Here are my best three bullets worth of advice:Get and review client references - Talk to the last couple of investors they sold a deal.

He told me the story of a client who bought a property on a land contract.

I like to use a famous person's quote on why learn IRR:"We choose to LEARN Internal Rates of Return (IRR) and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one we intend to win, and the others, too."

And that's not said to be demeaning to appraisers, who do serve a legitimate purpose (mostly to prevent fraud in lending).

If not what do you do if you suspect your client is looking to simultaniously/double close on the property?

Maybe the office could purchase a Pro membership and have a computer that clients could sign up to use? 

These simple steps will serve and protect you for years to come.

Hello Chris,  The main purpose of obtaining a real estate license is to that you can lawfully recieve a commission when buying, selling or leasing real property for clients. 

Do you ask for contact info of past clients on the first meet?

I have a client who owns a commercial building outright can he take an equity loan against the building or equity line of credit to buy a residential property?