How Do I Determine What Areas In My Large City To Exclude From Wholesale Marketing?

[Burt L.]

My overall market has about 1.5 million people and I want to send out my first 1000 letters to absentee owners. The initial list is important as its also the source for the follow-up letters and further marketing costs.

I'm not sure whether to exclude the original inner city, built around 1900 as some rehabbers will work there. I understand that rehabbers prefer homes build in the 1950's or later though. I live on the far west side but everything is within a 25 mile drive. There are also some local city jurisdictions within my larger metro area that have "more difficult" building departments and I wonder whether to exclude those. My choices will made by which zip codes to include or exlude.

The list will be for absentee owners with 10 or more years ownership (for equity) and for assessed values of 50K to approximately 200k, houses with 3/5 beds and 2+ baths, and will exclude trusts and corps. Many areas will be excluded based on assessed values.

This is the part where wholesaling isn't as "free" as some might suggest. I know J Scott didn't hit a home run with his first mailing, and I don't expect to either but need to do my best, based on the initial resources I have to work with. How can I better focus my areas and efforts in my first mailing?