Would you use zillow to get alert on unlisted property?

Question

Hi,  Still new to real estate and this website has been amazing.  Doing lots of driving for dollars and leanring from all of you on the website.

Question:

what site would you recommend to get alert on when a property gets listed? I have lots of properties I am interested in from driving for dollars, and while I am doing mailings and cold calling actively, I also want to get an alert if the property ever gets listed for sale? Would you recommend Zillow for this? or another website?

Thank you,

Isaac

James Wise · Answer

Best thing to do is get MLS access. Do this by becoming an agent yourself or getting an MLS drip feed from your Agent. Nothing else out there compares to the access and data you get with thee MLS.

Jonathan Greene · Answer

Do you want to know if they get listed so you can remove them from your list or because you want to try to buy them then? If the latter, you are too late once they list. If you are driving for dollars in the same area every day, you don't need an alert from anyone, you will see a sign. Just take one day a week to drive past your top marks and see if a sign is there.

Isaac El · Answer

@James Wise thank you I have actually thought about becoming an agent before, this just gives more reason to do it! Are searches good till cancel? or do they expire?

Isaac El · Answer

@Caleb Brown I really appreciate it, so I will look for an agent that would take time to save all those searches.  And do the searches expire? or are they good till cancel? Maybe they won't be put on market for a year or two later?  (I am actively working on it mail/cold calling) but if I am also sure there are agents and brokers doing the same thing to get a listing, and if they list it I want to know right away so I can work on it.

Caleb Brown · Answer

@Isaac El

Have an agent set you up on a search, it’s free

Isaac El · Answer

@Caleb Brown hi Caleb, do you think thats the best way? every day I will be adding 3 - 5 properties I am interested in.  If there is a way I could get alert directly? I am new to this so taking any advice.  Do you think it will make it harder to close deal because now that agent will want commission to, so I will have to pay more for the property I am interested in if it comes for sale.

Isaac El · Answer

@William Walker  Hi William, thanks for responding.  Lots of the houses I am seeing here locally in NY, are severly distressed and many times vacant.  I am doing everything on the mailing and calling front, skip trace, looking up relatives, and some times I have seen where a property I worked on so long, they didn't "trust" me because I was an investor, and felt more comfortable listing it with an agent.  Which I can understand because unfortunatley locally here there have been bad actor investors that did deed theft that sort of stuff, so they feel more comfortable working with a licensesed agent.  (Still trying to figure out a good rebuttal around it) In any even I would like to get notified, like an email alert, and then I can send in my offer with proof of funds right away.

William Walker · Answer

@Isaac El

When a realtor gives you access to the MLS they enter search criteria and every time a listing matches your criteria you are notified. So you talk to your realtor and tell them you want a house in the 28401 area code for under $150k. They set up the search and you can see everything that currently matches that criteria as well as anything new that comes up. You can’t give your realtor a list of specific addresses. interestingly I was recently looking and sometimes would see things on MLS a few hours AFTER seeing it on Zillow. Usually MLS first though, sometimes by days.

Agree with others, driving for dollars is finding houses not listed on major sites and buying them below value. Once they hit MLS or Zillow everyone can see them and there’s no value in your driving.

Also, some realtors will have you sign a contract when they give you MLS access. Contract usually basically says you’ll use that realtor to buy a house and if you don’t use them, they still get a fee.

Isaac El · Answer

@Caleb Brown @James Wise really appreciate both your advice and will work on it, thank you.

James Wise · Answer

Depends on the agent and the MLS.

Would you use zillow to get alert on unlisted property?

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