Finding the first deal

[Rob Ringlehan]

Hey BP Nation,

I'm new to REI and I've been trying to fet spun up on all the info I can. Everyday I drive around my local area that I want to invest in (Niceville,Fl) and scout vacant looking or distressed SFR's. Then logging them in a spreadsheet and look up the public and property records to see if they are REO's or possibly just starting the forclosure process. First question, Is this along the right track to find and analyze if a property is a potential deal? What other things can i do or look for to find one? How should I get in touch with these possibly motivated sellers? Thanks