There is a possibility that I wouldn't get a deal done whereas putting the same effort as an agent could land me paycheck. 

Hi @Chris GalindoThe effort you're putting into the approach is good; however expecting early results may be a challenge.  

In your experience, where does your competition spend most of their time and efforts? 

While the MLS may have a few deals, I have had to find my deals through my own marketing efforts.

It's my belief that, until the 2 largest areas of industry and population make a concerted effort to diversify their economies, you will not see the type of growth possible for those 2 markets.And...I was named after my grandmother, but she was from Texas!

That finding leads is obviously a tough thing to do and requires a ton of marketing time and effort.  

I had to involve the police when first floor ran screaming at me in my car on a public street, yanked open my passenger car door while I was in it, and entered the car screaming at me aggressively while I was calling 911, (all because we had made every effort to avoid a confrontation with her), but the police only went to warn her, did not arrest her.  

And you'll make great money with a lot less effort. 

I finally just dropped the effort.

, big brass ones and "fake it til you make it" spirit, or simply the genuine desire to help people find a solution to their real estate problems.But most importantly, you need to START.