I can find bargains in both office and strip shopping centers.

However, if you do not feel comfortable then, by all means, shop around. 8)

Anyone who has tried to go grocery shopping recently, for instance, can attest to that.

Other houses for even less, are in areas without jobs, schools, public transportation, , shopping, etc.

Why don't you start by wholesaling:Find a great deal, shop it around to other investors in your area (local REIA, Craigslist, calling signs, etc), and then assign your interest for a finders fee.Do this a few times and you'll have your own cash for your own deals...

-Don't be afraid to shop around for a Realtor...95% of them aren't going to have a clue about effectively helping you buy/sell investment property.

Jewelry shops, Craigs list and pawn shops.

Also, many times a list broker can give you phone numbers with the list, which is a good way to find leads.One final tip: put business cards about buying houses in local cafes, diners, Denny's, or barber shops, etc...

How much time will the seller give you to shop it to your buyers and is that enough time to reasonably sell it?

When bringing in a contractor I was gonna get a bid for fixing up to renting standards and fixing up to sell and then shop him in with the whole deal letting the end buyers know if they were interested the particular contractor was already familiar with the property and was ready to go if they were interested in him doing the work.