Every new wholesaler asks the same question: where do the deals come from? The honest answer is that they come from lists of people with a reason to sell and the discipline to contact them. Budget helps, but it is not the thing standing between you and your first deal.
Sources that cost time, not money
- Driving for dollars. Neglected houses tell you something. Overgrown yards, code notices, boarded windows — log the address and look up the owner.
- Public records. Tax-delinquent, code-violation, and probate lists are public in most counties. They point you at owners under real pressure.
- Your own network. Tell everyone you know what you do. The first deal often comes from a cousin, a coworker, or a neighbor.
Then do the boring part
A list is worthless without follow-up. Reach out, keep notes, and reach out again. The wholesaler who contacts a list four times will beat the one who contacts a bigger list once.