Look for people who are posting about deals in the DMV and send them a thoughtful direct message.Contractors and other tradespeople: These professionals often work with multiple investors and can point you to the most active players in the local market.Good luck!

Connect with:Hard Money Lenders: They know who is consistently getting loans and closing deals.Title Companies: They see all the cash transactions and double closes.Contractors: Many contractors work exclusively with flippers and can tell you who the most active players are.How to Build a High-Quality ListIt’s not enough to just find names; you need to qualify them.

Little history will show some of the largest institutional players(as individuals not on the behalf of institutions) jumped in also in mid 2014-early 2015. 

Very hard to compete profitably when the big players are giving away 2-3-4 months rent. 

Totally agree with you about investors buying C/D expecting A/B results! 

That will help you decide if you are a player for future aucitons. 

The advantage of a brokerage account is that you have access to CD rates nationwide.

The big players dont want junk real estate that these notes  are attached to.

Plus, the macroeconomics here are incredibly strong—with population and job growth fueled by big players like Intel, Amazon, Google, and others—translating into long-term rental demand and appreciation.Here’s how I’d structure your approach in 2025:— Market to watch: Dayton offers affordability, strong rental demand, and low vacancy rates.

I had one client tell me that a well-known direct lender did not provide her any preliminary settlement statement/CD and mentioned that they could not lock in her interest rate/terms until final approval.