I never got an email or anything from them (am an existing customer).  

One, they have plenty of work but if the customer is willing to pay above norm, the contractor will find a way to fit them in.

What you have, in this case, sounds like 4 consecutive lots of what is called "land/home", which are typically sold to individual customers on separately platted lots so that they qualify for traditional mortgages as traditional real estate.

If your in NY I suspect you are regulated to having to use attorneys for closings I would see if the attorney has a customer service department like our title and escrow companies and if they compile this data for the local builders and developers and real estate folks.We get it for free and so do all the realtors in our market. beats any national type of data system.

Banks are not going to share private information about their customers with you.

so those starting out blow through a few grand and never do anything. they just don't have the capital to sustain what needs to be done   IE 3 to 10 touchs. per deal and 1 to 2 leads max per thousand and a close ratio of 1 in 10.. tough gig..  

If you can't write off all of the income, you may consider investing more money in the home if the area can sustain a rental increase.

never take a check for their Security deposit or first month's rent.Have fun, this is a great business - a good tenant is a good customer- treat them like a customer - with respect.

On the side I do pickup some customer projects when it makes sense. 

He goes very good volume and is usually looking for motivated help on his team, he doesn't exactly speak investor but I have yet to find anyone with better customer service, problem solving, and the ability to close a deal by making everyone happy.