I completely agree—sometimes the best finds aren't listed online yet. When I was looking for my property, I combined local recommendations with some random weekend drives. Found that chatting with locals at small-town cafes often led to hidden gems that weren't advertised anywhere.
"Found that chatting with locals at small-town cafes often led to hidden gems that weren't advertised anywhere."
That's a smart move—locals always know the lay of the land better than any website. When I was scouting around last year, I also checked bulletin boards at community centers and grocery stores. Found some pretty decent leads that way, and prices were usually more reasonable. Did you ever try checking out local auctions or foreclosure sales? I've heard mixed things about those, but never gave it a shot myself...
Local auctions can be hit or miss, honestly. I've seen some good deals, but you gotta factor in extra costs like back taxes or liens. Ever looked into tax deed sales? Those can be interesting, though a bit complicated at first...
I've heard tax deed sales can be pretty intriguing, but aren't they a bit risky too? Like, what happens if the previous owner redeems the property—do you lose everything you've invested? I've always wondered how often that actually happens. Still, props for digging into something a little more complicated... seems like that's where the real hidden gems might be hiding.
I've looked into tax deed sales before, and yeah, they're definitely intriguing but can get messy fast. Had a client who snagged a property through one, spent a decent chunk on renovations, then the original owner redeemed it. She got reimbursed, but it was a headache sorting out the details...