Vetting is key: verify licenses, insurance, and references for any professionals you consider adding to your team.Good luck with your learning journey!

For this one I used a broker I was referred to by my agent to shop around for the best financing option.

This post seems to reference Texas, which is easier to deal with than say Washington where you could be criminally prosecuted for contacting someone in pre-foreclosure.

My investor friends referred me to a couple of agents. 

I felt like an imposter and it took me a couple of years to feel comfortable referring to myself as a real estate investor.

We also found some other deals that we referred to other buyers.

Hi, I am inquiring if anyone knows what are the best/top rated condominiums in " Hollywood/Hallandale/Sunny Isles , FL " right now to live in as an owner.By best I am referring to: Good board , good financials, happy owners, no current dramatically high assessments.

I’m not referring to networking or referrals — I mean the direct approaches they use to consistently generate these leads. 

He said he would send references but then just never contacted me again.

Even applicants who look great on paper can slip through if the screening relies only on credit, eviction, and reference checks.A few things that can help tighten your process:Start with ID verification before screening.There are tools that use facial recognition and ID cross-checks to confirm the person applying is who they say they are before the background check runs.