It's a separate business just like every other trade: if you want to sell well - you hire a professional....who knows how to I'm guessing you really don't know the current state of the services that are offered There's one that will list it for seven dollars a day that includes a professional sign out front it includes taking all the pictures for you and uploading them to the MLS Zillow realtor.com etc.Also include some writing the description so it's all complete and legalIt also includes a lock box the same one at the real estate agents have access to For $35 They will send a postcard to all the local agents  $199 the holding open house for you with a licensed real estate there to accept offers but they do not receive a commission They will also supply a purchase offer contract it's appropriate for your state and countyThe  role of the real estate agent has tremendously changed in the past couple years and will be changing even more in the near future My suggestion would be for real estate agents to either get with these new companies and provide the services that they are or do something completely different that only you can supply because the days of an agent simply getting a listing posting it in the newspaper and then collecting the commission are numbered

To sum it up I was looking for homes that look like the grass was not cut all season, newspapers building up in the drive way, paper notices taped to the door/windows, and any other sign of a property that might appear to be distressed. 

Here is an excerpt from a friend & newbie "flipper" Beth Franken who is documenting her journey through her rehab/flip for Tribune newspapers, "No doubt I wonder what the heck did I get myself into sometimes.

Any realtor or real estate company that touts the benefits of public open houses in my opinion still reads newspapers and uses a fax machine.

Not really the case, I was borderline in panic mode thinking that maybe it was a bad purchase until I put it in the newspaper and craigslist.

He never forgot where he came from," Grace Loschiavo, owner of Antonio's, told Cleveland's Plain Dealer newspaper.

Regarding due diligence with the owner, should I be checking newspapers to ensure that the owner has been properly notified?

Looks like they have newspaper material in the gap as well.Now later that day - Had a brick mason contractor come by who said hes done hundreds of brick fronts mostly for store fronts and he didn't seem to think it was as big of a deal.

#2, Local NewsPaper ad.

I recently bought an investment property in this Columbus, OH submarket after several months of research, but it was only after I owned the property that nearby companies started laying off employees, and now I'm completely obsessed with reading the local newspapers in search of bad news.