MLS listings and/or Direct Marketing

[Shannon Bae]

Can you rely on MLS listings to find good investment deals or is it the case that any really great deal is going to be got before it ever gets listed?

[Jim Keller]

I buy fix and flip in the southern California market and my company has been a member of the MLS for over 15 years. I would consider myself an expert when searching and navagating the MLS and in my last 18 month as a full time active investor the only properties I have gotten under contract on the MLS are short sales. All the other deals well over 200 of them, some homeowner or some cash buy and hold investor has paid a higher number for.

In my first years as an agent my biggest lesson was that real estate is all about marketing. Your success as an investor will be determined by your ability to market your ability as an investor. The MLS will be only used by you to get the highest price possible for other properties you own..... this is its only function.

Most real estate agents are agents not investors. A huge majority of them think the MLS is where you find deals....... if you are told that ask them how many they own. My guess is that in any office with 25 agents 4 or 5 may own an investmenthat property all the others are someone you shouldn't liston to. They just don't have enough experiance.

I know this because it was me for years.... read all you can. A good book is garry keller's book the millionaire real estate investor.  Good first start.