"Bird dog" - an endangered species?

Question

I was wondering, with the amount of tech tools these days, are "bird dogs" an endangered species? Is there anything a good bird dog can find that some web tool can't find already?

Mary B. · Answer

IMO, birddogging is a very temporary aspect of REI. Once they learn the basics its off to wholesaling then landlording etc. If you are seeking birddogs I imagine that you will have to keep looking every 4to6 months for them because for the average noob that's serious about this business they would've learned, earned and moved on by then. Of course different strokes for different folks...

Kudos,

Mary

Kudos,

Mary

Tim Herndon · Answer

@Bogdan Cirlig

That's a great question. I am a big beleiver in software. However, software can't find deals that a good Bird Dog can find because software doesn't drive around the city in search of properties. Software can only find what is public record! I want off market properties and I haven't found a software that finds these deals. I get about two (closed) deals a month from my bird dog network, so I would have to say that bird dogs will never be extinct. It really depends on how you use them.

Tim Herndon · Answer

@Bogdan Cirlig

That's something that can't be explained. Why would someone allow me to take over their payments and leave the mortgage in their name i.e. "subject to". Especially when they have equity- Who know's what they are thinking. I wouldn't do that and I know you probably wouldn't either, but they do!

That's the beauty of marketing to motivated sellers. I'm not talking about REO's and MLS properties - I'm talking about probates, vacant houses, absentee owners etc. Why waste your time with people who want retail for their houses. They aren't motivated!

Bogdan Cirlig · Answer

That's one thing I'm wrapping my head around, assuming a seller wants to get the highest price, why would someone not list a great deal everywhere possible? Why there is this "I have an unlisted REO sic!" (aside from the fact banks don't want to publicly brag about how bad their foreclosure tapes are :)

"Bird dog" - an endangered species?

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