Sure you can do direct mail with an agent...I would just have an open conversation with him/her and discuss the compensation. 

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I have listed some helpful recommendations for you:Find and connect with other BP members that are in your area:http://www.biggerpockets.com/meetSet 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-investingIf you wish to tag someone in the conversation on the forum, type @ followed by their name and then select the name of that person.Welcome aboard!!!

If you PM me I'd be happy to have a phone conversation about my process.

Your eagerness to answer people's questions is admirable, but I think if you watch some of the conversations as they unfold, you'll learn a lot more of the technical aspects of accounting and taxation by reading and absorbing the answers from others.Most of the CPAs here have key word alerts and they will chime in on 99% of the tax related questions.  

I haven't exactly figured out the secret sauce to optimizing direct mail conversions so I tinker around with my formatting, value proposition, level of polish, etc.I was thinking of putting a link to a video introduction on my next direct mail piece.  

That is the listing agents responsibility to make sure the house appraises, but if I am on the buy side I will have a conversation with the listing agent to make sure they have experience working with appraisers. 

Thank you both for your feedback...I know that there are some conversations that I need to have with the seller and Shanna your right if they numbers are right we do need to get it under contract asap...Your situation kind of sounds like mine when things do workout and your able to get the property subject 2 what method are you going to use to get the back taxes paid? 

If I had of stayed engaged in the conversation long enough, I would have asked them what I am paying them for then, but instead my response was "NEXT!"

You can also have the conversation with them if this is the way you end of having to go that the "trash" is not your and they may lower the offer.