local broker should be able to set you up for auto alerts a program like top producer so that you get e mails daily of new listings that meet your criteria .. takes the agent a few minutes to set up and its all automatic from then on out.. you then get the MLS feed as to your criteria and you can have your local person bird dog them. .you find one you want to offer on call your agent and instruct them to write it for you.. it would not be uncommon to try to negotiate a little better deal if the agent is simply writing offers and doing nothing else but giving you e mail feeds.For instance I work Charleston I get e mail alerts every day... about once in 30 to 45 days I see something I want to write on.. and go from there..

In the Bay, because they are not uncommon, it's tough to negotiate significant discounts for the spaces.

It is an older home (1915) which is not uncommon in my farming community neighborhoods.  

But remember and you may want to look at Some of Brian Burkes posts on the subject to do this and make any money you need to usually have millions in cash.. it was not uncommon for me to take 2 to 3 million in one day to one sale and maybe only spend 500 to 700k that day but if the drop bid came in I was there to snag it.

I would try getting owner financing from the current owner (not uncommon in land transactions).

Anywhere from $500-$1500 is not uncommon for real estate attorney to help facilitate the transaction.

An investor friend of mine said that it's not all that uncommon.

@Kelsey P.I would call a few similar rentals in your area and see how common/uncommon having a dishwasher is in your area for rentals.

I still have to imagine it's better than paying major points for hard cash.Is it common/uncommon for first time investors to use 100% of their own cash?  

(I don’t own a home, so it all sounded odd to me, but have heard that was not uncommon in the last few years) The house needed a TON of work, and then never had the money to do anything.