Have a look at the "Driving For Dollars Bible" in the BP blogs. 

You have to drive/walk your neighborhoods to get familiar with them.

Aaron - maybe you can start off loading the family in the mini van and go around driving for dollars?  

[drive a neighborhood and look for FSBO or empty homes and call the owners].  

Perhaps driving for dollars and making a bunch of offers on properties close to your home (those that appear to be distressed) would be your best option? 

But, most beginners don't.Your best shot of finding a deal is "driving for dollars," as Brandon terms it, looking for vacant/rundown properties in good neighborhoods with great school systems, then contacting the owners, who may have been considering selling, but not taken any action, yet.Another key is to pick an area and focus on that, getting to know local values like the back of your hand.

Drive around and try to find a crew working, that might be the crew for you too.  

You can also drive for dollars to get an idea of neighborhoods. 

Another thing we do is after I create a maillist, I or one of my people will drive the area..

Just got back from driving local neighborhoods. (46203 Bates-Hendricks)I accumulated 30 Vacant Home Address.