Let’s be real, every flipper and their cousin is scanning the MLS daily, hunting for that mythical underpriced deal. But the truth?

By the time a deal hits the MLS, it’s too late:

• Agents have already pitched it to their investor lists

• Bidding wars drive up the price

• The seller’s expectations are set by retail comps

If you want high-margin flips with less competition, you need to go where most investors aren’t looking.

Here are 5 overlooked deal sources flippers should be mining regularly, each one capable of delivering undervalued, under-the-radar flip opportunities if you work them right.

1. Code Violation Data (Seriously, Again)

Yes, we just covered this in detail, but it bears repeating.

Code violation data is free, public, and wildly underused.

What makes it powerful:

• You’re not buying a list, so less competition

• Each lead comes with a documented sign of distress

• You can filter by violation type, repeat offenders, and time since issue

How to make it work:

• Pull your city or county's most recent open violations

• Filter for residential properties in flippable zip codes

• Prioritize overgrown yards, structural issues, and hoarding complaints

• Combine with skip tracing and direct outreach

Pro Tip: Use FOIA requests to go deeper, ask for all unresolved residential violations in the last 6 months.

2. Facebook Marketplace

It’s not just for couches.

Facebook Marketplace has quietly become a backchannel for distressed sellers, especially:

• Landlords trying to offload tenant-occupied homes

• Sellers are testing the waters before listing

• Out-of-area owners posting FSBO-style listings

• Flippers and wholesalers are dropping rough properties

What to look for:

• Listings with low engagement or terrible photos

• Posts that mention: “needs TLC,” “not for everyone,” or “bring your contractor”

• Homes listed well under the neighborhood average

• Clues like: “seller out of state,” “must sell fast,” or “will consider all offers”

How to work it:

• Use keywords like “handyman,” “fixer,” “as-is,” “fire damaged”

• Search by zip code, not just city

• Send simple, direct DMs asking if they’d consider a cash, as-is sale

Be ready to move fast. Many sellers respond to the first real offer.

3. Local Eviction Records

Here’s a brutal truth: Evictions usually trigger a motivation spike.

When a landlord:

• Goes through an expensive court process

• Deals with property damage

• Misses 2–3 months of rent

• Faces re-lease costs and stress

They often start thinking: “I’m done. Just get this thing off my hands.”

Most counties publish recent eviction filings weekly. Some tools (like PropStream or Reonomy) pull this data, but you can also check:

• Your local court records portal

• County clerk’s website

• Legal notices in small newspapers

Filter by:

• Properties owned by individuals (not LLCs)

• Repeat landlords with multiple filings

• Cases that recently closed with judgment

Then skip trace and reach out with empathy.

4. Burned-Out Wholesalers

Not every wholesaler is closing every deal.

Many:

• Lock up properties they can’t move

• Overpromise and underdeliver

• Need a quick out when time’s running out

Here’s how to become their safety net:

• Join local wholesaler groups on Facebook and Discord

• Sign up for multiple wholesaler email lists

• Watch for deals that get re-sent multiple times with lower prices

• Reach out and offer a soft pass bid: “If no one bites, I’ll take it at $X.”

Why it works:

• You’re solving their problem

• You get the property at a discount

• You didn’t have to market or negotiate with the seller

Sometimes, you’ll even get a deal with earnest money already locked in and inspection already done.

5. Tired Landlords with Bad Google Reviews

This is one of the most creative (and reliable) strategies for locating flip-worthy properties that most investors never think of.

What to do:

• Search “[city] property management company” or “[city] apartments”

• Look for 1–2 star reviews complaining about:

  • Poor maintenance

  • Ignored repair requests

  • Unsafe conditions

• Identify the property name/address

• Cross-reference the owner (county records or PropStream)

• Reach out directly:

“Hi, I saw [property] had a few tenant issues. I’m a local investor. Would you consider selling it as-is?”

Why it works:

• Public complaints = red flags for deferred maintenance

• Small landlords may be embarrassed or overwhelmed

• You're offering an exit, not a fight

You won’t hit every time, but when it does… you’re getting a distressed property, with high repair potential, and a motivated seller.

Bonus: Stack the Sources

Each of these sources is powerful on its own. But the real edge?

Stack multiple distress signals.

Example:

• A property has code violations

• It also had an eviction filing last month

• It’s now listed by the owner on Facebook Marketplace with bad photos

That’s a triple distress lead, and likely ripe for a low competition, high-margin flip.

Set up filters and processes that catch this stacking effect. You can even build a Google Sheet or simple CRM that flags multiple matches.

Making These Sources Work

• Consistency wins. Don’t cherry-pick leads once a month. Build a habit or outsource it.

• Track your outreach. Most flippers don’t follow up. Be the one who does.

• Don’t expect freebies. You still have to work the lead like any other funnel.

• Build systems. Use Zapier, Airtable, or REsimpli to track, tag, and move leads.

• Be human. Every seller has a story, especially when it comes to distress. Listen before you pitch.

Better Leads Mean Better Margins

If you’re tired of:

• Getting outbid on MLS

• Hearing “it sold already” from wholesalers

• Running the same tired PPC ads as every other investor…

Start looking where others won’t.

These 5 overlooked lead sources are quietly fueling some of the most profitable flips in the business, if you’re willing to work them.

And the best part?

Most of your competition is too lazy to even try.