Later I can expand into a website, toll free number and automate, in order to eliminate the tire kickers.Thank you, all

A few services that can make life easier while doing this business from Canada include:Click2Mail mailing service for sending out mailers Grasshopper phone service for taking messages and ordering customer toll free numbersSkype for outgoing callsPostscanmail mail for scanning/forwarding your incoming mailNotary123 mobile notary for notarizing deeds from the seller and giving them the payment cheque.

There will be all kinds of reasons for being the predicament they are in - lost job, death of spouse, bad health, other reasons. 

Here are the big six (6) reasons people leave behind a vacant property: 1) "Skipped" on bills or other people 2) Drugs and alcohol 3) Incarceration 4) Severe mental & emotional problems 5) Senility 6) Death By reverse engineering each vacant property opportunity, talking to neighbors and others in the immediate community, you ought to be able to get a lead on which of the above scenario is most likely.

If they say no, or want above market value, I'm going to guess there is a 99% chance that you can buy at wholesale.4) You are going to start speaking to people with real problems: deaths in the family, money problems, family issues, etc.

It's been beaten to death.  

I would be scared to death if someone left me those messages on my phone.

However, if you put the right tenant in, you get the experience you're looking for, eg someone who doesn't beat the house to death and still pays their rent first of the month.

Some markets are death and some are outstanding.

An executor or administrator deed would be used in lieu  of a grant or warranty deed if sold to a 3rd party.Other documents will be used to effect other types of distribution, for example "affidavit of death of joint tenant", etc.