What Next? After you have driven around and found empty houses?

Question

My question is after I have had someone drive around and identify homes that are vacant and/or distressed?  I am aware that these home could be somewhere deep in the foreclosure process and they could be on some bankers desk amongst thousands of other homes?  So how do I determine what the next step is and what to do?

Robertto Rickards · Answer

You can go to yellowletters.com and use them or you can get some ideas of what you would like to say from the formats they have on their website.

Justin Schulte · Answer

i don't know if you are aware, but your county's property appraiser office has the owner of record name and mailing address. You can look up their info there, usually on their website, and if it is an out of town owner you can send them a letter. Sometimes their address is listed at the same property, then you need to talk to people and see if you can find them.

Mark Nelson · Answer

I agree with Kevin, you need to find the property owners to see where they are at with the home. I like to talk to the neighbors. Most of the time they know the homeowners and can usually give you some contact information for them.

Kevin Rodriues · Answer

Hey Robertto,

The next step would be to find out the property owners information and see if you can get in contact with them to find out the status of the property. Their are several sites you can look up to retrieve the individuals phone number, current address, ect. Just do a google search. Some might charge you a fee.

Good Luck!

Fitzgerald Hall · Answer

@Robertto Rickards

Greetings from Atlanta!

Step 1: Visit the local county tax assessors website (online) and find the owner's mailing address and name

Step 2: Run the list through NCOA (national change of address). Most list providers and some direct mail companies will do this for you.

Step 3: Prepare a direct mail campaign for your list. Budget enough so that you can hit each recipient at least 3 times minimum. Decide when you are going to send your mail and stick to the schedule. Also mix your voices up i.e yellow letter, postcard, etc. Different strokes for different folks

Step 4: Either choose a direct mail company to send your letters or buy the materials and send yourself.

Step 5: Find a service that allows you to skip trace the returned mailers. Most people do not have the capabilities to do so or are too lazy so theres a real opportunity in the returns if you can actually find the owner.

I hope this helps. Goodluck

Robertto Rickards · Answer

@Fitzgerald Hall

Thank you for the reply advice, appreciate the laid out steps.  One more question: Is there a way I can tell if it is worth sending a letter to the home before mailing to the home owner? Specifically I am asking if there is was to check if the house has equity or is underwater before actually talking with the owner?  In order to target only potential good investments.

Elio L. · Answer

Sort for equity and make sure that they aren't underwater. Then mail the owners at the address listed on the county tax assessors site. Skip trace the returned mail.

Robertto Rickards · Answer

@Kevin Rodriues @Mark Nelson Thank you for the reply definitely useful.  Hopefully you will indulge me further.  So I can go to the county building and get there information and send a letter to the neighbors or use a website or Google search.  Is there a specific website either of you use?

Kimberly H. · Answer

Does anyone have a standard letter they use for vacant property owners?

What Next? After you have driven around and found empty houses?

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