You may want to utilize the limited services of a licensed real estate agent. I would not sign an exclusivity agreement with one, but certainly make friends with real estate agents. They can look at MLS listings each morning for you. Tell the agent exactly what you are looking for and the agent can check a certain zip code or area in a price range each day. I have an agent friend who looks each day for me and it only takes a few minutes. He emails me the listing info and then I drive by the houses. My criteria is ZIP, 3/2, under $75,000. It’s a pretty simple search and he emails me directly from the MLS site. Ask the agent to search only new listings and price changes once existing listings have been searched. The more agents who know what you are looking for, the better your chances are of finding what you want. I usually do an email blitz to a free list of local agents about once a month blasting what I am looking for. I get contacted by about 20% with some leads. They all understand that they are not the only agent looking for me and I have made some good connections this way.
