A quick search turned up 10 Things I Wish My Broker Had Told Me for an article which seems good, "Your First Year in Real Estate" and "The Millionaire Real Estate Agent" and many other books, and I don't even want to get sucked into Youtube finding examples :)I've heard that new agents sometimes get assigned (or asked to volunteer) for "desk duty" to handle walk-ins.

Here are some recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersSet up keyword alerts to be notified of the topics that interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsRead Beginner’s Guide: http://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investingCheck out BP Podcasts: https://www.biggerpockets.com/podcastIf you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select the name of that person which should appear below the comments box.

., with respect, New York State has a Unified Judicial system site:  https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivilLocalL/T cases are always available and can be searched by plaintiff or defendant, searchable by county and other criteria. 

Perhaps it's because I am searching the forums more than browsing but the current state of the housing market and concerns purchasing because of it don’t seem to be discussed.

She was not involved save for the first 2 visits and the last full month of our searching and actually looking at listings.

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Of course, searching for a market that's over a minimum size, helps. 

I know that I should select a layer that has dealt with real estate.

You should look for a steal in the surrounding area (you can draw a map as you search on Zillow) or try the area in the Valley Arts section of orange, its near the campus, the price of the properties are relatively low and theres a midtown direct train there (the highland park station)

Aim to establish contacts to help you (contractor, agent, PM, etc) within next 3 months. search for a home for 3-6 months (that meet your risk level) and close.