On one hand if you work directly with the listing agent, you could entice that agent to convince the seller more to take your offer since they will be earning double commission.

@Tyler Wisner you have some good suggestions above but many "buy and hold" investors look for 3 method of income on investment properties:Appreciation of the Property - Meaning the local economy is strong enough to support a healthy housing marketPrinciple Buy Down - Meaning every payment your renter makes to you pays down the principle balance of the mortgageCash Flow - the amount of money you earn each month that is OVER and ABOVE your expenses on the propertyIf you find a market where you can have these 3 items you should be able to have a good market to invest in.  

Do that twice a year and you are earning 100% on your money.

To contribute to a Roth IRA:You (or your spouse) must have earned income You MAGI must be under the contribution limitBest of Luck with Your Real Estate Investing!

I know my goal is to maximize earnings on a single location, and in a strong market like Denver it will likely continue upwards.

@Jesse Felix if you can embrace the game of "how much money can I save every month", you will position yourself well for not just the first down payment on the first property, but the ability to maximize the opportunities you may find over a longer term.The game of "how much can I save" is great training for the game of "how much can I earn" when hunting and analyzing deals. 

For my area, that's very steep (most places are around $600).I finally have a very promising tenant coming to visit (retired government worker here to help with a trust) and to check it out.However, they want a 6 month lease.A definite pro I see is that their lease would expire in June - during peak listing and selling season.

Due to inflation if you owed $1000/month, 30 years from now that would only be the equivalent of $411 worth of actual purchasing power if you assume a 3% rate of inflation.Finally, paying off a loan faster essentially means your money is earning the rate of interest on the mortgage. 

My wife and I have been loaning our hard-earned money privately to the local house flippers for ten years now.

Warning: many financial planners will dismiss real estate altogether, because they cannot earn commissions from it, unlike from selling you annuities or mutual funds.Your Realtor may actually be finding you good properties, as long as your goals are aligned with his.