Unharmed but with a few more miles on it I'd bet. :)
Yes, always have contracts with you.
Reasons people sell a house:
New job, watch the paper for promotions in the business section.
New baby announcements, white picket fence buyers.
Getting married, they gota go some place, they may be leaving a place too.
Estates have been beat to death, what about the heirs, did they get a fist full of $$$$$$?
Bankruptcy filings, contact their attorney first, this can be touchy too.
Dangerous building lists at the city building regs office, addresses are usually public domain.
Get to know nursing home administrators if the house sells they can get the fees paid!
Contact the local County Administrator, usually property goes to auction, but not if the heirs can sell it, they also take care of assets taken under other circumstances, child trusts for example, let them know you're alive and a buyer.
Social Services has in processing type administrators who qualify folks for benefits, many won't qualify with excess assets or rentals, cash flow is usually insufficient to pay medical costs and they need to sell to qualify. This is a great source for note buyers too.
Trust companies don't really want RE in a portfolio, they want assets with easily determined market values like stocks and bonds, get to know them as well.
Get with a builder, you can buy from them and they can work out a trade on a new home.
Military folks need to know the housing referral office, list as a landlord but many can buy.
Work with your insurance agents, buy leads if you can, they hit the "you and your family" markets for insurance and their clients can be yours as well, going under the source radar.
Attorneys can be a source if you have a good relationship, they can be sources but don't ask for a referral so much as they see liability in suggesting who to deal with.
Stock brokers might love to have clients sell rentals and invest with them.
Hospital employee bulletin boards, you'll target technicians, admin and support services. Actually that goes for any large business operation, Lowes has an employee board. BTW, you might be surprised what the lumber yard and box store employees know, network with them too.
After you're seasoned and known, title companies, appraisers, banks and inspectors can prop up your referrals or inform you of who might sell or buy. After they have seen you in action and know you can perform you'll find such referrals can keep you busy.
All building trades, know these guys/gals, they do repairs prior to marketing a property.
Socialize! Contacts can be made through church, associations, civic groups, non-profits that have everything to do with RE or have nothing to do with it.
Most everyone lives someplace, walk and talk, your waitress lives some place, she has relatives too, I have gotten several deals out of a Waffel House. All you have to say is "know anyone looking for a house or wants to sell one?" My mom would ask that question waiting in line at the grocery store....guess what, it worked often! "If she was gutsy enough to ask she was gutsy enough to sell my property" I was told by one of her clients. Get yourself a low key, non-pushy elevator pitch. Keep the pitch to less than 30 seconds, if they want more info you can go further. Bar tenders can be a gold mine in the right place.
Get to know your court house and the people there, know how to search a property down from the assessor's office, to building regs and occupancy permits, to the recorder's office and business filings.
I can't understand anyone buying leads when they are free! Just need to know where and how to look for them. :)