This ended up being the best decision I made (with out really knowing where it would lead), I was able to pay the house off quickly and ended up renting it out when we moved (not really planned ahead of time).  

Some ideas:Become a part time auctioneer associate with an auction companyMeet with investors, offer to bring them good deals in return for a percentage of the equity or a referral feeGet a real estate license now, get into that culture to learn the businessTalk to home improvement companies (only the owners), offer to bring them leads (home improvement leads for windows, kitchens, bathrooms siding etc.) in return for cashThere is a great book that's been on the market for a long time; 500 Ways to Make Money Without a Job, look it up.Put together a friendly joint venture (family, friends associates) to raise money for investments.

Now, scale up you're marketing 10x, figure out how to get dozens or hundreds of leads.

Or if you would not go the route of using a lead-capture website what method(s) would you recommend?

Also, the previous landlord used several different colors of ink which leads me to believe he made that modification last second to benefit his friend. 

Says he can get me a few more leads in that same neighborhood.

@Trevon PeraccaI personally do not use a lot of SEO or lead generating websites, however I have seen their power in action before.

@Trevon Peracca The better defined your list is, the better quality of leads you will have coming in.

Some brokerages allow you to work the phone desk to get new leads from call ins. 

While I'm a huge believer in using public records as a lead source (that's what my company does), there are some things that are better sourced at other points in the process.