Direct Mail to Neighbors During Construction?

[Jonathan Landry]

We are planning to build a few spec homes in an older neighborhood on reclaimed lots.  Do you mail the neighbors of your real estate flips, builds, etc to notify them of your intentions and provide contact information?  Letter? Postcard? 

My goals for a letter would be to update the neighbors about:

1. coming progress in their neighborhood
2. who to contact with questions and concerns
3. develop rapport for neighborhood watch and potential buyers

Does anyone have examples of direct mail they send out or ideas that I am missing to effectively communicate a professional image when entering a neighborhood to start construction?   

[Matt McConkey]

@Jonathan Landry -- While I've never personally built from the ground up, I have heard some other invesors will physically walk up to each house and have a direct conversation with the home owners in the immediate area. 

This way, they can meet you, you can give them your number and they can bring up any questions/issues at all. Since you're a Realtor/developer, it's never a bad thing to get your face in front as many potential new clients as possible, right? 

It might take longer, but if it were me, and the guy doing all the work was the one coming and saying "sorry for the noise" up front, it would make me feel a lot easier than a letter.