Investors normally use birddogs that are people with occupations that will bring them into contact with vacant properties (i.e. cablemen, utility company employees, newspaper delivery people, etc.).

I got my first deal from my ad in the small local newspaper.

My hometown is Clovis, the newspaper recently ran an article stating that in 1982 the pop. was 30,000, and it's now 31,000.

A word of caution here... by shopping it around I don't mean posting it on a billboard or taking out ads in the newspaper.

It's only about 10 minutes from where I live.The advertising we are hoping to get at a discount because my father works at the local newspaper.

No oil changes on the property, in fact we got a letter because my husband is the first to get up in the morning and places everyones newspaper at their front door.

That would be everyone I meet in the grocery, drug store, at Little League, Lions Club, Boy Scouts, PTA, church, the newspaper delivery boy, the postman, the UPS driver and even people sitting at nearby booths at Denny's.Naturally I will tell them ONLY THE TRUTH about how I feel I was treated and with any luck and persistence we may see if TRUTH and WORD OF MOUTH can overcome paid advertising.signed EOCNOTE, I'm not saying YOU should do this.

The owner will telegraph to you, far in advance, when he/she is ramping up to dump the property.

No equity no deal IMO.Get together with a RE Attorney to ask or get the correct paperwork suitable/legal for your area.Find buyers by networking with investors, agents, brokers, lenders, attorneys, craigslist, bandit signs, newspapers, etc, etc...

I've noticed my local newspaper refers to an MLS number.