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

Yes! It’s called off-market outreach—just be respectful, don’t pressure, and keep it simple (“If you ever consider selling, I’d love the opportunity to talk.”).

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!