First wholesale deal

[Michael James Rutter]

This will be my first time investing in real estate. I would greatly appreciate any advice from anybody. Is it more wise to have a buyer lined up before getting the deal? How does the financing work for all three parties?

[Greg Dickerson]

 The first thing to do is make sure to check the laws and rules in your state. Several states are now requiring a real estate license to engage in wholesaling which is the assignment of a contract. 

 Next thing is to educate yourself on the process. There’s a lot of information online about wholesaling and how it works.

Here’s a summary of how to start.

You should talk to a real estate attorney or title company that works with investors in your area to ensure you are in compliance with any laws. They will also have the proper contracts as well.

Next you need to educate yourself on the business and your market. You really need to immerse yourself and learn all you can. Attend REI groups and meetups and network with other experienced investors.

Start with finding cash buyers. You want professional legitimate cash buyers so you know you can close on the deal and do what you tell the seller you will do. I can’t emphasize this point enough. You do not want to contract a property unless you know you can close it or take it down yourself.

Different types of cash buyers are flippers, buy and hold, subject to and lease option. You need to find several of each of these types of buyers and learn what they are looking for.

Best way to find cash buyers is networking at local REI meetups, masterminds, Facebook groups, Realtors, title companies, closing attorneys, property management companies, auctions, Craigslist, and bandit signs.

You can search real estate transactions in your tax database. Look for entities and individuals that have bought multiple properties. You may need to search by the address of the buyer as they may change their name or the name of the entity on each purchase. You can also buy lists from companies like list source and there are some REI software companies that have a cash buyer search feature.

Best way to find motivated sellers is to purchase lists and compile lists from city and county for 60-90-120 days late on mortgage, pre-foreclosure, delinquent taxes, water cutoff, code violation, probate, divorce, high equity, etc. and mail or cold call.

Other methods are driving for dollars, door knocking, wholesalers, craigslist, Realtors, FSBO sites, expired listings, foreclosure sites, put out bandit signs, billboards, newspapers, other offline publications.

You can use pay per click/adwords, facebook, Linkedin, Youtube, and other forms of online and social media.

Bottom line is consistency. You need to take consistent focused action every day, answer the phone when it rings and follow up and follow through.