Here is my system that I have shared on the forums previously:It all starts with online ads, within which are several pre-screening questions I request be answered in their response to my ad.

The real work is locating these properties and I've learned the best way to do this is to work in towns/areas that have online GIS systems that map; topography, wetlands, soils, etc. and assessors data available for download either from local sources or listsource.com.  

For contact management like that its awesome to search for specific types of people and locations or just data like "how long does it take to foreclose in texas".We have some other use cases as well that we use to track not only ours but competitors results online and learning what does and does not work for different aspects of the business.

Have these guys ever heard of Quicken or any of the online personal finance programs available to track spending?

If you want to understand 5-year outlook, I'd look for multifamily construction data in your area to understand what level of new units is and will be coming online in the near future. 

But this was late 90s so way before on line stuff had taken off.

unfortunately this marketing specialist was NOT a specialist in marketing for real estate businesses, did not understand the unique requirements and characteristics of real estate, and hence implemented their “generic” on line marketing program.  

There are a ton of online resources.You could also look at the Arcade1 cabinets as well as the Gamer Legends stuff.

I think they just started offering it again.Dyches Boddiford has a good course https://assets101.com/events/hard-money-lending-online/I and several others have taken it.

You will likely have trouble finding real estate listed online for that coast since it is really pre-development.