Thank you @Ian Ippolito for this last round of articles you published, very informative and valuable.

A good HOA will publish a list of all planned maintenance items annually, which I believe they have to by law.

The city publishes an apartment statistics page, found here: http://www.wichitafallstx.gov/DocumentCenter/View/24175That publication was during the high oil prices of 2014, but also during a regional 5 year severe drought. 

So again I love Jerry's suggestion but I would just target counties that are old school and not publishing online.

Was just published a couple days ago here:   http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index.ssf/2017/02/...4th Quarter 2016 averaged $735/sf for Downtown JC Condos and they're still selling within 30 days (on average). 

There are also pockets in the area where appreciation is possible, too.I've never seen the statistics published, but my guess is that there are thousands of own-of-town investors, many of whom are from around the world, invested in the Memphis market.  

I can assure you that there's nothing in real estate that you're going to do that's truly new.You are really discussing two, very different strategies.Marketing to surviving family members of deceased persons requires identifying the opportunity by a published obit, matching the data with record owners and contacting the heirs and beneficiaries. 

It is my understanding banks are trying to reduce their REOs.Robert,What I write below will apply when the lender is trying to get "made whole" to the maximum dollar amount; when that is the case, the lender's bid can easily exceed the published debt / judgment.

As this is public record often the county publishes the information online.

I am looking to invest in some real estate and maybe make a life of it   I have read 2 of the books published by Bigger Pockets and have become increasing interested in the value of every property   For sale or not!