I own a licensed and insured general contracting company that does work in Newark for some volume clients.

Adam I buy renovate and sell a larger volume of homes.

@John Mathewson - If you are having trouble getting your current volume churned, I'd advise extreme caution on growing your numbers.

For question 1, regarding finding others who could use your services, when you get MLS access you can search for REO listings, export the listing data with listing agent names to a spreadsheet, sort to determine the highest-volume REO listing agents, and contact them to offer your services.

1) Don't buy 2nd's unless you know what you're doing (which you probably don't).2) Don't forget to check for all the other liens that might stay with the property, but do make distinctions between liens that stay with the property and liens that don't.3) Don't by sight unseen unless you're trying to place a ridiculous amount of capital and you can make it up on volume.4) Don't buy without determining occupancy status and the "temperature" of the occupants.5) If the guys that show up every day are bidding on something, you probably can't make it work on your margins.6) Don't get emotional.7) Seriously, don't get emotional.

Obviously volume and repeat business has a positive impact, but you can get within 20% accuracy by simply making some calls.I know 20% margin seems like a lot, but as a newbie you should be working on those margins anyhow.Good luck! 

@Jill DeWit @Edward Rhoads @Casey SpeerHey, Really appreciate your inputs.Sounds like working with bird dogs can certainly increase the volume of work.Thank you all!  

I'm looking to build long lasting working relationships with 1 or 2 who I can send volumes of properties to.

They will not likely have reputation like a turnkey provider because of volume.

The community is amazing, we were thinking if we did buy, of maybe trying to add signs, speed bumps, etc. but there will always be a higher traffic volume.