If there aren’t very many duplexes in the area you want to be then that tells me a direct mail campaign to those duplexes wouldn’t be all that expensive so maybe giving that a try for a couple months first to see if you can generate anything off market for you to buy and if not you ultimately sacrifice for a couple years then buy closer to where you want to be

So, assume that if you sell a $200k home your brokerage may collect something like $5,400 and then your brokerage will keep a piece, your Guv'ment will keep a piece, and then you will keep a piece. 

If so, what has been your most beneficial strategy in locating properties to BRRRR (MLS, direct mail, sheriff sales, foreclosures, etc.)?  

I think for a manager that keeps it simple and less time 'looking up' information when tenants call or e-mail.

I'm happy to hear that the negotiating piece of it wasn't too stressful. 

These were standard in my new home and it's really a great piece of mind annoying I can let my kids in and check on my door locks from anywhere.

You can purchase lists with different motivations like absentee owners, 60-90-120 days late on mortgage, pre-foreclosure, delinquent taxes, water cutoff, code violation, evictions, probate, divorce, etc. and mail or cold call. 

I recently started mailing yellow letters to home owners in my area.I feel like am getting a decent response rate, but getting a deal has been tough.

Make sure you cover yourself you itemize all deductions and send it to her certified mail to her forwarding address. 

A seller might be totally above board and just looking to get out of the game, or they might be looking to dump a piece of trash among other pretty good properties.