If you meet a tenant - ask them how much the gas bill is, ask them if they have issues with the place, they'll let you know about how the landlord didn't fix X, Y, Z. 

If the deal is solid, and you as a borrower meet the basic lender's qualifications, the process should be pretty quick and easy.Get the properties under contract, collect all of the information regarding the deal, pitch it to lenders, negotiate terms/rates if possible, and then send the package to title for closing.

But it's nice to meet you.

If it was a hot stock, you would have already liquated your position.   

Now that I feel I have decent knowledge base I am excited to start meeting other investors and developing relationships to help take me to the next level.I am 31 years old, married with 2 small kids, and work as a Physical Therapist overseeing a clinic in the west suburbs of Chicago. 

I visit the REIA meetings from time to time.

My second event i went on Craigslist to find an ad came across an ad saying Become a real estate investor earn while you learn, thought i give it a shot this guy was telling me about Renatus and great mentors they had he invited me to a meeting in south jersey on a Thursday night to watch a guy name scott rowe who has made millions of dollars off real estate education, before i went i had to research what renatus was and who these people the guy was telling me about needless to say i was skeptical about rowe and this guy name brian meara they said he does shortsales and i ask the guy who invited me what shortsale was and he said the host will tell me, sounded like he didnt know what it was either, for the most part all he said was that this was an opportunity of a life time, wasn't sold on that either so i sat there for about an hour and 20 minutes listening to scott say he was from Chicago show me picture of  his community a pie chart how to get into renatus how to pay for very expensive education how to get the money blah blah blah caught in quick that this was an mlm meetup.

I'd love to meet some new people.Thanks and look forward to engaging with the BP community more!

Many people do end up breaking this rule in hot markets so they can aquire a place or just because they purely speculate on rising values@Beau Fannon I agree, most people I've seen posting don't take into account all expenses related to a property.

You may need to direct mail owners, or go to meet ups to find wholesalers.