All Forum Posts by: Nandy B.

@Sherrine Milton a true story(This is in Canada)

Hi, I'm a old timer RE agent back in1988& 1989, when listings are still printed on phone book sized book every two weeks. Cel phone was a expensive toy, 286 computer just showed up in the computer store & fax machine was a big thing & every agents carried a pager.

The day I get my license, I had been working in my own restaurant for 10 years. Restaurant were super busy back then. Before I got my license. I pick out my farm area. Like @Patrick D; said " sphere of influence". I knew a lot of people.

I also know I can not be Buyer agent that much because buyer agents needs a lot of time & energy to show properties. I decide to concentrate as listing agent. I can always do my marketing & meet clients on weekends & nights.

Base on the above two strategy, I can afford to be a 100% agents & pay my own desk fee($400)+ hire my own assistant($800) back then.

As a matter of fact. I remembered I got my license on Friday afternoon. I had lined up a buyer the next day Sat, morning @9:00AM. I lined up 5 showings.

I was lucky, I sold my first customer @ my first day@ my first showing(house) & earned an commission of $3,600. I was so excited that I ran into a small car accident the same morning. I will always remembered that moment.

I did a lot of open house on sat & sun. I sold 97% of my own listings.

So it can be done working a job & be a full time relator. You really have to organize your time & lost some sleep in between to accomplish the work.

I opened my own brokerage two years later & left the industry in 2001.

Up to this day, I still have my restaurant & do US RE investment at the same time. Especially with the technology today, it can be done.

1. Driving for dollars/walking the neighborhood for FSBOs and For Rents. Pick a farm area close to where you live and or work. Drive through a different side streets every time you drive to and from work or run errands. You can also walk the neighbor hood.

My local dollar store has 3x5 orange post it notes. It looks like an official notification from a distance. You can use those to leave your contact info if your walking the neighborhood and come across FSBOs or for rents.

2. Turn you car into a mobile billboard. $10 at vista print gets you a car magnet.

You can also get the kind of window markers people use to write just married or for sale on their car windows. Instead you write I buy houses and your number. Just make sure you're not blocking your view.

Get a big poster board $1 - 2. ( I found some at my local dollar store) , write on it I buy houses and your number. When you go to the mall, movies etc, back your car into the space. Use the poster board as a sunshade. Advertise your business and keep the inside of you car cool.

3. Networking at your local REIA. $10 at vistaprint gets 250 business cards.

4. Advertise on Craigslist and other online classified sites.

5. Flyers - $5 for 600 sheets of printer paper at wallmart, $1- 2 for markers, $1for thumbtacks. Put up flyers at super markets, laundry mats, etc.

If you do all five of the above ideas, it should cost you about $30 or less.