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Updated almost 10 years ago, 01/18/2015

User Stats

232
Posts
102
Votes
Jedd Braunwarth
  • Investor
  • Waconia, MN
102
Votes |
232
Posts

Biz phone number?

Jedd Braunwarth
  • Investor
  • Waconia, MN
Posted
What does everyone use for their investing phone number? Do you use personal cell phone, dedicated cell or other? I ask as I have a few cash flowing properties, manage them myself and have been slowly growing a real estate consulting biz helping others find buy and hold deals in Iowa and Minnesota. I am not getting rich with this so want to keep costs low at the moment. I really do not want to use my personal cell number with tenants and clients calling me. Also, what if I change that number for some reason in the future. So, back to my question now that I explained my situation, what would you use? Ideally I would have a dedicated phone number that I could then have it ring my cell or my wife's or whatever number I want, basically call forwarding.

User Stats

19
Posts
3
Votes
Chris Skjolsvik
  • Andover, MN
3
Votes |
19
Posts
Chris Skjolsvik
  • Andover, MN
Replied

Hi Jedd,

I use a Google Voice number for my real estate business.  You should be able to get one with your local area code and it's free!  Let me know if you have any questions.

Chris

User Stats

35
Posts
4
Votes
Janie Suarez
  • Grand Island, NE
4
Votes |
35
Posts
Janie Suarez
  • Grand Island, NE
Replied

Hello... Could you please explain a bit how to get a number with Google voice number?, and can people/costumers leave you voice mail? can you set up your own voice mail message? what phone you I need?

Thank you very much for your help, and have a great day.

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User Stats

371
Posts
284
Votes
John Blackman
  • Developer
  • Austin, TX
284
Votes |
371
Posts
John Blackman
  • Developer
  • Austin, TX
Replied

Google Voice is great for a business number.

https://www.google.com/voice/?setup=1#setup/

User Stats

7
Posts
2
Votes
Jason Cooper
  • Investor
  • West Des Moines, IA
2
Votes |
7
Posts
Jason Cooper
  • Investor
  • West Des Moines, IA
Replied

I use Google voice for my business number and it is great! I use freedom voice for marketing pieces.

User Stats

232
Posts
102
Votes
Jedd Braunwarth
  • Investor
  • Waconia, MN
102
Votes |
232
Posts
Jedd Braunwarth
  • Investor
  • Waconia, MN
Replied

Thanks all! This is exactly what I was looking for. I looked into Google voice a while back and never acted and actually forgot all about it. This is what I am going with. Thanks again!

User Stats

958
Posts
276
Votes
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
276
Votes |
958
Posts
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
Replied

+1 for Google Voice. You need a cell phone to use it. It forwards to your cell phone.

I haven't been able to set up multiple google voice numbers... anyone know how?

User Stats

141
Posts
29
Votes
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
29
Votes |
141
Posts
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
Replied

Google voice all the way.

Will F. You actually don't *need* to use GV with a cell phone. The virtual number can forward to any phone, landline or cell.

Also, you can only have 1 GV number per google account AFAIK. Just sign up for additional google accounts to get more numbers.

User Stats

141
Posts
29
Votes
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
29
Votes |
141
Posts
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
Replied

Oh and RingCentral for when your business grows and Google Voice doesn't cut it anymore.

Account Closed
  • Dallas, TX
744
Votes |
4,988
Posts
Account Closed
  • Dallas, TX
Replied

Does Google voice still have that unprofessional message that says states your name and Google voice will try to locate your party?


Joe Gore

User Stats

141
Posts
29
Votes
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
29
Votes |
141
Posts
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
Replied

Joe Gore you can disable that in options. It's called caller presentation or caller screening or something like that. Mine is configured to just ring but I have it set to pass the original caller's caller ID so I can use that to screen if necessary. If I don't answer it goes to the GV voicemail which you can set to whatever you like.

User Stats

340
Posts
111
Votes
Richelle T.
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Columbus, OH
111
Votes |
340
Posts
Richelle T.
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Columbus, OH
Replied

@Account Closed 

Nope it now has the option to ring like a normal  phone

User Stats

61
Posts
41
Votes
Josh Parra
  • Investor, Wholesaler
  • State College, PA
41
Votes |
61
Posts
Josh Parra
  • Investor, Wholesaler
  • State College, PA
Replied

We use google voice as well. The great thing about it is that you can search for a number that spells something out making it easy for people to remember. We actually played around with different words and found a combination in our area allowing us to have the number (781) 73 WE BUY

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User Stats

958
Posts
276
Votes
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
276
Votes |
958
Posts
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
Replied
Originally posted by @Curtis N.:

Google voice all the way.

Will F. You actually don't *need* to use GV with a cell phone. The virtual number can forward to any phone, landline or cell.

Also, you can only have 1 GV number per google account AFAIK. Just sign up for additional google accounts to get more numbers.

 Hey @Curtis N 

I tried making a second Google voice with another Google Account.  But I only have one phone, so it would not let me register a second Google voice.  So my understanding is that there's just one GV # per phone.  Any way to get around that?

User Stats

141
Posts
29
Votes
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
29
Votes |
141
Posts
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
Replied

@Will F. I think it will only let your register the number once as an actual Cell. If I remeber correctly when I set mine up, on the additional GV numbers you have to add your cell as a Work number or Home. The only downside is GV features for land lines aren't as robust as Cells but they can still receive calls. It still emails you texts and voicemails like normal. 

User Stats

958
Posts
276
Votes
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
276
Votes |
958
Posts
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
Replied

Thanks Curtis! Unfortunately, I only have one cell phone so I guess that only will let me have one GV?

I wanted to make separate numbers for some other areas I was thinking of investing like South FL and Las Vegas.

User Stats

141
Posts
29
Votes
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
29
Votes |
141
Posts
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
Replied

Will F. Like I said I think you actually can add the same number again and again on different accounts but when you add it to each account, you choose the "type" of phone. I think it only allows you to have a phone number listed as a Cell on one account. You can add the same cell on another account but list it as Office instead. It still works.

User Stats

958
Posts
276
Votes
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
276
Votes |
958
Posts
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
Replied

Ohhh I see thanks bud I'll try that!

Edit
:  Tried using it as a "work" number and it said "This number is already in use as a cell phone on another Google Voice account."  Perhaps they don't allow it any more

User Stats

141
Posts
29
Votes
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
29
Votes |
141
Posts
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
Replied

@Will F. Sorry, I should've been more clear.  The cell phone can't be listed as type "Cell" in any of the accounts.  The number can only be listed as "Office" or "Home" on all accounts.  Once it's added as a Cell, it won't let it be added anywhere else.

User Stats

141
Posts
29
Votes
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
29
Votes |
141
Posts
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
Replied

@Will F. in other words, go into your original account and change it to an office phone.  then you should be able to add it as an office phone under your new account.

User Stats

2
Posts
0
Votes
Dewey Wetzel
  • Real Estate Investor
  • Lemon Grove, CA
0
Votes |
2
Posts
Dewey Wetzel
  • Real Estate Investor
  • Lemon Grove, CA
Replied

You can get a free Google voice # that will forward to your private number or go directly to a dedicated voice mail !! you can set up several and monitor each line separately. I currently have two lines. both connected to my personal cell. I love it!!

User Stats

958
Posts
276
Votes
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
276
Votes |
958
Posts
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
Replied

@Curtis N. 

Awesome. That time it worked when I set up the original Cell as a Work number just as you said!! Woot wooooo!

Account Closed
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Oakland, CA
1,363
Votes |
730
Posts
Account Closed
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Oakland, CA
Replied

What about when you want to call the person back? Isn't your real cell phone number exposed?

User Stats

958
Posts
276
Votes
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
276
Votes |
958
Posts
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
Replied

@Account Closed you can call them from a Google Voice app on your phone or it can just link your phone to google voice and that GV number will show

User Stats

141
Posts
29
Votes
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
29
Votes |
141
Posts
Curtis N.
  • Northern, VA
Replied

@Will F. get her figured out?

User Stats

958
Posts
276
Votes
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
276
Votes |
958
Posts
Will F.
  • Investor
  • Los Angeles County, CA
Replied

Yup it worked when I set it up as office thanks a lot bud!