Buying an off the market home.

[Ashton Freeh Tate]

I’m not sure if this is the right place for this, as I am still new to BP.

I decided yesterday that I was finally going to start my real estate journey. I’m newly married and have my first child on the way (welcome my daughter to the world in September) and I’ve found a house directly behind mine that seems to have been untouched for years. It still looks to be in good enough shape to only require minor rehab, and it is a pretty good neighborhood. (My house that I rent was $40,000 about four years ago, and is valued at $120,000 now, because of rehab, and the area is on the up and up, and I’m planning on offering around $35,000 for this house and renting it out after rehab). So with that information out of the way, how does one go about getting in contact with an owner of a house that is off the market so they can make an offer? Would it be smart to go for a house like this for my first, or should I try something more straightforward? I’m in the upstate of South Carolina if that information is necessary. Thanks in advance.