This is a great place to learn and network.If you are looking to connect with other members near you, or want to learn from people in a specific area you’d like to invest in, or have a desire to find people interested in certain topics, you could use the search feature here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/users

They can be an invaluable source for networking with the right people. 

What are a couple of the best strategies these days for sourcing my own direct to owner leads/deals?

This is a great forum with very knowledgeable members that will help to guide you in the right direction.If you are looking to connect with other members near you, or want to learn from people in a specific area you’d like to invest in, or have a desire to find people interested in certain topics, you could use the search feature here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/usersI really like the alerts feature that can quickly guide you to current topics that may be of interest: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alerts

What are a couple of the best strategies these days for sourcing my own direct to owner leads/deals?

You will also need to find the source before the remediation - and be certain that your specialists can solve this problem with some degree of certainty before undertaking the removal.Is it worth the aggravation and the permitting process ...btw, check to see if permits are required by the town or county.Much success!

I suggest consuming as much information as possible via these sources.

This is a great forum with very knowledgeable members that will help to guide you in the right direction.I really like the alerts feature that can quickly guide you to current topics that might interest you: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsIf you are looking to connect with other members near you, or want to learn from people in a specific area you’d like to invest in, or have a desire to find people interested in certain topics, you could start your search here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/search/users

We paid the fees and added the required safety features, painted the exterior, repaired the back deck, made repairs to the upstairs kitchen and added a sump pump with drainage in the basement due to flooding issues.

I really like the alerts feature that can quickly guide you to current topics that may be of interest: http://www.biggerpockets.com/alertsThere are a few self-contained guides that you can access here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/guides