I am also a real estate agent and was able to collect commission on the off market deal.

Also maybe worth talking to Agents who specialize in relocations.Also +1 for not splitting everything up.  

Study the markets you are targeting and find investors/agents/property managers in those areas to network with.

Just like all markets, you really need to connect with a local agent who knows their craft and practices what they preach.

in future I won’t put down 10k deposit neither. as far as what I know that sellers agent said they have another offer on hand, that wasnt too long after the price drop to 224k, i might have trust issue but maybe she made it up?

Educate yourself on the local market, network with other investors and agents, and always have a solid plan in place before making any investments.Also, I recommend reading “Long-Distance Real Estate Investing: How to Buy, Rehab, and Manage Out-of-State Rental Properties” - I found it to be very helpful when I got started investing 2.5 years ago.

Did you work with any real estate professionals (agents, lenders, etc.) that you'd recommend to others?

I read somewhere that only 5% of real estate agents know that previous marijuana grow in a house has to be disclosed.

I can usually take someone who is new to RE into a specialized area to operate, but there are prerequisites that need to be there to work with them.

Investor and agent local to Raleigh.