Inquiring about property not for sale

[Justin Hicks]

Not really sure how I need to go about this process. There is an apartment complex where I live (SE TN) that has always been appealing to me. I looked up the property tax records and the complex was bought for $2.8 million in 2006, and seems to be owned by an individual in California. The past couple of years the parking lot seems to be getting emptier and emptier, and the complex as a whole just seems to be in bad shape (I live close, so I drive by occasionally).

I would love to contact the owner, and let him/her/they know that I'm interested in the property, but my offer price would be nowhere near $2.8 million (I don't think it would be worth that if the property was running great). How should I go about this process without offending the owner?