Walking for dollars

[Stefan Sorensen]

Hello folks,  

I have been officially house hacking my own home for one year. The current market in the Seattle area is crazy and I can't afford, or have the capital for market prices on another home yet . That being said, during my daily walks I have found quite a few homes (mainly rundown or lacking maintenance) that I would like to inquire with the owner about. They are not listed for sale and when I pulled the tax records it appears to be the original owner. Any recommendations in how to do this without coming across as insulting? Thanks for the input!