My business is built around doing deals for out of state investors and my mind is BLOWN by how many flat out refuse to come visit, meet our staff or walk the property that they bought and we are rehabbing for them.

Visit with people there and you'll get a more detailed look at things from people actively working in the areas.

That's why we require clients to spend a couple days with us in Milwaukee up front, so we can get on the same page and determine an asset quality.Hint: the hood looks much better on a spreadsheet than up close in person.

You can visit the property, contractors, etc where as Detroit will either involve longer travel or trusting someone on the ground when you arent physically there.

Jacksonville has a great real estate Facebook page called Yellow Bird Connect.

But I can always ask listing agent to send the link to me.Usually I am analyzing 2-3 disclosures every other week before I even visit the property.

I would recommend you use the profile page BP.  

You might also meet title agents who have resources on, say, foreclosures or probates…and might recommend lenders who actually lend on more difficult projects (as the title companies also know which lenders can close and which are difficult).I also go visit open houses to see what sorts of finish to put on my renovations or to look for the next house or area in which to purchase.  

I'd visit in advance to get the lay of the land. 

I keep monitoring the properties in the Cleveland Heights area (where we are looking to buy) on Zillow and other web sites but I am sure there are other ways of finding properties.