First call with seller didn't go quite well, here are the details

[Daniel Tsikata]

Hello guys,

I’m a new real estate investor and new here on BP. I have been reading books, watching videos and listening to podcasts on real estate investment before sending out my first direct mail. I recently sent out multiple postcards to property owners in my area and got one phone call from a potential seller. Below are some of the things that came up during our conversation:

- He wanted to know how much I was willing to purchase the property for. (Since I have not seen the property in question and was not sure of what needs to be done to it, I made him aware that I cannot make an offer without first seeing the property. He still insisted and brought that up about 3 to 4 times). I ask when he is available to show the property but he said he will be out of town for 2 months (I feel he made that up from the tone of his voice just for me to make an offer).

- He also asked why we (my partner and I; as I informed him) wanted to purchase the property.

- My answer to that was that we approach every property differently:

1. I could use it as my personal residence (in which case I move in and house hack; that is move in and rent some of the rooms out - which I didn’t say to him btw)

2. Rent it out to others (And be a landlord)

3. Or Fix and flip depending on the condition of the property.

I was quite nervous during this call since it was my first time and I don’t think I was in control of the conversation. It was a great learning experience for me though.

My questions to the experts here who have done this before:

1. Was there anyway I could have answered these questions better? Could I have just made an offer?

2. Also, it’s been about a week since the call and I’m thinking of making a follow up call since he can not able show the property until after 2 months. What should I focus on when I call him?

Your thoughts will be much appreciated. Thank you

[Jay Hinrichs]

Originally posted by @Dennis M.:

When at the house When the seller talks slow you talk slow if he is putting his hands under his armpits you do that mimic him . Match his speed and tone . 

If your going out to see a low income house or a country mobile home don’t show up in a sports car wearing fancy designer clothes . Dress how they dress talk as they talk slow or speed up the conversation to match them . People want to deal with people like them . 

If the seller rambles on for an hour about their family or the house memories just sit and listen intently say nothing let them talk about themselves . You want to build trust and folks will talk about themselves all day

I call that porch time  and my partner when we were buying timber and timber land was the master.. Me to impatient so i stayed in the office or the truck..