A new Whole Foods was recently announced in a neighborhood surrounded by blighted and vacant properties.

All counties have adjudicated news papers, the papers approved for placing/publishing legal notices (foreclosures, court cases, business sales or transfers....anything requiring legal notice publication).  

There are some potential rental property areas, too, but I was warned they weren't the best neighborhoods.

So if you're married to a specific area, then you may be married to the property tax rates there as well.Keep looking as you may find adjacent neighborhoods with lower tax rates simply because they are a different neighborhood.

Mailers to specific zip codes (preferably low income neighborhoods) asking if they want to sell or know someone who does 11.

If you go to a house that you found by driving by or someone answering an ad in a newspaper - someone you don't really know and when there are no others involved in the relationship (Realtors, on-MLS, etc.), do you ever worry when you're walking around inspecting the place?

It was not on purpose, but it worked out very good for us to go FHA for our first and then VA for our second now that we make more money and can afford a better house in a better neighborhood.

I started buying in neighborhoods that get scary at night and have slowly sold some of those to buy in nicer areas.I would very carefully check out the house, the area, and the numbers.

We even talk to neighbors, drive the neighborhood in the evening, Google searches.Now you don't want to go in guns blazin' but be cool and play detective.

The home is being sold for 6-10k less than comps in the neighborhood.