Finding owners of Multi Units/Family Properties willing to sell

[Henri Meli]

I've just started investigating investment opportunities in Multi Family/Multi units properties. Based on the funds I have available, I was thinking somewhere between 5 to about 25 units is what I can afford. I have had a hard time finding any good listings in my area (Triangle Area in North Carolina). Sites like realtor or zillow or even trulia don't have many good choices. And the ones that I got, by the time I locate them, they are already under contract. 

So, I have started putting the list together on my own by going to the Apartments/Rental books (in prints) and locate apartments properties, then go the county websites and locate the owners (mostly LLCs), then go to other websites to locate people running the LLC (if needed and if possible)... etc. This seems a little cumbersome. Anyone has any better way to do this?

My goal is to send owners a letter to ask them if they are willing to sell. I have never sent such a letter. If anyone has ever done it, can you share such letter with me, so I get an idea what to write and how to write it?

Thanks.