Help me choose a list!

[Andy Wong]

Would it be smart to start a direct mail campaign to a list of 500 absentee owners with vacant properties? As opposed to absentee owners that have owned a property 7+ years.

I'm going to start my mailings soon and want to send out 1000 letters my first month 500 to either one of the above, and another 500 to expired listings in my hot zones as I have access to the MLS.

Also, would it be smart to tell the sellers right off the bat that I can't offer full retail price to kind of warm up/filter out the motivated sellers. (I have a 1800 number that has a 24 hour recording)

Thanks!