Off-market rental deals for buy-and-hold and BRRRR investors
Rental investors buy below market, rehab, rent and keep or refinance. Off-market, the best sellers are often tired landlords: owners far away, who have held a long time, with code cases or evictions. County records show owner address, years owned, how many parcels they own and tax status.
Who sells a rental
- Absentee and out-of-state owners.
- Owners with many parcels or a house that has been held a long time.
- Landlords with open code cases, evictions or unpaid tax.
- Heirs who inherited a rental and do not want to manage it.
How to work the list
- Start with absentee or out-of-state owners, then add years owned or tax status. Absentee alone is a very large list and a starting filter, not a buying signal.
- Look at the owner profile: how many properties they own in the county.
- Write to the mailing address with a simple, honest letter.
- Ask about tenants, lease dates and rent before you make an offer.
The numbers
Check rent against price with the cash-flow, cap-rate and DSCR calculators. If you plan to refinance, the appraisal and your lender's rules decide the result. Tenants in place change the timeline.
What to know
Absentee lists are well worked in competitive markets, which is why a lower-traffic source and a short list matter. Records do not show rent, repairs or the lease. Verify with the seller.
Official sources and further reading
Outside sites are run by their owners. General information, not legal or financial advice.
Questions
What is a tired landlord?
An owner who is far away, has held a long time and may have code cases, evictions or tax trouble, and may want out.
How do I find landlords who want to sell?
Combine absentee owner with years owned and signals such as code cases, then write to them.
What is BRRRR?
Buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat. It depends on the appraisal and lender rules.
How we make these guides
Written by the LeadCounty editorial and data team from official county, court and state sources and our own weekly counts. We name the office behind every number, say what we cannot see, and fix mistakes when you tell us. See our editorial standards and methodology. General information, not legal or financial advice. Refreshed weekly.
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