Not high pressure, low key, plays on emotions for financial security, relates to other successful people they know, provides information they can use even if they don't sign up....making the visit worth going to.

Wifey and I are visiting state # 47 friday, west virginia.

I think I'll visit the house since it's time to do that anyways and then decide on whether to give them the free carpet cleaning.

Like Mary said visit your local REIA and start getting familiar with the business, terminology, etc.

To reach the homeowner, try sending them a letter, using whitepages.com to get their phone number and call them, or pay them a visit and knock on their door.

Jon, if you are at the Summit I would be happy to sit down and visit with you this afternoon.

If you are going to have trouble visiting the property to do your due diligence as well as managing it, you may want to look at areas more convenient to your location.

I keep a German language CD on hand (love visiting Germany), Trace Adkins, Toby Keith, Some collections of Vivaldi and Mozart, one of the Mack Bolan series of books on tape and if there's a good investing book on tape I'm interested in, I'll have it as well.

Ability to trade out of the property or use a timeshare network so I could visit somewhere else.

There is a lot of good info on this and other aspects of rei on the forums...visit daily so you have a foundation of knowledge to work with.