Every week or so I open up the newspaper and I see another company moving here hoping to utilize the very educated young workforce at a fraction of the costs of the west coast.

I used to pay like $40-$50 for newspaper ads 20 years ago, and for the last 15+ years, I paid zero on Zillow and Craigslist.

Sorry to read newspaper reports of a local apartment fire, and all the tenants, 20 of them, became homeless, all their property destroyed and no one had renter's insurance according to the news report.Fortunately, that was the only tenant I had such problems with.

Also, usually, a probate process will require notice in a local publication for other beneficiaries so you could watch the local newspapers. 

They answer the phone.3)  Follow the 9/3/1 rule -- for every 3 calls you should get a showing, and for every 3 showings you should get an application to buy the home.4)  If you are not getting at least 9 calls a week, you need to ramp up advertising using Craigslist, Facebook, the largest metro newspaper classified ad under "mobile homes for rent", direct mail to Class B and lower apartments, a banner on your entry fence, for sale signs in yards and windows, and a resident referral letter.5)  If you're getting 9 calls a week, but not getting any applications, then listen to the Who's Calling recordings and see how good they are on the phone.6) If they're good on the phone, then call those numbers and do exit interviews with the customers and see why they did not buy -- often they'll tell you the manager didn't show up or they were drunk, etc.7)  If these customers tell you that the manager showed the home well but it's more than the ones down the street, then you need to adjust your price.8)  If the customers who apply can't qualify, then you may need to alter your terms for acceptance.We operate over 200 parks in 28 states in this manner, and we've never seen a park you can't fix if you take a scientific approach.

Look at reality, not what the politicians and newspapers are telling you. 

Such notices of sale are often found in the local newspapers.

All sounds good BUT....They clearly have not cleaned a thing in the last 8 years in the apartment, the place is disgusting (no foul smells but general filth), they have collected likely a full 8 years worth of magazines which are stacked throughout the kitchen, living room and bathroom along with miscellaneous newspapers, artifacts and other items.

It is a move that would more then likely make headlines and your name might be mentioned in the newspaper article.

Newspapers are dead in my view, but a few people have told me they had success.