Look at independent small publications, local papers and bulletin boards. In fact you could place advertisements for yourself so that people who want to sell can contact you directly before they put an advertisement for themselves.
Read the legal sections of real estate magazines and newspapers. Contact attorneys, heirs and sales in these sections. In fact it is also a good idea to contact those who have listed garage sales. This is because twenty percent of these people plan on moving out. Always be watchful. The chances of success will increase if your targeted area happens to be a large population center.
Keep an eye out for run down vacant houses. Neighbors of such homes usually know a lot about these. So talk to them. Ask about the owners and if they are interested in seeing the property restored. Try to contact home owners who are out of town through emails or phone once you get their property records.
You should watch out for tax sales, foreclosures, VA and HUD listed properties. An interesting tip that you must incorporate if you want to gain advantage over competition is to not let go of auctions that are held in bad weather. More often than not, the turn out here is very low. So this maximizes your chances of acquiring a property at low prices.
Do not be too selective. If you think that a property is good and can be sold off at a nice price then buy it quickly. If it is not your type, then you could always sell it to another investor. The trick is to look for distress sellers along with properties that are distressed.
Once you know how to find the best deals, you will definitely learn what to do next. This is what real estate gurus do. The important thing here is to not let go of any opportunity.