What is a good way to find motivated sellers?

What is a good way to find motivated sellers?

Boston, MA · Member since 2014 · 14 posts · 2 votes

I got a new job as a Acquisition Manager for FDR Homes. And my job is to find distressed properties that we can buy, fix and flip. I'm walking around every day with a note pad taken down the addresses I think would be a good fit. Then calling them the next day from the yellow pages but I get a lot of no pick ups. Or out of service phone. Any one have any advice for this beginner?

0Reply
64 views

Most Popular Reply

Bedford, NH · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
11y

I'll tell you what is NOT a good way.  Don't buy a high-equity mailing list.

I recently paid off the mortgage on my personal residence.  I have been bombarded with marketing pieces.  Someone took some class or read some guru book or something.

It apparently has not occurred to these people that someone who owns an expensive property free and clear is not someone who is going to have to sell at a discount.  Even if I did want to sell, I would list with the premier brokerage in my area and sell for full market value.

Also, just because I have not mortgage and COULD sell with seller financing does not mean I will.  Why would I?

I got a letter from some woman who offered to buy my house, which she has never seen, for exactly 60% of the assessed tax value (which is far below the fair market value.)  And she wanted owner financing!  At 4%!

See this reply in the discussion

13 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Chattanooga, TN · Member since 2015 · 24 posts · 24 votes
    11y

    Watch 2 youtube videos. One by Phil Pusteovsky and one by Bill Bronchik on finding motivated sellers. 

  • Investor · St. Louis Mo · Member since 2015 · 211 posts · 129 votes
    11y

    As your city inspector for a list of condemned properties and then call the list of people.  I just did this and first person I called was interested in selling

  • Bedford, NH · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    11y

    I'll tell you what is NOT a good way.  Don't buy a high-equity mailing list.

    I recently paid off the mortgage on my personal residence.  I have been bombarded with marketing pieces.  Someone took some class or read some guru book or something.

    It apparently has not occurred to these people that someone who owns an expensive property free and clear is not someone who is going to have to sell at a discount.  Even if I did want to sell, I would list with the premier brokerage in my area and sell for full market value.

    Also, just because I have not mortgage and COULD sell with seller financing does not mean I will.  Why would I?

    I got a letter from some woman who offered to buy my house, which she has never seen, for exactly 60% of the assessed tax value (which is far below the fair market value.)  And she wanted owner financing!  At 4%!

  • Dev HornPro Member
    Flipper/Rehabber · Arlington, TX · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    11y

    Hey Richard, I will give you - sight unseen - 65% of assessed value and 5% on the note!  =D  (I'd really enjoy New Hampshire!)

    You raise a point that we discuss all the time around here.  People who own free & clear don't have a mortgage payment, and that removes one of the biggest "motivators" which is that big payment the owner must make every month.

    Christopher - consider direct mail as a core strategy tho.  Absentee owners, code violators, tax liens, divorced, etc.  You can pull lists with many criteria via a service like Listsource.com.  Use a service provider like YellowLetters.com to print and send postcards out (yes, they have really nice postcards, not just letters).  Or get someone to design a piece just for you on a site like Fiverr or Upwork if you don't have design talent in-house...

    Otherwise, signs work.  And Google AdWords (if you know what you're doing)....

  • Investor · Sherman Oaks, CA · Member since 2008 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    11y

    Multi Modal Marketing @Dev Horn, not just 1 way to get motivated sellers.

    COI Marketing too.

    Center of Influence, who knows alot of people?

    I like Financial Planners and CPAs for terms deals (sellers).

    Here is my list, old school.


    1. Place a newspaper ad (major daily)
    2. Place an ad in Pennysaver, Thrifty Nickel, Greensheet, etc.
    3. Bandit signs
    4. Drive neighborhoods looking for vacant houses and FSBO's
    5. Call FSBO ads
    6. Search MLS for junker properties
    7. Search MLS for expired listings
    8. Contact landlords who are evicting a tenant
    9. Contact landlords with properties for rent
    10. Pre-foreclosures
    11. Foreclosure auctions
    12. REO's
    13. HUD & VA houses
    14. Tax sales
    15. Estate sales
    16. Properties with outstanding building code violations
    17. Properties with outstanding health code violations
    18. Condemned properties
    19. Fire damaged properties
    20. Out of area owners
    21. Network with professionals, i.e. attorney, CPA, REALTOR®.
    22. Network with service people, i.e. letter carrier, pool service person, lawn service person, newspaper delivery person, carpet cleaning people, plumbers, etc.
    23. Bird Dogs
    24. Wholesalers
    25. Magnetic car sign
    26. Distribute business cards EVERYWHERE
    27. Career attire (Polo shirt with embroidered "I Buy Houses" logo)
    28. Fliers
    29. Door hangers
    30. billboards
    31. radio spots
    32. TV spots
    33. full-page ads in the yellow pages.

    Hope this helps. Best of Success!!

  • Rental Property Investor · Shakopee, MN · Member since 2015 · 985 posts · 374 votes
    11y

    There have been so many podcasts on blog posts about this on bigger pockets.

    Start at the learning tab on top.  Read, Read, Read.

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Bakersfield, CA · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    11y

    personally I like the high equity list.   

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Bakersfield, CA · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    11y

    @Dev Horn

    Got my first igen4.     This baby is rated to produce 32 million postcards a month.  

  • Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    11y

    Here's a thread with a bunch more ideas:

    https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/93/topics/767...

  • Boston, MA · Member since 2014 · 14 posts · 2 votes
    11y

    Thanks to all you guys. This will be a great help!

  • Dev HornPro Member
    Flipper/Rehabber · Arlington, TX · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @Michael Quarles:

    @Dev Horn

    Got my first igen4.     This baby is rated to produce 32 million postcards a month.  

     Everyone needs one of these hooked up to their laptop.  ;-)  Very nice.  In our business, that's like looking at a Ferrari...

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Bakersfield, CA · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    11y

    It came with 2 computers that operate it.  Amazingly fast and quality is over the top.   

    Btw.  My Bentley looks much better than a Ferrari.  626 HP.  201 MPH.  

Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.