Hi Ron, An aside I suggest you take education in the various deal types to deeply understand each type of seller and their problems, thus the issues you might search on. At least get education for the deal type you are targeting. Join local REIAs, search for real estate investor associations in meetup.org and join them all and network with local experienced folks.
Why? Successful marketing takes deep knowledge of the seller types you want to reach and this comes with years of experience.
I've used PS for maybe 5 years, do mailings within PS, occationally export lists and skip trace and do sms. PS is the best data base tool I've found. I've trialed most of the others.
First the bad news; any list someone from Timbuctoo with a credit card can buy and mail are going to be getting a ton of other post cards. Probate, preforclosure, absentee etc in the major cities are very very difficult and expensive since your only potential advantage over the nationwide big $$$ wholesalers is to out spend them. Which few have that deep a pockets.
My rentals where getting a stack of post cards a month have trickled off and now I'm getting cold calls at about the samee rate. IE the $$$ folks have moved to cold calling. Some SMS, mostly philipeno women voices calling on most of the addresses. I've been doing 2k SMS numbers / mo for 1.5 yrs, consistently. Adding new numbers from expensive lists like 30-60-90 days late bought via a broker from the credit agencies, around $0.33 each. Got one deal early on. I'm keeping it up on the belief that stressed owners who took forbearance will be hitting a second wave of stress from inflation etc. IE I'm spening $$$ consitently to be the last marketing guy standing. :) This is how it works, keep it up, keep the spend, to be the last guy standing. Its expensive and takes often a year of hitting the same list every 45 days.
The good news is PS has the most, best filters of any tool. How can I help with filter chioices since you didn't say who you are going after?
My target are LOW equity to NO equity. Thats right I want deals wholesalers / flippers can't use. I buy subject to and keep as rentals after investing cash to fixup after a low cost closing to buy just taking over the mortgage payments after paying for the closing. Rarely some $$ for the seller. They sell not for $$ but to get out from under the stress of a poorly maintained house and worry about a missed payments mortgage. Connect/PM me I hand out a subject to detailed training.
For me; <5 yrs ownership (low equity), some lien, or bankrupcy or divorce. Typically I'm targeting home owners / occupants.
If you are attempting wholosaling or off market buying a flip then you need high equity, long years of ownership, >15yr. PS has added a bunch of pre set filters in the Quick list choices drop down. The new ones are at the bottom of the list. No direct experience with them.
The biggest tip I think is what area to target. I hear that more likely success is in smaller towns >45 min from your target city. IE give up on your major city and do post cards to small towns >45 min away. ;(
Buy/read BP's Zero down creative deals book. IMHO the oppoortunities going forward in this inventory scarce market are creative, not high equity wholesales. Learn how to buy and hold using creative tactics. I'd like to be shown wrong, but my view is wholesaling for newbies is dead,, least till the next 2009 like crash. Too much work today. Creative is easier but is a "knowlege" business.
Go to youtube and watch: "creative deals", "lease option", "subject to". Buy Joe McCalls education plus at yourr local REIA.
Best of luck.
