Turns out there was a ring of theft attached to the tenant and the property... it had become a 'chop shop' in a way.

just wondering what tactics you use for getting sellers interested in talking with you about l/os.i have the ability to get the phine ringing for those who want to buy on lo but not attracting many sellers.

If anything comes up pre market I am all ears. 

I'm a SF Bay Area investor looking for an agent in southwestern Houston to be my eyes and ears in the region.  

Id start with ringing the bell instead of knocking.

I would think 2" should be enough.  1x2 with drywall and extension rings on your outlets. 

Depending on how much saving you have, being a silent investor in a property may be a very good way to start earring passive income.

So many times I would tour a home with a client at 8:30am, go to the office and do some prospecting, meet with my team over lunch, research new listings and follow up on phone calls all afternoon, then go home only to have the phone ring during dinner because an offer was coming in at 8:00pm, so race back to the office or property and negotiate a deal, which may or may not close!

Since you are asking for general advice on out of state investing, here is my two cents worth...I agree with @Hattie Dizmond, you need to have a reliable team on the ground to be your eyes and ear.

Did you try Groups, where each group has a unique ring tone and you assign contacts to one or more groups?