What info does realtors have that the public do not, other than closing prices?

Cashflow is my number one goal but to gauge appreciation potential/rent growth I look at:Location (market) - Census trends, average price to rent ratios, employment rates, landlord/tenant laws, tax rates (1% in CO is very different from 4.3% in upstate NY)Location (submarket) - Schools, crime, walkability, "path of progress" trends, distance to downtown/jobs, public transportation, commercial development

I looked up the deceased in public records to see if the personal representative's name would be listed as a relative, but their name did not show up in the list of relatives.

When you are dealing with the public you have to protect yourself from potential liability which can be significant.

I ended up roughly breaking even on the car's price plus opex, which just means I managed an asset for a year and dealt with dozens of members of "the general public" with nothing to show for it.There's no such thing as a free lunch.

@Michael EalyYou know my strategy, Michael, poking around ugly places to find the pocket solid C'class neighborhoods in borderline D'class areas, buying SFR at D'class price, renovating to solid C'class standard, renting for low market rates to very-well-screened tenants looking for long-term housing.For various tax reasons, the entire area I'm investing in is getting a significant increase in its public budgets, municipality and school district.

If you Google “Brazos County Property Record Search” there is a website to show all the publicly available tax information.

So you know when to ask them questions and where the boundaries are with their knowledge/advice.Second, if you are asking publicly here,  there are many who are reading who will have some mutual interest.

Compared with public securities regulation (which itself is dubious) private real estate syndication is a free-for =all. 

I would be very interested to see that list because none of the information you are espousing to have, is public information.