This would be my first deal and I really can't afford to make mistakes.I've tried looking up his profile on social media and Google. 

Median income: $36,343Median housing price: $84,300Housing appreciation: Past 12 months: -10.1%Past 5 years: 36.2%Past 10 years: 23.7%Renters make up 20% of population Rental vacancy: 2.7%Unemployment rate: 3.4%Recent job growth: -0.69%Future job growth: 22.6% (national avg is 33.51%)Population by occupation:Manufacturing makes up 30.3% of jobs in this area Healthcare and social assistance make up 21.6%Everything else is less than 5%Purchase price: $13kRehab cost: $13kEst ARV: $45kTents: $600-$650COC return on rental after expenses using $600 rents (taxes, insurance, 10% cap ex, maintenance, PM, 10% vacancy) 10.6%

You can also buy lists from companies like list source and there are some REI software companies that have a cash buyer search feature.Best way to find motivated sellers is to purchase lists and compile lists from city and county for 60-90-120 days late on mortgage, pre-foreclosure, delinquent taxes, water cutoff, code violation, probate, divorce, high equity, etc. and mail or cold call.Other methods are driving for dollars, door knocking, wholesalers, craigslist, Realtors, FSBO sites, expired listings, foreclosure sites, put out bandit signs, billboards, newspapers, other offline publications.You can use pay per click/adwords, facebook, Linkedin, Youtube, and other forms of online and social media.

FWIW, tenants only have 5 BUSINESS days from the 1st of the month to pay rent if they're paying via social security.

We live in a social media world so you know never know what's really going on.

In my previous corporate position, I have never really had a need for facebook and social media.

Is it against the rules to find the owner's contact information through white pages or social media and contact them directly? 

I try really to vet people and check social media (which has saved me MANY times prior), but sometimes they move in and play the ESA card.

After watching several of their videos, I found out they have this social networking website, and figured I could try it.

LOLYou might see if he shows up on social media, FB etc.