Several threads have addressed how do you recognize a motivated seller.

It is important to recognize that discrimination is something that we all do.

I do a good job of maintaining the properties and 3 of them were vacant and dilapidated when I bought them and I think people in the neighborhood recognize the improvements.  

How can I have my own contract so I can make offers using a standard one recognized by realtors?

Plenty of them out there, but you'll have to network to find them, they wont be with any name you recognize.

There will be a moment where you recognize a deal the first day it appears.

The seller recognizes gains on the sale as received and the borrower gets financing on acceptable terms at a very low cost of obtaining the financing.There are other benefits, many more pitfalls, new laws and ways of doing financing.

There are good ones and bad one like with anything else, so be sure to your due diligence and know how to recognize the difference.

In retrospect, and in talking further with another investor, I recognize that I had built in a 10% mgmt fee (based on the recommendations of those whom I respect), when in fact it was 10 mins from my house, in great condition and I would likely NEVER not manage the property myself.

Its not optimal, because you're never going to recognize massive appreciation, but I'm not brave enough to deploy funds to buy an 8 unit building in [insert city here] when I literally know nothing about that city's neighborhoods.With all of that said, Luzerne County has some really solid pockets where there is a good renter base and enough middle class jobs to keep housing prices growing very, VERY slowly.