Currently all we do is a 2 hour session from 6pm to 8pm at a buffalo wild wings party room that is mostly networking and some meetups we have a 20-30 minute presentation on something REI related from a local investor or service professional. 

The general session is always free, there will be a wholesaler speaking this Weds who is very experienced.

I should probably go to our TREIA meetings or the other deal-making sessions around here.

I read the manual on how to work their program and listened to the audio CD containing a scripted Q&A session.

I guess I have step one of the REI newbie session complete.

I have not closed a deal yet and my first driving for dollars session is tomorrow for 2 hours.

You should come out to a local REIA session and chat with some folks who can get into the specifics of what you're looking for.  

I may be wrong but I feel that house prices will be less expensive in the Fall/ Winter months since most people are settled in school being in session and thinking about the holidays and not home shopping/ buying.

If not, stop by one of the (probate) courtrooms while they are not in session and ask the clerk inside the courtroom on which paperwork you can find info about whether the decedent owned property.

@Tommy Sessions there's deals but few and far between.