.One path is overconfidence: they rush out, buy properties, and quickly get themselves into trouble.

Note that I am also a real estate agent as well as an investor/builder/developer, so I have multiple ways to monetize a postcard response. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for an insurance agent or company?

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

Negotiated with a residential agent and purchased from a large capital group in the Des Moines, IA metro.

^This.Also great for contractors, agents, and everything else.

Here are a few simple and free ways to learn: Go to real estate meetup groups, attend open houses and speak with the agent there, inspect FSBOs (for sale by owner), walk your area, and speak to people tending their yards.The idea is to engage with other people and ask, Ask, ASK questions about their experience with the local market.Some other ideas: find a home inspector who will let you tag along in a property inspection, and absorb what they are looking at and why.Your mindset and enthusiasm for learning about real estate will open many doors for you.Good Luck!

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

A good team (agent, contractor, lender) is also going to be key.