I love doing these types of deals—not only because most people avoid them, but also because it’s rewarding to help sellers in these situations.

You can use other people's money if the numbers work.

Quote from @Brendan Jones: For the homes, and or properties that you will use as a primary or a rental property one big thing I look for is infrastructure in the area, extrinsic value (I.e. hospitals in the area, schools, and job market), and the last thing is creature comforts for people (I.e. is a store to get groceries 1 hour away or 2 minutes away).

Hopefully the permitting people are nice and will offer some guidance.  

That means there are sometimes you have to get people off the list who are not opening your emails, or buying anymore, and add people who were buying years ago stopped, and now are back in.

I did hire a VA to cold call like 12,000 people and it was useless.

.- I've also heard of people choosing a market because the team they could put together in that market was the best team they found

(YAY - I love people becoming biz owners).   

Do people have experience doing so and have they been successful?

Quote from @Michael Challenger: I would connect with local people at meetups, that might give you some contacts for private money.