Text messages for unsolicited offers to buy house -- REMOVE ME!

Buying & Selling Real Estate
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Text messages for unsolicited offers to buy house -- REMOVE ME!

Mark Nugent
Real Estate Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2013 · 23 posts · 19 votes

I keep getting text messages to "Cynthia" regarding selling 7142 W Colter St.  Does anyone know what database or service is being used to send these?  It must be a fairly commonly used one, as I get several messages per month like the one below:

Hi Cynthia, This is Miguel, I buy houses. Have you thought about sellin' 7142 W Colter St? I would like to buy around that area.

I would love to get my cell phone number removed from the feed.

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Joe Cassandra
Rental Property Investor · Woodstock, GA · Member since 2017 · 517 posts · 772 votes
6y

Why not try and get on their buyer's list instead? 

It's funny...

One one side...everyone says to solicit for motivated sellers to find off market properties. 

Then on the other...we complain when we receive such solicitation ourselves..

haha

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  • Amy Aziz
    Specialist · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2019 · 587 posts · 269 votes
    6y

    @Mark Nugent I don't know but I'm dying to find out! I get so many unsolicited texts from buying my property, to voting, donations, etc. I don't even get excited about texts anymore... I hope it's OK with you to follow this post and see what others have to say. 

    0Reply
  • Steve Morris
    Real Estate Broker · Portland, OR · Member since 2019 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    Some database somewhere has that address and your phone on it and it got sold.

    Same way Facebook happens to pop up all these suggested "friends" that you barely even know exist.  I'm almost certain they have some kind of bot-ware that goes thru my Outlook address book.

    1Reply
  • Mark Nugent
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2013 · 23 posts · 19 votes
    6y

    I did some research and my best guess is the automated messages are being sent to phone numbers based on data from data broker websites.  Here's a list of them: 

    https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/ne9b3z/how-to-get-off-data-broker-and-people-search-sites-pipl-spokeo

    There are paid services like joindeleteme that will remove your personal information from as many data brokers as they can.

    2Reply
  • Mark Nugent
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2013 · 23 posts · 19 votes
    6y

    Another thing you can do when you receive one of these texts is immediately report them as spam to your cellular carrier.  For Verizon you forward the message to 7726.

    0Reply
  • Joe Cassandra
    Rental Property Investor · Woodstock, GA · Member since 2017 · 517 posts · 772 votes
    6y

    Why not try and get on their buyer's list instead? 

    It's funny...

    One one side...everyone says to solicit for motivated sellers to find off market properties. 

    Then on the other...we complain when we receive such solicitation ourselves..

    haha

    12Reply
  • Steve Morris
    Real Estate Broker · Portland, OR · Member since 2019 · 4k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    6y

    Why not try and get on their buyer's list instead? 

    It's funny...

    Now that is FUNNY!!!

    0Reply
  • Jonathan G.
    Investor · Marietta, GA · Member since 2015 · 382 posts · 258 votes
    6y

    @Mark Nugent

    I sometimes get texts like these on properties I do not even own anymore (sold 6-24mths prior) . I often reply with something like “thanks for reaching out but we are currently only working with more sophisticated investors and buyers”.

    Frankly my reply is a bit insulting and for some reason they never reply back or even inquire as to why I think they are unsophisticated (I suspect they have recently likely been duped into purchasing some old data list from some other party).

    Sometimes they actually call and I mostly politely declined in the past but they just kept calling and calling so then I just started going on and on about how I need to sell this property at above market price and make a lot of money from them. I ask them if they can overpay and are they the person I can make a lot of money on (since they are essentially feeling me out to see if I am a desperate seller). I get a little overexcited about how much I want them to overpay and about how excited I am about making out on the deal. Eventually they get annoyed and politely end the call and the same individuals never seem to call back anymore. I’m sure some other newbie will buy the old outdated lists in the future .

    3Reply
  • David Pere
    Rental Property Investor · Springfield, MO · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 890 votes
    5y

    Just respond "stop" that is universal to be added to the platforms DNC list.

    2Reply
  • David A Lisowski
    Rental Property Investor · Inlet Beach, FL · Member since 2018 · 199 posts · 111 votes
    5y

    @Mark Nugent

    Reply back and ask if they have any property to sell to you.

    1Reply
  • Katie Shady
    Member since 2021 · 1 post · 0 votes
    5y

    I’ve made a game of it. I just solicit them with other stuff such as my dog.

    0Reply
  • Bruce Lee
    Property Manager · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2015 · 36 posts · 38 votes
    5y

    I forward these to 7726.

    But...
    "thanks for reaching out but we are currently only working with more sophisticated investors and buyers"
    ...is a classic!  Thx! LOL

    2Reply
  • Mark Cruse
    Investor · Fort Washington, MD · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    5y

    To those who may not realize it, it's just another form of wholesaling. It's no different than buying a list, but it's automated. There are many services they use and it's simply a marketing approach for wholesalers to drop a bug to anyone who would sell a property. There is no shortage of companies you can pay to send out mass mailings, texts or recordings. From one, I get the same letter every month asking about my primary. It would help their case if they didn't have the wrong picture of my house on it. 

    2Reply
  • Nicole Heasley Beitenman
    Investor · Youngstown, OH · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    4y

    Can you block the number?

    1Reply
  • Jonathan GreeneBusiness Member
    Real Estate Consultant · Madison, NJ · Member since 2016 · 6k+ posts · 7k+ votes
    4y

    I get 15 a day because of my properties owned and I block them all and then they do it from a different number. Now, I like to play games with them and see if they respond. It's more fun. Then I screenshot the whole thing and share it on social, with their phone number and business. I am also on the DNC list so obviously, that is useless. They all sly dial and then say, hey, I just called you. It's embarrassing.

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  • Jason G.Pro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Long Island, NY · Member since 2015 · 434 posts · 495 votes
    4y

    I just click report spammer for the text messages.  They are already labeled as suspected spammer when the call comes in by the carrier of my cell phone.  Not only do I get quite a few text messages a day, but also phone calls on both my home and cell phones.  I am curious though how successful the people that use these automated services are at getting good deals or are the services themselves the only ones really profiting from this annoyance.  

    0Reply
  • Josue Vargas
    Real Estate Agent · San Antonio, TX · Member since 2017 · 814 posts · 466 votes
    4y

    @Mark Nugent

    Try the "Do Not Call Registry".   https://www.donotcall.gov. Register the number with the Federal Trade Commission.  If someone reached out without proper consent, they can get fine with up to $10,000 for EACH unsolicitated calls to your registered number.  Texts are also included.  

    1Reply
  • Eric GoldmanBusiness Member
    Lender · PA · Member since 2019 · 359 posts · 192 votes
    4y

    I get these all the time. I usually text stop. or block it. annoying but I guess hey if they get one its a win right.

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    0Reply
  • Mark Nugent
    OP
    Real Estate Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2013 · 23 posts · 19 votes
    2y

     If you have an iPhone: Settings > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification > Silence Unknown Callers.  That option has been a godsend.

    0Reply
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