REI Reply - Too Good To Be True?

[Tucker Cummings]

Wondering if any wholesalers or other investors have used this software service, REI Reply. Seems too good to be true and wisdom tells me that it probably is. But hey, maybe they've cracked the code or something. I think this is a relatively new service, just kicked off in April.

https://www.reireply.com/

Has anybody used this yet and have results that they could share? If it's legit, I might put it into my toolbelt.

Thanks BP Homies!

[Chris Podkowa]

@w phillpots,

im with you there. That's what I found about this platform. I'm using it and making deals. That's all I care weather anyone else likes or not.

[Mauriel Strawbridge]

@Chris White I think you about summed it up right!  But who am I, I only have "2" posts...lol

[Nick Q.]

All bickering aside, how is the texting service that REI Reply provides TCPA compliant?

[Tucker Cummings]

Welp... here I am, almost 10am EST Monday, when REI Reply CEO, David Espaillat, and their head of support, Susan Ishman, said they would have a zoom call with me to discuss the product/service. At this point, between the flood of posts (more on that below), those posts being very similar in content, the owner and staff admission to sending people here to post, then DM'ing me to invite me for a Zoom call, then ghosting me, after clearing my morning from my W2... I'm done. I won't wait until the last minute to get an invitation, which I provided my email for them to be proactive in blocking our time.

1. For the people that have few posts and left a review - I think you're real people, I think you're good people, I think you genuinely mean well and were trying to help. However, it just became a situation of overselling and seemed disingenuous. Again, I think all of you as individuals meant well, but the volume of the posts was what raised suspicion. It just seemed at first it was a VA with multiple profiles (which I don't think anymore), and now just seems like you were offered an incentive to make a comment here. When there is an incentive thrown in, it stops being real. How many of us have left a positive Google or Yelp review, even when it might have been less than stellar, just to get few dollars off our next meal or something similar? I know I have.

2. In my opinion (everyone is entitled to their own wrong opinion), if you're the owner of a company, it seems like the more professional thing to do would be to do invite me to a zoom call in the first place. Not send a bunch of people over, realize your followers are overdoing it (again, not your fault users), then have to back track and salvage it. We all make mistakes, but when you're a business owner, especially a web based software, you just have to be extremely careful with your actions. 

3. I just think its strange that when I google David and REI Reply, nothing comes up. Then when there was another post about this being a rip off more expensive version of another company... just weird to me.

4. I see there are a lot of other capabilities, but RVM and Text blasting is getting cracked down on. If that's their bread and butter (and I recognize there are other things on their platform). How sustainable is this company? What is their business model? What happens when RVM and Text blast become either illegal or blocked more intensively by carriers? I don't know the answer, but it doesn't seem to be a fit for me and how I'd like to conduct business.

5. I made a comment about being stoked about front page of BP... apparently sarcasm is tough to pick up on here. Really don't care about the vanity. Just wanted a product review lol 

All being said, for the users, I'm sure you're great and I'm glad you found a good service that's working for you. It's just not for me. Please don't hate me for it. Deuces. 

MEANWHILE, speak of the flippin' devil, who else just got the email from BP this morning about their BP reviews service? Who else is thinking we should just toss this up to them to decide? Upvotes for review?

[Tucker Cummings]

Originally posted by @Tucker Cummings:

Welp... here I am, almost 10am EST Monday, when REI Reply CEO, David Espaillat, and their head of support, Susan Ishman, said they would have a zoom call with me to discuss the product/service. At this point, between the flood of posts (more on that below), those posts being very similar in content, the owner and staff admission to sending people here to post, then DM'ing me to invite me for a Zoom call, then ghosting me, after clearing my morning from my W2... I'm done. I won't wait until the last minute to get an invitation, which I provided my email for them to be proactive in blocking our time.

1. For the people that have few posts and left a review - I think you're real people, I think you're good people, I think you genuinely mean well and were trying to help. However, it just became a situation of overselling and seemed disingenuous. Again, I think all of you as individuals meant well, but the volume of the posts was what raised suspicion. It just seemed at first it was a VA with multiple profiles (which I don't think anymore), and now just seems like you were offered an incentive to make a comment here. When there is an incentive thrown in, it stops being real. How many of us have left a positive Google or Yelp review, even when it might have been less than stellar, just to get few dollars off our next meal or something similar? I know I have.

2. In my opinion (everyone is entitled to their own wrong opinion), if you're the owner of a company, it seems like the more professional thing to do would be to do invite me to a zoom call in the first place. Not send a bunch of people over, realize your followers are overdoing it (again, not your fault users), then have to back track and salvage it. We all make mistakes, but when you're a business owner, especially a web based software, you just have to be extremely careful with your actions. 

3. I just think its strange that when I google David and REI Reply, nothing comes up. Then when there was another post about this being a rip off more expensive version of another company... just weird to me.

4. I see there are a lot of other capabilities, but RVM and Text blasting is getting cracked down on. If that's their bread and butter (and I recognize there are other things on their platform). How sustainable is this company? What is their business model? What happens when RVM and Text blast become either illegal or blocked more intensively by carriers? I don't know the answer, but it doesn't seem to be a fit for me and how I'd like to conduct business.

5. I made a comment about being stoked about front page of BP... apparently sarcasm is tough to pick up on here. Really don't care about the vanity. Just wanted a product review lol 

All being said, for the users, I'm sure you're great and I'm glad you found a good service that's working for you. It's just not for me. Please don't hate me for it. Deuces. 

MEANWHILE, speak of the flippin' devil, who else just got the email from BP this morning about their BP reviews service? Who else is thinking we should just toss this up to them to decide? Upvotes for review?

MEANWHILE MEANWHILE - thought it would be worth mentioning that while I was typing this, they messaged me for the Zoom call. In my line of work, we don't wait 5 minutes before the call to set the meeting. We send the invitations with the conference line credentials well ahead of time to be proactive. Soooo they tried. Just thought I'd throw it in there.

[Chris White]

@Tucker Cummings best of luck brother! 

[Jason Gonzales]

@Tucker Cummings

It is a white label version of Go High Level platform. A little disappointed about that but not enough for me to leave. The website has the list of all the team members which is clearly models from the internet it looks like. Kinda looks spammish But other than that, it does do a good job on automation the triggers are already set up in there that makes it easier to get started. So far been working well for me.

[Jay Johnson]

@Nick because the numbers being generated are coming from Twilio, the platform leverages the TCPA compliance guidelines they set forth when you choose your numbers. The platform will first recognize landlines that it can't communicate with and automatically recognizes keywords in your text conversation thread in addition to the number being dialed and will filter them out. In my opinion, it best to do this before loading your numbers up and running a campaign. Most just won't take the time. Batch Litigator Scrub is a free service that you can do this with. Hope that helps.

[Chris Podkowa]

Nick Q,

yes it is compliant. "Text stop to opt out" and and that number is removed from the campaign. 

[Chris Podkowa]

Originally posted by @Jonathan Greene:

@Chris Podkowa, why do you and others keep asking everyone seeing this to call them up and talk to them? I would guess you are about the tenth person to use that same language. The disparity between the pro-REI Reply posters and people like me are that we are talking about two different things. You guys are talking about an REI product that you've used and love so much and are convinced it is amazing - great. None of us are arguing for or against that. The other side of this coin, that is slowly climbing up Google on the REI Reply Google Search, is that none of us have used the product or even care about it at all. We are all commenting on the client-spamming and how and why it is being done, which is reflective of the company behind the product and the incentivization being offered. Not one of us has mentioned that the product doesn't work or doesn't do what it says it does, we just don't care and compared what it purports to do to some of the things that bother us - spamming sellers just like this forum is being spammed. We are professional, long-term investors who don't need another product. It's not novel, there are a million of all the apps and CRMs. And if it turns out to be great, good for you and good for them, but that's not our point.

@Chris White all you are doing is digging a deeper trench for both yourself and the company that you pledge allegiance to. If you go back and read what all of you guys said, it's literally all the same. If I did a keyword search through all of your posts, the same terms would come back on 75% of them. There is no win in this battle for you. What are you trying to win? It's comedy for us. The post numbers are important because why now for everyone, why is everyone so excited about REI Reply when they've never been active on these forums. What level of investors are using the service? It looked like, at least in here, 80% or more very new investors which is the exact marketplace that gets taken advantage of the most.

Anyone who uses it and it works for them, good for you, but don't try to crack back on professional investors who are leery of another new gizmo with canned testimonials and forced page traffic on a forum post where pitching of products is illegal in the forums anyway.

 Well what would you like to know? Yes it is compliant, one of the biggest things I like is the fact that they do not mark up the cost of RVM drops and sms messages. It's the same cost from the Twilio site. Sms .007 & RVM .008. So for more features is that the only thing they are really charging for is the program and use. It's got plenty of capabilities. Do full email campaigns, just RVM or just SMS. As of now they aren't like other services and marking up on other things like the numbers or the number services. I have been getting the same results as I have from other systems. This just offers more than others. It's got a direct link to propstream so you don't have to switch back and forth. It's also about 1/2 the price as other systems and does what it should. It works for me. If anyone would like to know more, just ask. Thanks

[Jonathan Greene]

Oh my goodness @Chris Podkowa you are literally proving the point of the negativity in the thread. None of us, the lifelong investors, care about the product. We care about new investors coming into the forum to flog a product when it's obvious there is an incentive. Every time one of you REI Reply users makes another comment, you elongate this thread that we can all guarantee you is NOT helping REI Reply in any way. Just let it die on the vine. For the sake of the product that you all want to massage baby oil all over and take to the beach on a nice summer's day, sipping a Mai Tai, and of course, crushing real estate on an app, just let this thread rest in peace.

[Patrick Jackson]

@Robert L. Hi Robert. Can you explain a bit how Podio failed in automation. Ive been using and programming it for about 6 years now. Before Citrix picked it up it had many challenges but I’ve learned to dig in to Globiflow and build out some good automation workflows. I now even use it for rehab project management. I’d like to know your challenges as I’m always looking to improve.

[Anthony Ellison]

Signed up for this product. I mean it was on $50, one deal will be worth it. Will leave a review after a few weeks of use.

[Ben Seitz]

Well I’m looking into this product and was searching reviews. What I get from this post.

1. The product is supporting itself. Some are calling it spam. I see it as strong marketing (what needs to be done to get your product out there now a days)

2. There are about 2 gentlemen on here who are backed by their ego and have to be right.

3. It’s $50 a month!!!! OP was concerned about having his money being spent on a dream vacation. SHOOT! I worry that when I pay my mortgage every month to a bank lmao.

I’ve been looking for an RVM and text blast service that also has a mobile app because I work full time with crazy hours outside of this. This product has all of that. I believe I will be signing up for this in the very near future. I will keep you guys updated.

FYI I sure as hell don’t work for anybody here

[Jonathan Greene]

I can't believe people want to bring this thread back to life, but since you did:

What would compel someone who is just considering a product to read the thread and then comment, before even using the product? And in a shocker, another person without a profile photo.

No one called the product SPAM, only this forum and/or the text spamming of the industry. And since you asked, what needs to be done to get your product out there is not to send 30 people into a forum to dispute a random question asked by a user where a couple of "gentlemen" tried to warn new investors not to trust another shiny object where they tell you on the site that you get a discount for doing a video testimonial.

I don't have to be right, which is another sign you didn't read the comments and are another harbinger of REI Reply sent here to try to "turn the thread around." What would I want to be right about? I have never used the product and don't care if it works or not. 99% of the thread is about the company and what they are doing which may well relate to how the product works. I noted numerous times that the more people add to the thread, the higher it will rank on Google and potential surpass the own company, but still, ye persist.

Who in the world drops into a forum to dry run the leg of a company that the "believe they will be signing up for in the very near future."

Please, please, I can't wait for your updates @Ben Seitz. I think I can speak for the entire real estate industry by saying, we will all be waiting on your review.

[Ben Seitz]

@Jonathan Greene

Back to life? It’s not even 3 weeks old lol. I think you’re the only one stressing about this thread bud. Maybe just turn the notifications off and your life will

be simpler haha

[Angelo Trotter]

Well..., I can say this thread has been truly enlightening and entertaining. As someone who's doing due diligence, little resources that I am willing to throw away or experiment with, I learned about REI Reply while doing so and wanted to see if I could find some reviews and honest feedback.

@Tucker Cummings Thank you for posing the question! Lol! I agree you shouldn't feel bad about asking both of the questions too! How else are you going to find out? (I have six friends that teach me all I know: Who? What? When? Where? Why? And How? They're my best friends and never let me down.)

After taking all this in (*whew!*), this question is posed to @Jonathan Greene and @Nicky Reader: As experienced investors, what reasonably priced and effective resources/tools that you use (or have used) would you recommend to new investors to accomplish the objectives that REI Reply appears to target?

Thank you in advance for your time and attention!

[Todd Wetzelberger]

tucker-- all-- iv'e been full time re/ note investor for 25yrs and was long time user of podio with integrations- have used just about all the CRM's- Zoho, salesforce, podio, AMO Crm (russian developer) and was burnt out testing all of them. had decided to stay wity podio until partner said "you have to try REI Reply..." I was reluctant but agreed to it

it's our glue that holds our leads together-- David and Susan have great support, price point is excellent- it will probably go up, training videos (if you invest time watching them) are great and ability to voice, text, campaigns, FB ad integration etc are great

no CRM is perfect-- I miss ability to upload docs to podio lead-- like a lead sheet, comps, etc but that ability is in the works

we process thousands of leads and REI Reply is our CRM of choice

hope that's helpful

[Patrick Jackson]

@Tucker Cummings I’ve used Podio for 7 years now for the fact that I can tailor it for my overall operations.

For wholesaling, I use it to manage the tasks associated with my workflows and customize it based on changes to my needs.

If it becomes and fix and flip I use Podio to manage my projects from beginning to end and allows me to record and track expenses even from the point of taking a photo of a receipt and categorizing it on the spot. It also allows me to communicate with contractors, solicit and award bids from within the tool and keep my projects on time, within budget and organized. If find this very important for operations.

For buy and hold, I have tailored Podio for property management by creating my apps that keep track of lease start to end, property inventory and maintenance records.

So all in all I have found that being able to create and customize my own apps and workflows has me locked in to a product that has been around and owned by a company (Citrix) that is not going anywhere. Being able to text blast or RVM is not at the top of my list for features.

This is how I do things and I only post to give my own perspective.

[Renee Monegain]

I met a young man who is only 26 and he just started wholesaling a year ago. He has done 50 deals and that is the service he uses and recommended to me.  He sends out 100 text per number, and does RVMs.  He does not cold call at all.  So thats pretty damn good.  I am going to give it a try.  He is doing deals regularly and he allows me to listen in on his calls with buyers and sellers.  So it works for him and his partner. Blessings

[Lianna Alcock]

I wanted to post on this thread, a little nervous about it want to give my two cents. Ive been investing for about a year. I do everything virtual from Canada! Im a very analytical person so I have probably tried almost every crm, sms, rvm platform out there. No really I have LOL
I am a current user of REIReply - I actually started using Go High Level, then went to Go For Close and am now here. Yes it's a white label version of High Level but it does have added features like Zest MLS, an IVR system through Chirply and a Chatbot. Anyone who purchases the white label version can add whatever they want to it. There are a lot of people in the RE space, especially marketing agencies for FB Ads that use High Level as a white label for themselves. That's what the platform is based around, a marketing platform. You can call from it, sms, rvm, hook up to fb, see google ad account, fb ad accounts, build a funnel, have a website, make a membership page, it has a pipeline for your deals, you can have multiple pipelines for different revenue sources if you like, add multiple users with different phone numbers, each person can have their own vm, there is an app you can call and text from as well. So it does so a lot of things in the marketing world that are beneficial. I have never had a problem with any of the platforms I mentioned above. I know the owners of REI Reply and they are good people. Everyone makes stupid mistakes and yes I agree sending ppl here to comment is kind of stupid but we live and learn. I think we all know there are a TON of different programs out there for any one of us to pick and use. Probably too many if you really think about it. Some work for me while others may not work for you. It all boils down to what you marketing goal is and how you think you can best achieve that. We are all out here trying to make money and help people in distress, at least that's what Im trying to do. Im not here to say this system is better than any other it just works for me right now in my business, that could change who knows. It does what I need it to do and I am ok with it. I know I have not too many posts on this platform, I never come on here but I think my posts explains enough you can tell if Im being real or not. I will leave it at this - find something that works for you and go with it. It may be this platform, it may not and that is ok! Remember why we are all in the business - that's the point - not to sit here and argue over he said she said stuff :)
I hope you all have an amazing day and would love to connect with anyone so please feel free to reach out anytime!

[Curt Smith]

Since Lianna gave feed back I'll add my 2 cents.  I've been around the block buying my rentals via zillow/realtor email alerts, dirt simple.  But eats tons of cash for downs and coloscopies re bank loans.   I'm now marketing for low equity stressed sellers before they call an agent or after their listing expires and marketing via SMS.   I'm new to this technology but old hand at high tech and systems.

There are few tools in this SMS, RVM, email, integrated skip trace + list management + campaigns + automated filtering replies [stop, yes, no] into replied catagories (yet more campaigns).    Freedomsoft I'll guess does this, reireply, and Joe Crump's automarketure, probably only a few others.  IE very very few tools with all these features!   No built in direct mail post card campaign in reireply, which I don't care.   Propstream.com, which I also have, has that if I want to spend that kind of cash.

I use reww.com and propstream.com for exporting lead lists.  Propstream.com has the best "stacking" data types I know of.  Please share if you have propstream (or had) and know of a better lead tool?

My comments re reireply are;

- Great facebook support group!!!  Very active.

- Great support folks, text me at night checking on my problems (usesr training).

- Has every campaigning feature I can imagine.  This makes for a complicated system.  Tons of videos to learn.  

- Pretty good smart phone app.  Sellers sms reply and you get the conversation on your phone smart app.

- Only negative;  its full featured and a bit complicated.  But support and FB group helps.

- I believe its the cheapest to get started , $49/mo,  and cheapest to market to a list.  Per SMS costs via twilio are 1 penny per SMS depending on segments, which is cheap.

===

BTW if you want a free monthly just SMS transaction costs tool that is dirt basic have a look at:  theautomatedrei.com  it was initially designed to scrape leads off CL / zillow (fsbo) but you can also upload a list then SMS.   It has integrated skip trace.  Very few training videos.  It started out as a home brew project by an investor, so never got fully built out like reireply.  But its being supported by a developer so don't know todays features.

[Mark Shaver]

Please take my two cents too.

I watched the discussion with interest. I'd like to thank:

1. @Tucker Cummings for starting a fruitful discussion. I hope you have already found the CRM of your dreams.
2. REI Reply's users who signed up to leave good feedback on REI Reply.
3. @Jonathan Greene and other experienced members who have taught the community that mass good reviews of participants without posts can be initiated by the software developer.
4. Moderators who knew the cities and countries of new members by their IP addresses from the beginning. But the moderators allowed the community to show reasonable doubt and deal with the wave of positive feedback on their own.
5. REI Reply developers, who brought a dozen new members to the BiggerPockets using their software.

Thank you all! Your joint efforts set a precedent. Now the developers of new REI services represent the reaction of our community if someone organizes again the mass publication of good reviews by their users.

[Harold Pena]

I just paid this app (REIREPLY) and looks they try to stole my money! I can't sign in, im trying to call them and any of them phone numbers works, and obviously... they don't answer any ticket! Take care!

[Samuel C. Patterson]

Originally posted by @Harold Pena:

I just paid this app (REIREPLY) and looks they try to stole my money! I can't sign in, im trying to call them and any of them phone numbers works, and obviously... they don't answer any ticket! Take care!

They answer calls and tickets seven days per week, and provide weekly live training, get this. at 7pm on every Sunday. Why on earth would anyone want to take your $49 (no need to answer),  But listen...Send me your number, now....I'll call you now and conference you in with them