Anyone had success and good service from RE agents in Joplin?

Then whenever a good opportunity arises, you can simply write a check out of your credit line and purchase in cash.

You should use a credit partner because they have excellent credit that allows you to get a very good loan.

My question is do more experienced real estate investors see this as a good starting investment idea?  

This is a highly personal decision.

I would highly recommend you get an agent to do a CMA on it.

This likely will vary by state.I do agree with you there is some definite potential to this approach especially for buyers with high incomes (and high tax rates) and looking for post retirement income streams.

We found this property had good bones and bad pictures on Zillow.

Flipping isn't too worrisome for me because I know in times like these I just need to make sure my quality is there and that my pricing is a little more aggressive to keep the project moving.

For sophisticated sellers with highly marketed deals, invest extra time in thorough due diligence.Next, assess the property's condition and estimate renovation costs.