Is Direct Mailing Still an Effective Strategy to Find Deals?

[Rob Young]

In 2013 and 2014 I used direct mail to find fix-and-flip opportunities. I focused on recently inherited properties and properties with out of state owners. I got a response rate a little greater than 10% and was able to find some good deals. 

I just started direct mailing again a few weeks ago, having not done any during most of 2015. The letter is essentially the same as the one I used in 2013 and 2014. It's on plain white paper and done in Word. The verbiage is the same too. 

So far, the only responses I've received are from angry homeowners, telling me that they are not interested in selling and telling me not to send them any more letters. 

Is direct mailing no longer a good method of finding leads? Are other people seeing similar results?