But otherwise (aside from having a scout in that city) - how do most people find deals when they are out of state?  

I am looking at a SFH in Lawrence and was surprised to find that Neighborhood Scout estimates the vacancy rate there at 14% - about the same that it gave me for Butler-Tarkington (12 - 14%). 

The Lubbock drive was to scout these properties, which most will be under contract, by the end of the week. 

What really helped me was networking with folks and taking trips to scout areas that I wanted to target.

So I'll be in town in a few weeks to scout the area and take in what it has to offer. 

I also scouted out some of the areas in advance of both sales. 

Hey Account Closed, I'll be in San Antonio later this week doing some investment scouting.

Or maybe you scout up a land deal for a developer and make a nice commission all legally. 4.

I have written a training manual for my bird dogs ( I call them property scouts) that covers what Im looking for, how to find it and how to market for it. ( i have three that are doing their own marketing campaigns) This way there is a clear path on what is expected from both parties.

We drive through the neighborhood frequently to scout the areas.