I am looking to network, further my knowledge, and perhaps find some business opportunities here.

I'm a huge fan of Active Rain when it comes to networking with Realtors.

Read a few books, learn about the 50% rule here, start networking, and start looking at deals.

Plus echo boomers(such as myself), who had a huge impact on the election, will be moving into apartment complexes very soon.I am pulling all apartment complex investors/owners to network together, to come together and fight our way through 2009.

I have a backround in computer networking, therefore I am more tech savvy than most Realtors.

A closer look allows you:1) To confirm if the house is vacant2) You will start to see some houses with REO letters (bank owned), I avoid, lock boxes (means someone has an interest in the property already) avoid, Tenant eviction notice (has landlords contact info and they will be motivated), foreclosure notices etc.3) You will get a chance to network since you are out of the car- you will meet neighbors, where you can get the story on the house, contractors (mowers, handymen etc. which can give you info on the house as well as several others)4) You get to understand the condition of the property by seeing it up close.Driving your farm are in my opinion is highly recommended at least once a month (a lot happens in a neighborhood in a month), but is still one out of the 10 or more you should regularly doing to find these properties.Personally I feel there is a moral obligation if I am going to put a property under contract that I have the intention of closing it myself if I can not find a buyer.

Network

Or is gaining this type of vital info a function of the strength of your personal network and just hitting the streets for the pulse of the market?

I found that decent networking abilities works just as well as having your licence.

Before the foreclosure bubble exploded, my network of mortgage/real estate friends were noticing that lenders were not filing/reporting NOD's so as not to impact their reserve requirements negatively, which concealed the extent of the problem from the public for some time.