Flipper/Rehabber · Lewisburg, PA · Member since 2017 · 103 posts · 45 votes
I am assuming it comes with the territory but I am into my 5th mailing for motivated sellers and I can not believe how angry people get about mail!! Do you all experience the same thing?
Investor · Warren, OH · Member since 2015 · 168 posts · 188 votes
8y
I tend to get three versions of the angry caller:
1. Paranoid-“How did you get my name and address?! Tell me you stalker!” Also sometimes a version of “How did you know I was thinking about selling!?”
2. Offended- “Why do you want to buy MY home?” Or “What made you think I would want to sell?!”
3. Misanthrope- Lately these ones have been mailing me back to my PO box. Last one was the front of my envelope cut off with their address circled and “Remove from mailing list” written beside it.
My goal on the phone is to still get a number. I am also local so a lot of times I ease people’s concerns about why I’m mailing them or how I got their information by saying “you property meets my basic criteria for something I would want to own. I may have driven by and just liked the way it looked and where is was and decided to mail you. I pull all my info from the county auditors website. I would be happy to remove you from my mailing list if you find my letter bothersome but if you were to sell how much would you need to get?”
Contractor · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2015 · 131 posts · 55 votes
8y
I don't currently do any direct mailing, but I've heard of wholesalers who will flip it on an angry caller by asking if they'd like to make some money by referring someone else who might be interested in selling, friend, neighbor, etc. It's worth a shot.
Rental Property Investor · Dallas, TX · Member since 2015 · 501 posts · 504 votes
8y
I have owned a rental property out of state for years. Before I decided to get serious about real estate investing, and began learning all the common tactics, I had no idea why some guy wanted to buy my condo. Today I still get letters from the same guy periodically, but at least I understand what he is doing now.
Investor, Agent, CPA · West Sacramento, CA · Member since 2009 · 690 posts · 262 votes
8y
The last mailing I did out of state, I received a voicemail with all kind of threats and uncensored language. When I texted to find out the address so I can take them off the list, the response was more of the same. Since I don't know who to remove from the list, I'm expecting a similar (maybe worse) response on the next mailer. I guess it's part of the game :)
Ha Ha that is great!! I had a woman who was so mad but would not give me her name and address either so I am guessing I will hear from her again!! Thanks for your Reply!!
Latham, NY · Member since 2018 · 22 posts · 5 votes
8y
A gentlemen called me this morning said he would take my letter to the police. He also said I was faker than a $3 bill. That was from a tax liens list from the county.
Vendor · Atlanta, GA · Member since 2017 · 101 posts · 47 votes
8y
Occasionally clients will pass angry mail recipients off to me as "the source". One of the more memorable was the old man who was convinced we were in collusion with his children to get him out of his house. Having just dealt with a similar situation with my own dad I understood the emotions and about 15 minutes later we were, well not exactly friends, but at least I wasn't part of the conspiracy.
@Jonathan Holmes, @Joe Davalos and @Michael Ablan There are a number of sites where you can direct people to get off mailing lists.
The FTC has an informational site about all sorts of unwanted contact:
Most professional and ethical list compilers will run their lists the the DMA suppression each month as part of the standard list hygiene. Ask your vendor if they do this, and you will save on even more stamps.