Also, can you remind me which Chicago suburbs you are in?

Great news is when you get a deal there the spread is usually solid, bad news is many of the traditional marketing tactics don't work very well (at least in NYC where you cant cold call, PPC & PPL is really expensive and I don't know anyone who does well with direct mail).

Here are a few tips to help you score that first deal:Network: Join local real estate groups and online forums like BiggerPockets to connect with other investors.Find Motivated Sellers: Look for distressed properties and consider sending direct mail to homeowners facing tough situations.Research the Market: Know your area’s property values by analyzing comparable sales using sites like Zillow or Redfin.Craft Compelling Offers: Highlight the benefits of a quick sale to sellers and consider a solid earnest money deposit to show you’re serious.Market Yourself: Use social media to share your journey and post flyers in local spots to attract leads.Stay Persistent: Rejection is part of the process, so learn from it and keep refining your approach.With your big business mindset and hard work, you’ll make it happen!

I believe the  key to success are the constant reminders to tenants to conserve water (and thus, save money)

I would call them first, let them know you are sending it and then send it via email and regular mail. 

AG reminded them they had already provided the list to many other people and could just send me the same list...and they did pretty quickly and at no charge. 

While I have done a decent job in my spare time building a mailing list of interested parties (including a great survey that has taught me a lot about what buyers want there), I fear that not being on the ground there would hold me back.

Reminder that from the CRE perspective, the following are "single family" homes: condos, single family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes.

For example, you could print high-quality postcard-size flyers for a direct mail marketing campaign.

100% you should chalk this up to a lesson learned and fix your process to make it better in the future.I tend to remind myself that your tenant is in a situation worse than yours.