It certainly can be. Some owners are under the mistaken impression that their property is worth more simply because they own it. My grandfather used to call this being barn blind . You can overcome this, but it does require work on your part.
Costs are low and the commissions are fat.
Look for this to change in the future. Start calling property owners. Talk to the community in general - contractors, leasing agents, banks, etc. Let them know that you are interested in these properties. At the risk of sounding old fashioned, nothing beats personal contact.