Another approach is to look into markets where you have friends/family that can generate leads or work with local real estate contacts.

What is your lead escalation process?

He did not want to tell me where he was getting his leads from that he runs thru RVM.  

You would have to be seriously slow upstairs not to understand that if Homestead's borough budget was increased by 50%, they'd find at least SOME useful things to do with the money that would lead to improvements in the area.But obviously a lot of people weren't paying attention, and now, they're scrambling.Rankin...well, I guess that's way too much to expect, but I thought I'd throw it out here.

Second issue I'm working to improve on is just finding a deal, continue to learn and try to add more lead generation beyond just the MLS, so one day finding a deal shouldn't be an issue.What I do currently have to offer is my expertise about home condition and potential issues.

Even leading up to the last crash, only a few people really understood what was happening. 

There are leads.

Lending practices were drastically tightened after '08 which has subsequently lead to better underwriting and better debt securities.

I did not get them to be an agent, but to have more avenues open to servicing clients, networking  and finding leads. 

My professional experience come in the form of mortgage originator with Wells Fargo and lead residential appraiser for multiple cities in the Hennepin County Assessors office.