In some case they can be used effectively, but using them puts you just one level above "Spamming Craigslist" as a marketer.This business all starts with finding the motivated sellers.  

It is very hard to find something legit in this space due to the overwhelming amount of spam and scams geared towards what I am looking for.

I literally won't work with these guys because all I've seen from them is daisy chain deals.Now, when I see deals from them (still can't manage to get their emails to go to spam 100% of the time), even if I can't find out for certain whether it's a daisy chain, I won't even consider working with them because I don't feel like they're trustworthy.Being transparent and honest will get your far in this space, largely because it's so rare.

Well it sounds like your ads are being seen as spam.  

I do post them in many categories, seems spam-ish, but I try not not to flood each category.

Send his emails to spam.

To be honest, the eQRP link below seems a little sales-y and looks like a lot of those "to-good-to-be-true-learn-how-to-make-money-fast-and-easy-and-more-so-much-more" website offers that we all come across in the real estate world and I just immediately close the internet browser window because I'm afraid I'm going to get spammed to death with emails. 

Am hoping they will actually read it so don't want it to seem like spam.

Read the FTC guidelines with regards to robo dialing, Vm spamming, and DNC lists.

I did some research on my end and all of their emails went to my spam folder and in fact, I never read them.