The attorneys who do lots of work for hard money lenders are few and far between, but they do exist, and they frequently specialize in real estate investor and hard money and creative transactions. 

I'm not a wholesaler but this is exactly why I so often question why wholesaling is frequently recommended for new people to start off with. 

In this context the agent is frequently out of their element  and we do not want them negotiating for us - as an example, rare is it to find a residential agent who can accurately valuate a commercial multi, let alone understand the various nuances of a vendor carry well enough to present it as a viable solution to the Vendor.As previously stated, in cases where the Vendor is a homeowner or when the property is a straight-up SFH or duplex/triplex and the owner might not really be an investor, I understand the agent inserting themselves.

If you find deals frequently and with relative ease (I sure as hell don't) then take the easy cash at 145-150 k rather that's selling to him or anyone else willing to pay 150 in its "as is" state.If its a lot of work / stress for you to find deals then maximize your profits and fix and flip it with a PROVEN General Contractor to minimize the headaches.

look for people on the "farm list" who show up frequently. 

For those who have used the FHA 203k loans are those of the uninsured variety?

These absentee owners are people who own properties (for a variety of reasons) but do not live in said properties (landlords, inherited, etc.).

It's not typically listed as a "frequent report"...but should be found under "all reports". 

I would suggest booking a trip to come out, see a variety of neighborhoods and price points and pick an area or two that you feel most comfortable with.  

Feel free to ask questions in this community, we have different varieties of skills on this forum.