code violations

[Josiah Santillana]

Hi I'm trying to start up investing and find my first deal. I was taught to find properties with code violations and market to them because they may be motivated to sell and so I was able to get a list of properties with active code violations from the city department. I have 10 pages worth of properties and the violations range from junk and trash in the yard, to deteriorated roofs, and unpermitted work. So now that I have this list what should my next step be? Like how do I know which ones are worth marketing to? and whether I can find my first deal through this method?
Thanks for the help everyone!

[Brian P.]

Well you could do what I did in one California city a long time ago. When the clerk told us they could only check by address I said fine. I was a broker and investor but I had my secretary with me, she wanted to learn investing, and did become a successful investor, any way I came back with a telephone book and had my secretary requesting one address at a time and finally when the light went on in the clerks brain she said come back tomorrow I'll have a list for you.

Another time in another city they tried the old we can only check so many, pick a number files a day, and these clerks were used to a 6 hour a day coffee break and found this was a good take a hike ploy and I politely got her name, asked for the boss, got his BS and name all the time with a recorder sitting on the counter, then asked for his boss who of course was not in. I said that is OK I can question him when he is called before the city council to explain why he is not disbursing public information as required by law plus the reporters I'm going to invite will think it will be a good story to report on. Just for me, they said they would compile a list. You guessed it a computer print out that took a couple of minutes to print out, heavy work load, now the clerk only got a 5 hour and 47 minute coffee break. But don't burn bridges, I brought her a gift certificate for See's Candies a couple blocks away "to thank her for her help" and later she would keep a list of new cases in her desk to hand to me when I came in to check out a single property.

Just one tip add checking for code violations as part of your due diligence list no matter what the property looks like.