All Forum Posts by: Seth Williams

Nice job @Harry Asnien  - That's exciting!

It sounds like you've already looked into most of the "hot buttons" and potential issues that can come up with vacant lots like this. Were you able to get a good handle on a ballpark market value of the property? This is another area that can be a little tricky (but honestly, if you're getting anything for that cheap - you'll probably be just fine).

Regarding your title search method, I think the low purchase price can warrant this approach, but rather than just relying on an online service to tell you this, it wouldn't hurt to do your own independent title search (looking at the documents that the county has on record), just to make sure you're seeing ALL of the relevant details, first-hand. 

I've encountered at least a handful of online title services that weren't 100% up-to-date (which can definitely create problems in some cases). If you're going to go this route (which it okay with smaller deals like this, but admittedly more risky), it never hurts to make sure you're looking at the actual documentation that the county has on record.

And thanks for checking out the article @Vicki Stewart  - I'm glad you found it helpful!

Hi @Stephen Dominick - thanks for the kind words! I appreciate that. 

I can't speak much to the mobile home aspect of it, but I know there are definitely some wholesaling opportunities that will come out of the woodwork if you're pursuing tax delinquent properties. I've come across them on pretty much every mailing I've ever done. They're not in short supply if you're talking to the right people.

That being said, even though it might be possible to kill 2 or 3 birds with one stone, I think it might serve you well to pick one of those strategies (land investing, wholesaling or mobile homes) that you really want to pursue. Figure out which of those investing approaches will serve your business model most effectively. Once you know what you're aiming for, it will become the driver of your decisions and eliminate a lot of ambiguity about what you're trying to do. 

Just speaking for myself, I've found that my personal effectiveness get a little "watered-down" when I start trying to pursue multiple strategies at the same time. Each of these niches has a lot of unique things to learn - it's a lot to bite off all at once.

If you can make a decision about where you want your expertise to be (rather than cramming it all into one business in the beginning), you'll allow yourself to develop a laser-like focus and you'll be far more effective in the end.

@Greg Baker @Jack Butala - you've got it right. For ultra-cheap properties, I always try to do my own title search (though I should mention, not everyone goes this far on properties that are only a few hundred bucks). I also close in a similar fashion to how Steven described it above, getting the deed signed & notarized and mailing it in for recording with a cashier's check.

If you need help ordering a title search, here's an overview on how to do that:

If you need help figuring out how to do a title search, here's an overview on how to do that:

Hope that helps!

@Deborah Hill - you can get this list from some title companies, but the list is just as easy to get yourself with a service like AgentPro247 (see video below):

The only problem with AgentPro247 (or any other third party service like this) is that even though the lists area easy to get, the information isn't always going to be perfect. If you're looking for a list of property owners that is both current and accurate (which is very important in these kinds of direct mail campaigns), the best place to get these lists by far is directly from the county treasurer, as @Mark Podolsky said above.

Unfortunately, getting the list from the treasurer can be inconvenient (and some treasurers will make this probably much more difficult than others), but in my opinion, it's still worth the trouble. A good list that is accurate and well-refined can yield amazing results. It's not always easy to get there, but the end product is nothing short of amazing.

@Sergey Tkachev - I don't doubt that hand-written letters have a better open rate, but my personal opinion is that it's wiser to spend your time and money getting the right list and sending mail to the right people in the first place. 

If you're reaching out to the right people (the folks who really need what you're offering them) and conveying your message is a clear and concise way, you won't have to do much "convincing"...   they will respond if you're offering them the solution to problem that they're legitimately struggling with. 

Believe me - you can blow your whole budget on the prettiest letters money can buy...   but if you're not targeting the right recipients in the first place (i.e. - if the person doesn't actually need what you're offering), your letters will go in the trash. It's that simple.

This is one of those areas where it is VERY easy to get hung up on things that don't matter...   (probably because it's a lot easier to fiddle around with the message than it is to get the right information in the first place), but seriously - if you're sending mail to the right people, I think you'll find that you don't need to bend over backwards to make your mail piece look amazing.

Some of my best responses came from some ridiculously bland postcards. Why? Because I went to great lengths to make sure the right people were on my list. If you focus on getting the right lists and narrowing them down the right way, you'll be able to spend far less, reach more people and get better results in the long run.

Hi @Stephen Dominick  - sorry for my delayed response. 

You'd have to follow whatever zoning rules are in place on the property in question (and there can be a lot of different rules restrictions based on where the property is located)...   but to answer your question, yes - harvesting the timber could certainly be a feasible way to make some extra money from a vacant land property. 

You'd have to find a timber company that is willing to pay for the trees on the property (they'll usually just take the largest trees and leave the smaller stuff behind - as most of it isn't going to be large enough for production). In order to make any substantial money from this kind of thing, you'd have to have a significant amount of land/trees to offer...   but it's certainly possible, depending largely on what your property has to offer.

And thanks for the kind words @Greg Braun - I'm really glad you've been able to extract some value from the blog! Keep at it man, you'll get to that first pay day in due time.

Awesome. Just let me know how I can help @Stephen Dominick 

Hi @Stephen Dominick  - I think you'll find that there is opportunity just about everywhere in the U.S. I've never worked in your area before, but from what little I know about it, I would think that the Pocono Mountains is an awesome place to test the waters. 

If you want to give it a go, there are a number of things you'll need to understand moderately well in order to make some headway. For starters:

• Learn how to execute a direct mail campaign (i.e. - finding the right list, sorting it adequately, sending out the right message and handling the responses as they come in).
• Learn how to do proper due diligence (figure out all the relevant details about each property, learn how to establish a ballpark value for each parcel and make appropriate offers that will actually allow you to make money in the end).
• Learn how to list and sell properties (understand where to list them, how to attract the most attention, how to offer a value proposition that buyers actually want, all while acknowledging that some properties will inherently sell a lot faster than others... and this is okay).

There's a lot more to be said about the process as a whole - but this is the "10,000 foot high" overview of what you'd need to figure out in order to operate a feasible land investing business. Each of these things will present their own unique set of challenges and there is a lot of stuff that lives inside each one of them. I wouldn't expect to master these things overnight, but if you're determined to make it work and you have patience with yourself along the way, you can definitely get there.

Thanks for your feedback @Dawn Anastasi and @Beth L. - I was thinking the same thing with the small, half circle window with privacy glass. I am aware that fiberglass doors also don't dent (which could be a major selling point) - I guess it'll depend on whether steel or fiberglass is less expensive.

Much appreciated!

Hey All, I own 2 duplexes (4 units total), and I'm looking to replace the front doors on each unit (the current doors are pretty beat up and they don't insulate well). Does anyone have any good recommendations on what kinds of doors I should get? How much should I plan to spend on each door? Should I go for metal or fiberglass? Windows or windowless? I'm just looking for some candid thoughts and opinions from the seasoned pros. What do you think?