Out of towners

Hello everyone!
I'm new here. I am also a new investor TRYING to get my first deal! I have been advertising in the classified section of the newspaper, I have done one direct mail drop, bandit signs every friday afternoon in my farm area, newsletter advertising, writing to expireds (I am also an agent with access to mls) and I have yet to do my first deal! I came sooo close to a big payout but the property owner got the lender to work with her in the end.

ANYWAY, I read an old post about finding out of town home owners by just walking in the tax assessors office and asking for it. Is it really that easy? They gladly hand you over a list and wish you a nice day?
I just need another avenue to get sellers to call me.
Thank you!

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 07:57AM

Jon Holdman

Real Estate Investor · Denver, Colorado

11859 posts
75527 Influence
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Icon_minipost Apr 16 '09, 04:46 AM

The ease and "gladlyness" of getting the list will depend on the county. But fundamentally, yes, its just that easy. Their records record the property address and the owners address, and if they don't match, you have a NOO property. You might have to pay, or you might have to do it manually. Call your county of interest, or look for their recorder web site and see what they can do.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 07:57AM

Jon Holdman, Flying Phoenix LLC

Justin S.

Rehabber · Chandler, Arizona

1162 posts
12272 Influence
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Icon_minipost Apr 16 '09, 04:49 AM

Alida-

It can be that easy, but in my experience its a little harder. My recorders office would charge me a fee for them to collect it for me but you can also do it yourself. I would recommend using a company that spcializes in it. They import it into a database file for you which makes mail merging simple. I've used melissadata.com but there are others out there.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 07:57AM

Justin S., Wheelhouse Properties
E-Mail: wheelhouseproperties@gmail.com
Telephone: 4806780446
Website: http://www.wheelhouseproperties.com
Realtor, Re-modeler, Cash Buyer

Ted Harris

Real Estate Investor · Portland, Oregon

660 posts
27102 Influence
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Icon_minipost Apr 16 '09, 06:46 AM

The title/escrow company you frequently use should be able to help ... I know mine offers this service.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 07:57AM

Matt Rosen

Real Estate Investor · Honolulu, Hawaii

135 posts
664 Influence
4 Awards

Icon_minipost Apr 16 '09, 07:56 AM

Alida, I have used listsource.com and it seems to have up to date records.

Once you sign up, go to absentee owners, then sort your criteria from there. The only thing is you will pay for the list. However, you can do it from home. hope that helps

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 07:57AM

Alida D.

· Virginia Beach, Virginia

32 posts
129 Influence
1 Award

Icon_minipost Apr 16 '09, 09:33 AM

Thank you for the quick response everyone. I will try this route. Got two calls from my expired mailing today - days without a call and then boom! two in a row. I love the adrenaline rush I get when I run the numbers and there is a deal to be won! It's a short sale and could take some time but worth pursuing.
It's important to have a good marketing mix and absentee owners is untapped for me but won't be for long!
Thanks

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 07:57AM

Douglas Christian

Real Estate Investor · Charlotte, North Carolina

361 posts
460 Influence
3 Awards

Icon_minipost Apr 16 '09, 10:04 AM

How far does your farm area go? Are you staying in places where homes are not going to CASH FLOW? Just a few questions (THE DEALMAKER) thought he would ask.

I will give you three of my SECRETS:

1. CODE ENFORCEMENT
2. POST CARDS
3. VACANT AND ABANDONED HOMES

There are many, but STOP WASTING your time with CLASSIFIED ads and put your money into the post cards.

Also, you probably need to expand your FARM AREA.

I USALLY CHARGE FOR THIS INFO, but since you are in VA I will give it to you for FREE.

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 07:57AM

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Alida D.

· Virginia Beach, Virginia

32 posts
129 Influence
1 Award

Icon_minipost Apr 20 '09, 10:59 PM

Then the whole transaction takes place over the phone, email and fax?

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 07:59AM

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Alida D.

· Virginia Beach, Virginia

32 posts
129 Influence
1 Award

Icon_minipost Apr 21 '09, 12:57 AM

Originally posted by Douglas Christian

How far does your farm area go? Are you staying in places where homes are not going to CASH FLOW? Just a few questions (THE DEALMAKER) thought he would ask.

I will give you three of my SECRETS:

1. CODE ENFORCEMENT
2. POST CARDS
3. VACANT AND ABANDONED HOMES

There are many, but STOP WASTING your time with CLASSIFIED ads and put your money into the post cards.

Also, you probably need to expand your FARM AREA.

I USALLY CHARGE FOR THIS INFO, but since you are in VA I will give it to you for FREE.

SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS

Vacant and abandoned homes. Aside from driving through neighborhoods, how do you find these homes.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:00AM

Stephen Moore

Real Estate Investor · america

198 posts
1045 Influence
4 Awards

Icon_minipost Jun 29 '09, 10:40 AM

driving around is the only way unless you have bird dogs on the prowl but i suggest doing in yourself first then delgate those duties to others,actually im in the process of doing that now and i've made 3 list,
1.vacant or abandoned houses
2.fsbo
3.for rent sings(owner may be a buyer and want more properties or could possible have more properties and want to sell

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:47AM

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Alida D.

· Virginia Beach, Virginia

32 posts
129 Influence
1 Award

Icon_minipost Jun 29 '09, 09:16 PM

Originally posted by Dan O'Connor

Alida,

Think about what happens to a property when it becomes vacant and who gets contacted during the process.

You'll start finding deals that other folks totally miss by only "driving around". :cool:

Wouldn't you say that most vacant homes are the result of an upside mortgage/forthcoming foreclosure and not worth pursuing?

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 08:47AM

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Blake Copeland

Real Estate Investor · Austin, Texas

76 posts
352 Influence
2 Awards

Icon_minipost Jul 26 '09, 08:04 PM

Alida,

You are definitley on the right track, but I have to say from experience that Douglas is right. Going after properties in violation of Code Enforcement is a very luctrative direction to take. there is no "list" for these properties, but if you follow them you are walking into a goldmine. If someone ever figures out how to compile a nationwide list of Code Violated properties please email me ASAP and also if you can streamline this niche as a lead source as a sytem for leads you will make a fortune just off that =) Never heard a guru pitch this... its under the radar as of now. Very time consuming to do though.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 09:07AM

Alida D.

· Virginia Beach, Virginia

32 posts
129 Influence
1 Award

Icon_minipost Jul 26 '09, 10:42 PM

Code violations? Can you tell me more about that?

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 09:07AM

Kenneth Adams

Homeowner · Towanda, Illinois

5 posts
147 Influence
1 Award

Icon_minipost Jul 27 '09, 03:17 AM

Blake are you talking about condemed properties? Some cities has listings published on their website.

This is one from a town in my area.
http://www.cityblm.org/library/bs/pdfs/condemnedlist.pdf

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 09:07AM

Matt Kearney

Real Estate Investor · Springfield, Massachusetts

138 posts
1292 Influence
3 Awards

Icon_minipost Jul 27 '09, 10:02 AM

Hi Alida,

I can access all tax records in my state through the MLS, so I pull my list from there. When I was investing in another state (Rhode Island) I went to city hall and paid $75 for a disk with all the tax records in the city on an excel spreadsheet.

Edited: 06/26/2010 at 09:08AM

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