@JD MartinThe guy had no phone at home and no cell, believe it or not.

Assuming me and the potential seller reach an agreement on price over the phone or by email, what type of document or form would I need to make the agreed upon price official?

You might be able to drive for dollars and work the phones enough to turn up a few deals, but if you need substantial volume to generate startup cash, you're probably going to have to pay for direct mail or other marketing techniques.

Is it a good idea or an unreasonable ask in my offer to have a contingency stating I'd like to get a professional appraisal done and offer is contingent on my satisfaction with the findings? 

Hello All! I am extremely grateful to be among the best and most experienced real estate investors out there.  Thank goodness for BiggerPockets!  I am completely new to investing and want to learn as much as I can (th...

Professional photos, 3D scan, SEO presence and experienced agents that are paid based on your customer service experience is what I'd look for..paying someone for any level of service just doesn't seem like a good investment to me.I would also question the ethics of any brokerage/agent that bad mouth's or publicly makes false statements about another brokerage in direct violation of National Association of Realtors Code of Ethics (low paid, inexperienced agents)  I guess some folks feel a need to tear someone down to build themselves up!

They had those professional massage tables, a bar at the entrance of the home where people usually have living room.

I work for a large professional painting company now but am eager to getting back to doing what I do best, and that's running service companies.

Calling and confirming wiring instructions over the phone is paramount. 

Let's say 10 years in, you get deployed to <insert random combat theater where you have no internet access and limited phone access at best> and you have 30 properties at this point spread across the country.