Direct mail: lists and mailing to trusts?

Question

Hi, I just recently joined bigger pockets. Man, this site is amazing .. wish I would have discovered it years ago. I have been house flipping for several years now in the Sacramento area. Mainly we have been doing short sales, and finding deals through the MLS and other business connections. Obviously the deals are drying up on the MLS these days so I've finally started my direct mail campaign and I have several questions.

First, my main list is high equity, absentee owners in my area. I would like to also get a list for vacant/substandard homes and recent landlords who went through evictions, but I'm finding these lists a lil tougher to get a hold of. The county says they don't have em. Any recommendation on how to get my hands on these lists for a reasonable price?

Second, what is the verdict on mailing to trusts? Is it worth sending a letter to family trusts, revoc, or irrevoc trusts?

Rick H. · Answer

If the question is to include trust-owned property in your campaigns, I'd say yes.

I think a better question has more to do with the triggers that people who have done some estate planning respond to.

I'm not the big fan of mailing to absentee owners without either a massive multi-media campaign which hit pain-specific triggers with matching USP's or a data list overlay such as default, tax default, deceased, etc.

Had lunch today with a friend who mails large 20K piece drops and knows how to measure his responses and ROI. Impressive logic.

Another approach that I prefer is to segment lists into sub-lists and nano-niches and spend more, not less, in reaching exactly the ideal prospect with the  perfect message arriving at the right time after a sequence of touches has conditioned them to be predisposed to buy.

Sound far fetched? Not when well planned and executed.

Kim Stofan · Answer

Thanks for this thread.  I had a question about mailing to a property that is titled in a trust...

I found a vacant home next door to my friend's house.  He told me that the owner had past away recently.  I found that the property is in owned in a trust.  Should I mail to the actual property address, the address of the trust, or both?    Thanks ahead of time!

Richard Anthony · Answer

I definitely recommend mailing to family trusts. I have bought three homes in the last year by direct mail to trusts and have one in escrow currently just waiting for all the paperwork to get lined up correctly. The potential deal is worth the price of a stamp in my opinion.

Dave Boswell · Answer

thank you everyone for the response and feedback

@Brian G.thanks for answering my questions it definitely gave me clarity and direction.

Brian G. · Answer

@Dave Boswell welcome to the site. If you are a flipper then you are ahead of many. Most of the vacant homes lists will be produced once you start your direct mail campaign (returned mail). Depending on competition this could be your and only your list (love the exclusivity). Make sure to have a grandfather list based on desired high equity. This way you know the returned mail is from a qualified property. Regarding evictions, you can take your absentee owners and start looking up their names at the online court records. Tedious but once again this is almost exclusive (hard is easy and easy is hard). Then Trusts, well here is tough to pinpoint how to reach trustees vs. beneficiaries and the group is (in my opinion) more sophisticated/difficult to deal with. Some could be your own competition (investors) trying to circumvent due-on sale clauses from creditors (a more complicated topic). I am better employing my marketing dollars somewhere else... As a side note, you should never stop looking at the MLS, many investors are placing propeties there at discount levels that could make you money. If no linked yet make sure your realtor sets you up with a live feed directly to your inbox. Wake up early, run your number, walk-through by 8am and place your offer by 9am. All the best and "work-hard-play-hard"...

Michael Quarles · Answer

I’m using the naked yellow letter.  I am loving the price point and ROI.

David Ato · Answer

Do you mail to absentee owners or trusts. I mail alot to tax sale foreclosure?

David Ato · Answer

yellow letter

Will Stahl · Answer

Does anyone use a specific type of letter when mailing to trusts?

Dave Ato · Answer

Is anyone still having success with direct mail marketing to trust.

Direct mail: lists and mailing to trusts?

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