Sometimes you can spot these opportunities just by driving around looking at the exteriors of houses, apartment complexes, or small office buildings. Do they look shabby and in need of repairs? This condition is called deferred maintenance. It means that the owner has not maintained the property, made repairs, painted, and/or replaced landscape plants as these things became necessary. Instead, the owner deferred the maintenance - put it off until later in order to save money. While it probably worked in the short run, eventually the property will sell for much less than if it had been properly maintained.
Do not wait for a "For Sale" sign to go up. By that time, you will have a lot of competition for that property as other investors flock to it. Contact the owner, and see if he or she might be interested in selling. You can usually find the owner by making inquiries at the local tax assessor's office. This is called cold calling. It is a numbers game. If you ask enough people, some percentage of them will say yes.
You cannot get your feelings hurt when most of them say no. Do not waste time trying to persuade the "Noes." Just say, "Can I check back with you in six months or so?" and then go on to the next owner. Remember to check back, though. You will be surprised how often you can plant a seed, and then see it come to fruition six months later. Other sources for finding fixer-uppers include:
Elderly property owners who might not have the time, energy, or money to maintain their properties. They might have been planning to sell for several years, but probably have never gotten around to talking to a real estate agent. This is called inertia. It is a principle from physics, and it means that bodies at rest tend to remain at rest. In other words, good old-fashioned procrastination can be your best friend, as long as you are not the one procrastinating.
Properties in older neighborhoods that are undergoing gentrification. This means that it used to be an undesirable neighborhood, but now young professionals are buying properties and fixing them up in larger and larger numbers. The neighborhood is becoming more desirable. Property values are increasing, but not so rapidly that you cannot easily find real estate at bargain prices.
Rental properties that seem to have trouble attracting or keeping tenants, even though the general area has high occupancy rates. This is usually a sure sign of an owner who (1) is getting tired of making mortgage and insurance payments on a vacant property; (2) is unwilling or unable to spend the money necessary to attract tenants; and, (3) might view you as a hero if you want to buy it.
Local, state, and federal governments offer incentives for homeowners, and sometimes even investors, if they will repair properties in economically depressed areas. See the next question for details.
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