What's the best segment to target with direct mail for deals to wholesale?

[James Dunn]

I'm getting ready to put together my first direct mail marketing campaign, and I'm wondering what sector you guys have had the best experience marketing to.

I'm currently looking to find properties that I can wholesale. Would you market to absentee owners? High equity owners? Foreclosures? all of the above? Something completely different? I've only got a small budget starting out that I can commit to for any length of time, so I want to target a segment that will give me a decent shot at getting a deal or two out of it. Then I can reinvest that money and contiually grow and expand the campaign.

[Dev Horn]

Absentees are your best target. High equity owner occupants - as a list - takes much longer to farm. and foreclosures generally don't have the equity necessary to bargain with you on price.

As incestuous as it sounds (because it is investors buying from other investors, get it? =), the "tired landlord" is the #1 profile.

P.S. I do like direct mail, but it takes time to fully develop as a lead source - see this free REI education video called the Rule of 7...