All Forum Posts by: May Emery

@Michael Hoffman Who are you sending your mail campaign to? 

@Kalfonn Desrosiers Good luck with your re-start-up! Marketing to find deals is crucial! Mail takes money but it has proven effective IF you get good lists.

While Absentee Owners with Equity have been the most popular for years, the problem is that too many people are mailing to the same people and selling to each other.

Consider working with a list broker who can make better suggestions for your market. 

Also plan a marketing message that talks about the benefits that you bring to the table. Paying cash-as-is is a "feature" the benefits are - they don't have to fix things up or have strangers traipsing through looking at everything.

@Ty Primers With both routes, you need to consider the list you are starting with and a message that differentiates. If you are sending mail and VM to the same Absentee Owners as everyone else.... well what makes you stand out?

Think about working with a list broker that can make suggestions for alternative targets. Maybe Seniors with Long-Time Ownership or Homeowners with Low Financial Stability Scores.

As for a message, something like

"Selling your home can be easier than you think" or "Have you thought about selling but think it's too much worK"

follow up with all the reasons why you will be easier to work with than going the traditional route.

"no fixing things up and no strangers traipsing through looking at your home"

@Cornelius Charles what list segment are you sending to? 

Consider working with a mailing list broker to come up with some alternatives. There are motivated segments that aren't sophisticated and could be overwhelmed at the idea of doing everything they need to do before listing their house. 

Think about Seniors with Long-time Ownership. You can send them a letter telling them the reasons why selling their house to you will be so much easier then going the traditional route. 

• They don't have to fix things up 
• they won't have strangers traipsing through their home looking at everything
• you will clear out everything they don't want to take with them
• You can suggest movers, yard sale people etc
• You can move fast and get cash right away

Another segment could be Homeowners with Low Financial Stability Scores (FSS). 

The important thing is you provide benefits and make it easy.

@James Danchus I wouldn't put all your faith in one list. This is especially true if you have competition with other investors in your area. I often hear that Absentee Owners are getting multiple offers to buy their homes. You can mail 5 cards to the same person that are getting mail from 15 other people as well.

Consider working with a list broker who can suggest multiple segments that you can combine for your campaigns. There are several out there that are effective - in part because you aren't competing with every other investor in your area. These might include Seniors with Long-time Ownership and Owners with Low Financial Stability Scores.

@wess Evans

Marketing is SOOO important for wholesaling. In fact, for any type of investing. If you don't find homes to buy, you don't have anything.

If you think that mail is a good way to find sellers, think about working with a list broker. They can make some suggestions so you aren't mailing to the same absentee owners that everyone else is mailing to. You could have a real value-add if you can have deals where the competition is much lower.

What segment are your targeting for your 2 sources? 500 is a pretty small group. If they are segments that other investors are targeting (like absentee owners) you might be better off getting additional names from other less popular lists. Consider working with a list broker.

@Jalisha Oracius Think about working with a list broker. They have access multiple types of lists and if they are experienced with real estate investing can make some good suggestions. Most of the time they don't charge more than the on-line sites.

Most people using the on-line sites are getting Absentee Owners with Equity. Unfortunately for people like you who are just starting out, the average absentee owner in good real estate areas are already getting multiple offers to buy their property. It's hard for you to fight for attention.

Think about other segments - such as Seniors with Long-time Ownership and Owners with Low Financial Stability Scores. Both these can include owner occupied and absentee so you aren't putting all your eggs in one basket so to speak.

Good luck!

@Carlos Aquino. I would suggest that you can work with a mailing list broker. They will be able to answer all your questions and make suggestions for lists.

Most lists don't come with phone numbers because the compilers tend to comply with the letter of the law for the federal do-not-call regulations.

I would suggest that you get a list - but mix up several segments. Too many other investors are trying to buy properties from other Absentee Owners. Consider owner occupied Seniors with Long-time Ownership or Owners with Low Financial Stability Scores (FSS).

You can always get a list of approx 1500 names for $150 and mail out 50-100 a week to spread out the expense.

@Evan Parker I agree with the other folks - 50 is WAY too small.

50 also seems like a small number of the total available. I ran a quick report for the city and came up with about 321 with the following: 2-4 Unit homes, absentee (172) and owner occupied (149), Home value $50-300K, high equity, eliminate trust owned.

I would suggest that you add in some full counties in the metro area.