Making offers

[Randy Duke]

I'm trying to get started wholesaling, and I was taught to always ask the seller how much they want for the property and not to be the first to spit out a number, but I have found that when I contact owners of vacant homes and ask how much they will sell for they say that they need to find out, then they wind up contacting a real estate agent which convinces them to list their house, then I'm cut out of the loop. they go from having a vacant house that they did not know they wanted to sale until I sent them a letter to now listed with an agent. My question is how do I keep this from happening? 

[Shawn Mcenteer]

Trial and error.  See if they will give you a number but if they are not willing to shoot on out give them a number to keep them on the hook.  I personally agreed with your technique but if it is not working no sense continuing the same way.