They are located in a small town, so they may not be sold as quickly as larger areas like Knoxville (that I am near), but it is possible.The current owner is someone who has worked with my family before (donated to our campaigns) and that is how I have come across this.

I'm new in town and to real estate investing.

Skipped traced (Intelius) the address and found an out of town owner that still had a vacant property she was holding on to.

If you want to get an idea of the amazing unit of houses you're interested in around your area, head over to ListSource.com and just build a list for your town or county.

I have 4 properties and they average about 1.6%.Triplex in north knox: 1.54%Duplex in north knox: 1.5%Single family in north knox: 1.8%Single family in south knox: 1.6%I live North which is why most of my properties so far are on that side of town but have seen the ability to generate similar returns on any side of Knoxville. 

The seller recently decided to move out of town and didn't want to be a remote landlord entrusting his property to a property manager, so he was uncomfortable holding onto the property (this is a critical piece of information; always figure out what the sellers motivation is and keep the conversation tailored around that).

I'll call you when I'm back in town Jay!  

How's the market in your part of town these days?

I am thinking foreclosures in a market out of state in large university towns.

I have a 0.1 Acre property for sale in Old Town, Maine which needs lawn mowing every week or two until it sells and also a deep clean and coat of paint now that the tenant has vacated.