It’s been incredibly effective for reaching motivated sellers and building an investor list.

Sounds like you're getting good value by eliminating that PPP. 

That's the part I'm unsure of guidance wise, the assessments have been lowered, but when will that translate to lower tax payments... future effective 1/1/26, retro to 1/1/25 or effective of notification...Any insight anyone has would be appreciated.

Anyone having success finding off market deals using direct mail? What's your strategy? What's the response rate?

They can help you assess any risks associated with early occupancy and possibly draft a lease that reflects the situation appropriately—though that still doesn’t eliminate the underlying legal issue of occupancy without a CO.Note: This information is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial, or investment advice.

It's unlikely to be a deciding factor for potential renters, and removing it would eliminate any potential liability issues down the road.

New constructions eliminate much of a value-add possibility, but with my current income, and existing cash, I think it makes sense to invest in the lower maintenance, rent-ready 3bed2bath homes (~$250,000 - $290,000) being built in my area of interest.

Quote from @Fernando Alonso: Hi Shean,When a homeowner files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, it doesn't immediately eliminate the mortgage lien on the property, it just wipes out the borrower’s personal liability for the debt.

So, even a marginally tuned seller/agent will put out some requirements to (hopefully) eliminate the people who want to “tie up” a property but will only close if they can “flip” the purchase contract.  

PPC, if done right, can be more cost-effective and bring faster results.That said, both SEO and PPC require a completely different skill set than what most real estate professionals are used to.