After getting to know the neighborhood on such biking/ walking excursions I would then send letters or call homeowners to express interest in purchasing their homes.If the neighborhood really peaks your interest after performing the aforementioned, you could then start marketing on a larger scale via methods such as letter campaigns.

Looking back and telling the story now, it sounds like an episode of "American Greed." 

AH4R (American Homes For Rent) is no longer acquiring in Wake county (Raleigh) and hasn't since 2016Q2.

I don't know about that particular company, but I used to work for a modular home manufacturer in the Midwest called All American Homes. 

How are average American businesses supposed to plan for anything?

I wanted to fire my agent out of the gate and it was leveraged against me because I expressed by email how terrible of a job he was doing and that I could do it better on my own.

Then it's a matter of sending out direct marketing to the owner expressing an interest.

Any experience  with this company?I read rave reviews but have not had a good experience so far. I emailed them last week & got no resonse. I called today asking for Bill Wright & was given an incorrect tel #....

I was almost about to complete the American Dream (actually have 2 leases and some credit cards) and just the house was pending.

Getting the government involved in building millions of houses and convincing more Americans to buy their own homes is not necessarily a good idea, because it often makes things worse (think of the millions of foreclosures from 2008-2010).