Can I ask someone if they are willing to sell their home?

Yes you can. You may get mixed responses. If you have a real estate professional -- they can assist you in canvassing the neighborhood you are interested in living in. As long as you are not in a hurry -- this route is viable. Someone may take you up on your offer to buy their property -- try to remember that you may not have a lot of negotiation leverage since you what what they have without putting it on the open market!

Hi Carlos! You could ask people... but I would say the best option is to find a Realtor to work with and then have them assist you in finding an off-market property in the neighborhood you like. First, find a local Realtor - I would recommend interviewing 2-3 and and then choosing the one that you think you will get along with best, and one that will work with your real estate goals. I have done this for some of my clients in the past, and we have had a pretty good response rate. We send out a letter to a specific neighborhood on their behalf, explaining that we have a client interested in purchasing in this area and asking if they are looking to sell. Good luck!