I also assume that local housing price trends, area growth, and rental price trends could be acquired by hitting up local R/E brokerages.

RealtyTrac tracked foreclosure-related filings on 2.3 million U.S. properties in 2008, an 87 percent jump from the year before, with 861,664 homes making it through the entire process to become REOs.The Mortgage Bankers Association's surveys of members suggest one out of 10 mortgages was either delinquent or in the foreclosure process at the end of September, and Moody's Economy.com estimates 12 million homeowners are "upside down" -- they owe more on their homes than their properties would fetch in today's market.RealtyTrac senior vice president Rick Sharga told attendees at the Inman News Real Estate Connect conference in New York City this month that an analysis of 500,000 distressed properties in four states in the company's database found only about one in four were listed for sale in a multiple listing service, or MLS.That suggests that as many as 75 percent of distressed properties have yet to hit the market, Sharga said, and that many of those homes will soon be putting pressure on inventory and prices as banks repossess them and put them up for sale. . . .

Broker relationships are good too, but ideally I'd like to get to the sellers before they hit the market.

The lender is less likely to come after you for the deficiency, and your credit will take a lesser hit.

Mr Investor, you hit the nail on the head w/ regards to wholesale "gurus" btw....

Or that the economy really tanks and prices continue to decline.In Japan, prices hit their peak about 1982.

I don't agree with Mike all the time and am not as blunt as he is, but I must say, he hit that nail on the head!

Yes... and so far we have not been hit as hard by the economic crisis.

I like spending time watching movies, playing Xbox, going outside and hitting a few, networking on BP, playing online poker ect....How does an individual become and stay motivated to excell?

I have had appraisors work with me inthe past, helping me hit my loan goals.