How I do it is through selective screening and I have been 100% successful.By instituting certain screening standards it will naturally eliminate the vast majority of non target applicants.For example young couples with children will generally have lower credit scores. 

@Russell Brazil yes I have won one specific performance suit.. but vastly different set of circumstances.the seller was losing the property and needed 40k to cure the tax ( property tax) default or they were going to lose it .In Oregon its the only state I personally know were property lost for non payment of property tax's escheats to the state.. no public auction no overage no right of redemption other than the county commissioners can over turn it down the road.. that all said there was no time to do a formal escrow so I did a Purchase and sale contract.. gave the seller 5k of non refundable EM and handed it to her.. 

The vast majority of agents quit within two years because they can't handle the stress or make enough money.

The current guy I use is all over the place with his pricing and charges vastly different amounts for the same type of jobs.

The vast majority of the crime that you are referring to is confined to 2 apartment complexes on the corners of 38th and Post and 42nd Post which gives the entire area the reputation that it has.

I guess the changes made by a flipper and landlord are usually vastly different?

Family friend or not, the vast majority of agents only know what retail buyers want, they wouldn't know a good investment if it fell in their lap.

Going long distance is quite tricky as you are open to wide array of zip codes to choose from.

A few that come to mind: Correctly zones areas in Hawaii, areas of TN, and the vast number of condos along the Gulf of Mexico.

The vast majority of wholesalers are not licensed, and as such the field tends to have a stigma attached to it.