The way most people find off-market deals for cheap is by networking, knocking on doors, sending letters, looking at foreclosures and auctions.So, -Go to REIA meetings and start meeting people.

.- As long as everything goes smoothly (fingers crossed, knock on wood), I'll be closing my first wholesale deal next week.So not trying to toot my own horn here, but I was able to achieve all of this while working a full time job and helping my wife, who also works full time, raise two young children.

Considering the unit is occupied, should I simply start showing as is to see if I get some interest or do I just knock out the upgrades prior to the busy season for prospective tenants?

Yes, maybe you've achieved that or better on a few deals, but the law of large numbers would indicate that out of 10 deals, maybe 1 or 2 (out of 100 maybe 10 or 15 of more) might go bad and those could wipe out some of your previous profits, knocking down your 20% to something smaller.

Sure as hell makes me look good when I refer folks to him as THE expert in 2-4 unit properties in those two markets, and he knocks the REI socks off with something more comprehensive than they've ever seen before. 

Hello to the community, I am an experienced pre-foreclosure buyer in the Houston area and I have a team of bird dogs knocking on doors in the weeks before the auction.

Previous owner knocked down a couple walls to convert the other two beds into a huge living room.

I would Knock,  go in and inspect the unit and make sure what's been left and that they didn't leave the faucet on or something else weird.. if it's empty and you got the keys you really don't need the sheriff you can call the sheriff and cancel the posting or writ... you don't need them further they have left and turned in the keys.. 

We went ahead and put it back on the market hoping that a conventional buyer or investor would come knocking at the door.

Build up a buyers list..without a strong buyers list you can put something under contract and never get it off to the end buyer.Understand purchasing contracts ( as a wholesaler its extremely important to understand your contract especially the contingency for inspection period and the Ernest money associated)Develop how you are going to find your deals, are you going to focus on a mailer campaign or door knocking or generating phone numbers and cold calling?