I mail to them as if they're any other motivated seller.

You'd be better off spending the money on a good web/landing site for motivated sellers, and marketing

I guess this questions the effectiveness of my agent, and perhaps a more motivated/creative one would be suggesting this and carrying it out.....?

As an example,  have different follow-up sequences for Hot Leads (motivated sellers), Long-Term Leads, Cold Leads, etc.

He did it again and got arrested and thrown in jail... was not pretty .I don't know anything about your state.. and I do see in Texas were its pretty common to tie up a property on an 100 option.. but the buyers and sellers are all fully aware of what is going on.. the way you made your post and the subsequent advice you were seeking and given clearly indicated that your sellers are not fully up to speed on your motivations and your end game.

By doing so you run across motivated sellers, distressed properties, owner financing possibilities etc.

Let the wholesalers find the motivated sellers and everyone in the industry is happy. 

Either way thanks for the motivation!

It may not happen, but It's great to have a possible tenant who might be able to move in once the first tenant moves on.It's motivating to keep looking for deals, however I can find them. 

In the interview the wholesaler said that once he gets a motivated seller to call him via direct mail marketing, he allows the seller to make him an offer price for the home and if it's a reasonable offer, the wholesaler sends out the contract for the seller to sign before he (the wholesaler) even steps foot on the property.