Creative ways to find vacant property owners

Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 77 posts · 28 votes

I found a property that has been vacant for two years now. After searching the title and figuring out the owners name I then talked to the neighbors and found out that he is an 80-year-old man with dementia. Apparently he is living with a relative in Milwaukee. The neighbors are eager to see the house sold and finally fixed up but they have no idea how to get a hold of him or a family member . What are some creative ways to get in touch with the right person to make an offer with ?? Thanks !

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David Dachtera

Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes

@David Marsceau,

Try sending mail to that address and see if it gets forwarded.

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Robert Herrera
Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2015 · 492 posts · 267 votes
9y
@David Marsceau At the assessors office, there should be an Address on file for where the important documents on that house go. Should be attached to the title.
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David Marsceau
OP
Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 77 posts · 28 votes
9y
Thank you Robert ! I will look into that next !
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David Marsceau
OP
Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 77 posts · 28 votes
9y
Robert Herrera the address the assessors office has on file is the same as the vacant property . Do you have any other suggestions for finding a relative or the owner ?
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Rolanda Eldridge
Investor/Realtor · Hoover, AL · Member since 2010 · 1k+ posts · 459 votes
9y
@David Marsceau..One of the neighbors is your best option. I'm sure someone has a phone or address...GL
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David Marsceau
OP
Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 77 posts · 28 votes
9y
Rolanda Eldridge I spoke to one of the neighbors already who said he and the city have tried to find him. But you're right I should def go back and talk to every single neighbor ! Thank you !!
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David Dachtera
Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2014 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
9y
@David Marsceau,
Try sending mail to that address and see if it gets forwarded.
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Robert Herrera
Investor · Denver, CO · Member since 2015 · 492 posts · 267 votes
9y
@David Marsceau Yes, sending mail and getting a forwarding address is the next step. I would go back to the city and ask them about the Taxes on the property. Maybe they haven't been paid and you can get a tax lien certificate.
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David Marsceau
OP
Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 77 posts · 28 votes
9y
David Dachtera I will try that next thank you ! Robert Herrera I spoke with the city and the taxes have not been paid in a couple years. I will look into the tax lien today ! Thank you !
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Keith ThompsonPro Member
Investor · Centreville, VA · Member since 2016 · 109 posts · 65 votes
9y
@David Marsceau - Your time is valuable. Talking with each of the neighbors will give you an opportunity to get to know them and might get you an name, address and phone number, if you want to go that route. A more cost effective and potentially higher success route would be to use a Location Service. They are readily available and relatively inexpensive compared to the time it will take and uncertainty of doing it yourself. Robyn Thompson (The Queen of Rehab) advocates pushing such activities to others when it is cost effective to do so, I agree completely and this may be one of those scenarios.
Here is one service provider (there are many others) that might be helpful: FindTheSeller-dot-com. They do: Vacant House Owner Location, Skip Tracing, Tenant Screening and Background Checks. Their services range from $10-$25.
My recollection is that finding the owner of a vacant property is $25 and they only charge if they can find the person.
I also like @Robert Herrera's idea of looking into acquisition through unpaid taxes - potentially a FAR more profitable avenue.
Good Luck!
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David Marsceau
OP
Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 77 posts · 28 votes
9y
Keith Thompson amazing ! I was trying to find something like this online but kept getting lost in the google shuffle. Thank you !
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Michaela G.
Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
9y
If he has a somewhat unusual name, sign up for a free 14 day membership at ancestry.com . Then find him in the census records and find his sibling's names.
Right now the newest census records you can find are from 1940, so, he would have been a small child. If you find him and his siblings, you can then try to do a search for some of the siblings in Milwaukee and track down nieces, nephews.
You'd be amazed how much of a family tree you can put together with ancestry and other websites.
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Michaela G.
Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
9y
You can also just do a basic search with his name in veromi.com and peoplesmart.com and intelius.com , without signing up with them, and see if there are other names attached to him under this address or it will show, if there's a Milwaukee address attached to him. If so, then you can pay for a 1-day pass and get whatever info they have on him.
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Account Closed
Johnson City, TN · Member since 2014 · 586 posts · 705 votes
9y
If the elderly owner has dementia, then he is incapable of entering into a contract. Unless he has granted a POA prior to his dementia, or a judge has declared him incompetent and appointed a conservator, you will hit a dead end even if you locate him.
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Joshua Martin
Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2016 · 389 posts · 193 votes
9y
Yeah try peoplesmart and look for linked persons. You may be able to get a family member on the phone and find actual contact info. Normally peoplesmart is pretty good, but sometimes there just aren't records for a person.
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Michaela G.
Investor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2013 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
9y
Keep in mind, that some of those skip tracing companies only search for the name. If it's 'Joe Smith' and they come up with 100 Joe Smiths - then that's your result. They don't look for that exact Joe Smith that used to own that particular house. And if you want to know more about each of those Joe Smiths, in order to narrow it down - then there's another fee for that.
I found it much more productive to do my own skip tracing.
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Mindy JensenPro Member
BiggerPockets Money Podcast Host · Longmont, CO · Member since 2014 · 7k+ posts · 10k+ votes
9y
Moderator Note: Advertising and Self Promotion is NOT allowed in the regular forums. The only place advertising is allowed is the Marketplace.
[email protected]Podcast Guest on Show #261
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Tony Battle
Center Valley, PA · Member since 2017 · 133 posts · 31 votes
9y
Mindy Jensen David Marsceau man Mindy is Tough!! There are many ways to find the owner for free but that can be time consuming. Your time is valuable so in certain situations its best to hire out.
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David Marsceau
OP
Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 77 posts · 28 votes
9y
Tim Chapman I'm hoping one of his family members has POA. If not maybe I can build report with a family member that will have a POA down the line that would be willing to sell me the house. But if not, onto the next one ! Michaela G. Joshua Martin thanks for the suggestions ! I will give those a try !
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David Marsceau
OP
Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 77 posts · 28 votes
9y
Mindy Jensen thanks for the heads up , I'm learning the do's and dont's of BP very quickly ! By the way I'm listening to you right now on show 215 :)
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Dawn AnastasiPro Member
Rental Property Investor · Milwaukee, WI · Member since 2013 · 6k+ posts · 4k+ votes
9y
@David Marsceau if you need help on the Milwaukee side, let me know.
Podcast Guest on Show #29
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David Marsceau
OP
Dallas, TX · Member since 2017 · 77 posts · 28 votes
9y
Thanks Dawn Anastasi I will let you know !
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