In the age of big data, predictive analytics, and AI lead scoring… some of the best flip deals are still found the old-school way: by driving around neighborhoods and spotting distressed properties with your own eyes.

It’s not outdated. It’s underrated.

Because:

• Most investors don’t make time for it

• It’s not scalable unless you systematize it

• It takes patience, consistency, and boots-on-the-ground hustle

But that’s exactly why it works.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to build a lead list of 50–150 properties in a single weekend, using nothing but your car (or someone else’s), a smartphone, and a solid plan.

What Is Driving for Dollars?

Driving for dollars (DFD) means physically scouting neighborhoods to find properties that show signs of distress or neglect, then reaching out to the owners to see if they’re willing to sell.

What you’re looking for:

• Deferred maintenance

• Vacancy indicators

• Overgrown landscaping

• Boarded-up windows

• Piles of mail or trash

• General disrepair

The goal is simple: Spot properties before they hit any list.

Step 1: Choose the Right Neighborhoods

Not all areas are worth driving.

Your best bets:

• Older neighborhoods (built before 1990)

• Areas with rising comps but aging inventory

• Pockets with a mix of renovated and original homes

• Zip codes where you’ve already flipped or know buyers

How to narrow it down:

• Use PropStream, BatchLeads, or MLS to find high turnover zip codes

• Cross-reference with crime heat maps, school ratings, and walk scores

• Look for areas where flippers are already active, but not completely saturated

You want neighborhoods where it’s profitable to flip, but where not every home has been touched yet.

Step 2: Prep Your Tools Before You Hit the Road

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Smartphone with GPS

• Google Maps or a DFD app like DealMachine or LandGlide

• Spreadsheet or CRM (REsimpli, Podio, even Airtable works)

• Optional: dash cam or voice memos for notes

Make sure you can:

• Pin locations

• Take and store photos

• Log addresses and notes

• Export or sync to your lead database

Pro tip: Bring a second person, one drives, one logs.

Step 3: Learn to Spot Distress Like a Pro

What you're hunting for:

• Overgrown lawn or hedges

• Peeling paint

• Tarp on roof

• Boarded or broken windows

• Code enforcement sticker

• No window coverings

• Mail piled up or uncollected newspapers

• Rusted gutters or railings

• Multiple notices on the door

• For rent signs with missing contact info

You’re not judging people. You’re identifying signals of possible seller motivation.

One clear sign is enough, but if you spot 3+ signals, bump that lead to high priority.

Step 4: Build Your Weekend Route

Use Google Maps or a DFD app to:

• Draw a loop route through your target zip codes

• Hit both main streets and side streets

• Focus on dense housing areas, not rural pockets

• Budget 3–4 hours per day to cover multiple zones

Want to cover more ground? Use bicycles, scooters, or foot patrols in tight areas.

You should aim to log at least 50–100 addresses per day, depending on density.

Step 5: Document Every Lead

For each property:

• Take a photo (from the car)

• Note the address and street

• Add visible signs of distress

• Tag urgency (High, Medium, Low)

• Add owner name if visible (some post it on the door)

If using an app, this happens automatically. If going manual:

• Use Google Sheets to log everything

• Export address lists for skip tracing later

• Back up your photos and sort by date

Step 6: Skip Trace and Start Outreach Immediately

Don’t let leads go cold. As soon as your route ends:

• Skip trace the addresses with tools like PropStream, REI Skip, or BatchSkipTracing

• Get emails, phone numbers, and mailing addresses

• Send an outreach campaign using:

• Texts (if TCPA-compliant)

• Ringless voicemails

• Handwritten mailers

• Direct phone calls

• Track responses and engagement in your CRM

Best practice: Hit the lead within 24–48 hours of driving by.

Your message should reference something specific you noticed, so they know it’s not spam.

Step 7: Systematize If You Want to Scale

Once you’ve done it once, you can:

• Hire a college student, rideshare driver, or gig worker to drive for you

• Train them with a simple checklist and sample photos

• Pay per valid lead ($1–$3) or per hour ($15–$20)

• Review submissions weekly and push to your CRM

Some flippers build entire funnels off driving for dollars by creating weekly scouting teams.

Just make sure:

• Drivers know what distress looks like

• You provide exact routes

• You verify leads before outreach

Common Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

• Skipping weekends, Weekends have better traffic and open views

• Ignoring suburbs, some of the best flips are just outside the metro core

• Only focusing on ugly homes, some distressed owners maintain curb appeal

• Not following up, one text or postcard isn’t enough

• Failing to re-drive, every 3–6 months, routes need refreshing

DFD is not a one-and-done strategy. It’s a repeatable system if you want deal flow year-round.

What Makes DFD Flip Leads So Good?

• Exclusive intel, you found it before it hit any software

• Direct-to-seller control, No middleman, no assignment markup

• Strong negotiation leverage, You’re offering convenience and speed

• Low acquisition cost, you’re paying in time and gas, not listing fees

These are often as-is, fast-close, value-add deals, ideal for flips.

What to Do After the Weekend

By Monday morning, you should have:

• 75–150+ new leads with property details

• Photos and distress notes

• Exported spreadsheets for skip tracing

• A ready-to-run outreach sequence

This becomes a fresh pipeline, independent of list fatigue, software saturation, or market shifts.

It’s your own hand-curated flip database.

It’s Not Fancy, But It Works

Every serious flipper should drive for dollars at least once to train your eye, sharpen your instincts, and spot what data can’t see.

Yes, you can systematize it. Yes, you can scale it. But the foundation starts with just one weekend.

Tank full. Eyes open. Profit ahead.