Pre-Foreclosure, Distressed, Creative Fiancing

[Max Engel]

Does anyone have any advice for the current top strategies on finding these types of deals and properties off market? I've been doing a lot of doorknocking and it almost feels like a cold call talking to people through their ring camera. Is there a better strategy out there now than door knocking or is this just the growing pains?

[Chris Seveney]

Quote from @Max Engel:

Does anyone have any advice for the current top strategies on finding these types of deals and properties off market? I've been doing a lot of doorknocking and it almost feels like a cold call talking to people through their ring camera. Is there a better strategy out there now than door knocking or is this just the growing pains?

You're definitely not alone—what you’re describing is a common friction point when trying to source off-market deals. Door knocking, driving for dollars, and cold outreach all sound effective (and they can work), but the gurus often leave out the part about how time and resource intensive they really are.

Before diving deeper into this grind, I’d suggest asking yourself: What’s your actual end goal?

Is it to get a steep discount? Build long-term cash flow? Flip for quick profit? A lot of new investors chase “off-market” deals thinking they’re getting some unfair edge, but the reality is you’ll often spend more time—and ultimately money—trying to land one of these than just going after a solid listed deal.

If capital is tight, I’d argue your time may be better spent earning and saving such as a side hustling, working in RE as an agent or assistant so you can eventually participate in more conventional deals. It’s often faster to get in the game that way than spending a year chasing a single needle-in-a-haystack opportunity.

Not saying don't hustle, but make sure the time ROI makes sense for your current situation.