Yes in the past I also have had that happen. I would come across birddogs that would send me REOs and those didn’t work for me.
The yound man I have now works for the city streets dept and drives around all day. I told him EXACTLY what I was looking for…. No signs on house, no papers in windows or doors, no garbage cans out, no sprinkers out, no power running to house, no lock box, grown over with weeds and tall grass, boarded windows and doors, possible fence aorund it, spray painted and homeless possibly living in them and no one knows what’s up with the house.
These were clear instructions and he’s followed them to a T! I need to get organized as I currently have 26 houses like this and 6 cash buyers at hand! I gotta locate owners now and do a quick search on titles.