This is part of a book I wrote and  a taste of one real estate investing guide DVDs done by me. I will be republishing the majority of my book on my active rain blog. If you are interest in DVD or Seminar I have done on Real Estate Investing you can go to http://stores.ebay.com/Real-Estate-Investing-Guide

Until recently, very little concern was paid to who a Realtor truly represented in the purchase and sale of property. Realtors are now required to clearly state who they represent, the buyer or seller.

Many Realtors now specialize in representing the purchasers of property. The commissions can still be charged to the seller of the property when the agent is representing you as the purchaser. There are many agents who have a keen ability to negotiate with sellers and can be an outstanding help in your search for property. If you are already working with a Realtor, or searching for a Realtor, it might be worthwhile to discuss buyer’s representation with them in depth.

Realtors have access through the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) to every home that is listed for sale within a certain area. They can also obtain information about new properties coming on the market daily through the MLS computer network. Many good deals come up for sale and are sold by the agents reviewing the new listings each day. Ask your Realtor about running daily "hot sheets."

Realtors also possess a thorough knowledge of what's hot in a certain area and what's making houses sell. Don't be afraid to tap the resources they have to offer. Also, it's a myth that Realtors may be your competition in buying the deals. The National Association of Realtors says that less than 2% of Realtors nationwide invest in real estate.