I submitted an online application to BBVA and got an email stating approved amount of $44K, this is before title search and their property value check.

@Robert Burns In my experience:#1 Calling FSBOs#2 Door Knocking About-to-Expire or Expired Realtor Listings#3 Mailing all Realtor Listings#4 Calling or Door Knocking the General Public#5 Advertising Online

I won the bid on a Florida property at an online auction. 

@Mary JayIt's difficult to get started without access to capital. 

Hi there, I was walking around looking for distressed properties using the info I learned from these forums and identified a target.Then I went online to the property appraisers and found the property - BINGO!

Then, keep doing whatever you're doing in life with regards to working, etc, and getting yourself access to capital. 

It's affordable (even now), researching it online is easy, the people/culture fits my personality, and travel is a breeze from the bay area. 

My HOA has stopped allowing access to the homeowners to both the sauna's and clubhouse. 

If you have 120k of credit you could access a portion of that (not all for investment properties, and you would probably need to look at local community banks.) 

They have an online application that you can customize and can do the screenings through their site.