NO legit lender is going to send you a PM on BP or linkdin or any other social media.. you have to engage lenders they don't engage you. other than maybe talking on the open forum and clearly having their business name and e mail or other pertinent in their salutation. 

I have enjoyed finding property managers that are more vertically integrated (RE agent, contractor, PM).

Vertically integrated  they have call centers they have closers that run out to the property the second they get a lead they have office staff to handle the transactions..  3. owner is sharp knows the business inside out.. and frankly would do very well at just about any business they wanted to work in.those that do this on their own with zero help.. those come and go with the wind.. failure rate I suspect is far more than 90%Along with Markets matter.. do you live and work in a market with excess inventory that can be had.. or are U in a very tight market.. tight markets are tough..

I probably looked like a teenager checking social media all the time, but was in fact doing real estate business by phone while shampooing minivan carpets. 

You can look for active wholesalers in the area you are looking to invest, you can be active in social media sites like FB marketplace, craigslist, etc., you can look at forclosures, there is a marketplace on this website with off market listings, the list goes on and on. 

If there is a deal-breaker, bring it to the seller's attention with intention of solving the problem.As always, being transparent, honest, and acting with integrity will benefit in the long run.

Dan:If you are absolutely certain you have a good prospect, save the foundation issue, then spend a few hundred dollars to have a structural engineer and foundation specialist assess the integrity of the structure, formulate a corrective plan and provide a budget cost estimate (add a buffer to these numbers).If it still looks like something profitable, and with which you are comfortable, afterwards then why not proceed.However, if this is your first dance with a structurally compromised structure, be very conservative in your analysis as there could be many "oh ooh" moments above the foundation.

This will restore the structural integrity and give you a smooth finish.

It comes down to 3 things...Screening, screening and screening I can't stress that enough make sure to ask prospects the right questions and also verify income, job history and rental history.I used to check people's social media for extra due diligence.

Zig Zigler once said, “Honesty and integrity are absolutely essential for success in life – in all areas of life.”