Before there were data feeds, there was a car and a route. Driving for dollars — literally driving neighborhoods looking for distressed houses — is still one of the best sources of off-market deals, because the houses that look neglected usually belong to owners who are tired.
What you are looking for
- Tall grass, full mailboxes, and papers on the porch.
- Boarded or broken windows, a tarp on the roof, code-enforcement stickers.
- Two houses that stand out on an otherwise cared-for street.
Log it properly
Snap a photo and record the exact address. A vague "blue house on Elm" is useless a week later. Then look the owner up in the county records and add them to your follow-up list.
Make the first contact human
When you reach the owner, do not lead with an offer. Lead with what you noticed and a genuine question: are they thinking about doing anything with the property? Curiosity opens more doors than a pitch.