This allowed me to negotiate directly with the seller and avoid middle men.

If they own several they are obviously investors.Once you get a response from the seller of the vacant house, negotiate a deal to buy it for all cash and get it under contract.

Not to pre-market the house for sale, but to get more motivated sellers / leads. 

If you still have a budget left to upgrade and still turn a profit then add the things that will place your property in higher demand.  

@Austin Youmans i did one better and called him instead, he is a motivated seller since he owns the house and wants the renter out hey @Alex De Sousa if you can inbox me because i wanna know more about that because the hoarder isn't the owner it's just a renter.

Interested in how to rehab properties and buy and hold for rental income and also to assist other sellers who need an interior decorator to organize, stage and prepare pictures for their open house. 

I have done rehab projects, acted as a buyer's and seller's agent, and also own some rental property of my own in Pasco.

Is this what most motivated seller deals look like?

The seller doesn't seem to be that motivated if they aren't open to an offer.

Also one thing to add to this is auction.com will actually bid on behalf of the seller(bank).