Contacting property owners directly

[Jimmy H.]

I was wondering if any of you BPers have experience in directly contacting owners.

I can look up owners names through my PVA, and if owned by an LLC can research owners through the SOS website.

Some peoples names you type into google and it (creepily enough) will show their name adress and phone number.

Others (presumably those who dont list with yellow pages) are tough to find. What "geurilla" tactics do you use to contact these owners.

Websites you use?
Knock on the door and ask the tenant for owners number (kinda creepy and instrusive)?
Lock at the adress of the owner and write him an offer letter?
Skip tracers? heard about this on NPR
All of the above, what else?

Specifically I have a condo I was eyeing, good deal, and was taken off the market (or at least i think). this property was lsited and this monday is not showing, and does not show as "pending" on the MLS either.I have forgotten which realtor it was. How can I get ahold of this seller?

Also, given the fact that every owner has to have a registered address on the PVA, i can "snail mail" a proposal letter. Would anyone be kind enough to forward or provide a link to a good template for "cold mailing" people about your interest in their property?

[Alex Anderson]

What I usually do is get the property information of the city or county assessor's web site. that usually has all the owner information. If it's a LLC, I do what you do, i go to my state department of finance homepage and search for the LLC.

http://www.pipl.com and enter in the homeowner's first and last name and it will pull up everything related to the name. Facebook accounts, myspace accounts, court records (if there are any) Just be careful you don't contact the wrong individual LOL