I'm mostly on the buying side here in Texas, so I'm still learning the finding side myself. What I see from my seat: the situations that reach me usually come through people — agents, other investors, and folks who know a homeowner and pass the word to someone they trust. The ones who stay in touch and follow up seem to hear about things first. Following this thread to learn what is working for everyone else too.
The best off-market deals I've bought weren't necessarily the ones I found. They were the ones that found me because of relationships I'd built years earlier.
I buy more than I wholesale these days, but my off-market deals come from several different sources. I wouldn't rely on just one.
Here's what's been most effective for me over the past couple years, in no particular order:
Direct mail: Target foreclosure lists with sale dates 30 days out or less. Obviously, you'll need cash or a lender who can move fast.
Wholesalers: Over the years, I've met plenty at networking events and online, answered their questions, and helped them out when they were getting started. Fast forward a few years, they've figured out the business and now send me deals before they hit their buyers lists out of appreciation. Don't underestimate the value of building those relationships. They usually won’t materialize next week but they add to the funnel down the line.
Real estate agents: My standing agreement is simple. Bring me the property, and you get the listing on the back end after the value add. Give them a reason to bring you deals. Stop into smaller neighborhood brokerages in your target area(s), introduce yourself, and leave a business card and proof of funds.
Auctions: Plenty of opportunities here, but make sure you understand the rules and risks before stepping into that ring. It's not for the faint of heart.
Door knocking: A lost art that still works. In my experience, most wholesalers and people chasing off-market properties are sitting behind computers, building systems and figuring out new ways to get sellers to call them back. Meanwhile, not many are putting feet to pavement. They're missing the overgrown bushes, deteriorating roofs, and obvious maintenance that's not getting done. Walk the neighborhoods, talk to the neighbors, and find out who owns the property and how to reach them. If you're working with limited funds, this is probably your best option. It costs next to nothing but your time and a little shoe leather.
The common denominator is relationships. Build enough of them, prove you can close, and eventually deals start finding you instead of the other way around.
Gabe, I am on the buying side of this, so I will tell you what makes sellers' deals reach me.
Deal flow is the bottleneck at 236 properties. I do not find enough Memphis single-family deals on my own, so the wholesalers and agents who know my box keep me supplied: under $100K, in my ZIPs — 38109, 38111, 38112, 38114, 38116, 38117, 38118, 38122, 38128 — with an ARV of $180K to $265K and rent that clears the 1% rule.
My advice is to get that specific with a few real buyers. When a wholesaler knows exactly what I will buy and that I will decide in one pass, his sellers' houses come to me before they go to a list. That relationship is the whole game at scale.