The only other instance I could recommend postcards is if you're sending out a very large quantity (i.e., 15k+ month).  

For instance I chose a 10 year fixed cash out refi recently with a slightly higher int rate with a 20 year AM on 2 apt buildings because I wanted the safety of two things 1) even with higher interest rate it is still relatively low without some forced refi event in 5 years from that would make me nervous.

For instance Anaheim came as a 10 (means totally VR friendly), which was true until June 2016 but things have changed 180 degrees since then.

She could not have had a reasonable expectation that you would assume those items before Close.If the relationship is sufficiently valuable to allow for saving face, I might be willing to split the costs with the Vendor (though I would grumble about it for days).In the instances where we have asked for early access to a property, I've been very careful to articulate the conditions of that access.

For instance, I've started a direct mail campaign using post-cards and yellow letters to out-of-state absentee owners that have properties in my area recently and email FSBOs in my area on Craigslist and Zillow and I created this Bigger Pockets account to ask questions.As I mentioned above, I live in the Cumming area, so if there is anyone who lives in the area (me driving down to downtown Atlanta on any day but a Saturday or Sunday is difficult due to time-constraints) who would be willing to sit down with me for the price of a cup of coffee or lunch to discuss realistic possibilities for someone in my position to get moving and find a specific part of the investing world to focus on would be greatly appreciated.

For instance, if the house does not have a wiring/electrical location currently for a fan, I don't got out of my way to do it. 

Ive been entertaining various options because the utilities are nonexistent and the waste lines in particular would cost about $6000 for an extension.

but the I think there is real value in the access to extensive marketing lists, letters/mailers, CRM software, various estimator software, etc.

Rates for both those instances are pretty high, upper 6% range into 7%.

If you had no mortgage contingency, or you did not ask for an extension, then your earnest money goes to the seller when you walk out because of the financing.