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Updated over 6 years ago, 05/03/2018

User Stats

110
Posts
113
Votes
Stephen Shelton
  • Debary, FL
113
Votes |
110
Posts

Those handmade real estate signs at intersections

Stephen Shelton
  • Debary, FL
Posted

In my area it's not uncommon to find little signs at intersections looking to either buy ugly homes or to sell a house to an investor to flip.  These hand-written signs are there one day, and gone the next.

What are these? My educated guess is that they are done by local house wholesalers hoping to make a profit, but are they something else? A scam perhaps? Call up and I have to attend some scammy seminar first? Anyone here ever acquire a home through something like this?

I find them tempting because if it is just a legitimate wholesaler out selling homes I never even knew existed then it could be a great connection to have, but if these have a reputation of being scams then I'd rather stay away.

User Stats

2,079
Posts
896
Votes
Shawn Mcenteer
Agent
  • Realtor
  • Boonton Township, NJ
896
Votes |
2,079
Posts
Shawn Mcenteer
Agent
  • Realtor
  • Boonton Township, NJ
Replied

Most of the ones I have called in my area are wholesalers.  call some and find out, I think you will find similar results I found.

  • Shawn Mcenteer
  • 9739753895
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Living In North Jersey
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Account Closed
  • Specialist
  • Houston, TX
41
Votes |
68
Posts
Account Closed
  • Specialist
  • Houston, TX
Replied

It is a common wholesaling strategy. Honestly, I am not sure if it is even legal. Never done it myself before. 

I think its a mixed bag about who you might find from those signs. Some of the best wholesalers I know market in literally every way possible (including signage). Who knows? You might meet a great business partner. 

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User Stats

110
Posts
113
Votes
Stephen Shelton
  • Debary, FL
113
Votes |
110
Posts
Stephen Shelton
  • Debary, FL
Replied

Wholesalers. That's what I thought. I might be worth it to look into one, but I'd rather research a bit before approaching one especially since I can't buy another property for a few months at a minimum. I plugged a phone number into a search engine and came up with nothing.

BTW I found it odd that this website didn't alert me to the presence of these two responses.

User Stats

22,059
Posts
14,124
Votes
Jon Holdman
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Mercer Island, WA
14,124
Votes |
22,059
Posts
Jon Holdman
  • Rental Property Investor
  • Mercer Island, WA
ModeratorReplied

They're "bandit signs".  They're illegal almost everywhere.  Usually put up by (wannabe) wholesalers.  The phone numbers are usually a burner phone or a burner number.  Using your real phone number makes it too easy for code enforcement to track down the bandit.