How should I approach a homeowner if I want to buy their property

[Cody Brown]

I think I may have found a good deal. There is a home I’ve been watching over the summer in my neighborhood. It seems vacant, the grass is tall, and the inside looks unlived in. After looking up who owned the property, I found out the owner lives at a different address and is very old. This leads me to believe he may be a motivated seller and might sell the property cheap to get it off his hands. How should I approach him? I have his address but no phone number to contact him, though I could probably find it. Should I call and ask if he wants to sell the property? Send a letter?