The Rookie’s Ultimate Guide to Buying Off-Market Properties (2026)

Episode #726 Struggling to find _great_ real estate deals on the MLS? What if we told you some of the _best_ rental properties are often found elsewhere? If you want *better cash flow and bigger margins,* you may need to *start looking for off-market properties.* Thankfully, today’s guest is an expert on these types of deals and will show YOU exactly how to find them! Welcome back to the _Real Estate Rookie_ podcast! When *Janelle Carlson* first started investing in real estate several years ago, she would find properties like most new investors do—on the MLS. But around 2021, something changed. With record-low mortgage rates and properties often selling for above asking price, the *deals started drying up.* So, Janelle started looking off-market instead and had _enormous_ success. Today, *she does over 30 off-market deals per year!* With a little *time, effort, and Janelle’s blueprint,* you could *buy your first or next off-market property* this year, too. In this episode, she shows you where to look for leads, the different types of strategies to use, and the secrets to negotiating a home-run deal! Episode Show Notes: https://lnk.to/realestaterookieYT Join BiggerPockets for FREE 👇 https://www.biggerpockets.com/signup?utm_source=owned_media 🎉Join us at the BiggerPockets Conference October 2-4 in Orlando. Buy tickets: https://biggerpockets.com/bpcon2026 Grab the Book, _Real Estate Deal Maker_ : https://store.biggerpockets.com/products/real-estate-deal-maker?utm_source=owned_media Sign Up for the Investor Brief Newsletter: https://www.biggerpockets.com/email-subscribe?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Find an Investor-Friendly Agent in Your Area: http://biggerpockets.com/agentmatch How to Find Off-Market Properties Faster Than Your Competition: https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/how-to-find-off-market-deals-faster-than-your-competition?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Connect with Janelle: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/janellec6?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Connect with Ashley and Tony: Ashley: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/ashkehr?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=description&utm_campaign=none Tony: https://www.biggerpockets.com/users/tonyr75?utm_sourc 00:32 Ghosted on Her First Deal! 06:52 Off-Market vs. On-Market 09:04 Janelle’s BEST Deal 12:08 Buying Off-Market (Step by Step) 18:32 What Is Pay Per Lead (PPL)? 23:41 The Direct Mail Strategy 29:55 Remote Investing 101 33:30 Turning Leads Into Deals 38:28 How to Find Off-Market Deals 41:58 Connect with Janelle!