What are you doing to find deals?
Adrian Lammersdorf-SciollBusiness Member
Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews
What are you doing to find deals?
Most Popular Reply
Member since 2021 · 107 posts · 82 votes
1yOn top of working with wholesalers, I make offers on everything on the MLS that interests me, not worrying about asking price. Last year it seemed to work great and I picked up several properties for a steal. This year I have yet to close a deal and have lost a few deals over 10K. I'm hoping to pick up a few once they've sat on the MLS for longer.
28 Replies
- Lender · Nationwide · Member since 2018 · 69 posts · 32 votes1y
Hey Adrian, Here are a few strategies I’ve seen people use:
Targeting motivated sellers with direct mail, cold calling, or text campaigns. Absentee owners, pre-foreclosures, and tired landlords. Wholesaler relationships, or using tools like PropStream while driving neighborhoods to identify distressed properties, and REI meetups as deals can come from relationships.
What strategies have worked best for you so far?
- Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @David Atis:
Hey Adrian, Here are a few strategies I’ve seen people use:
Targeting motivated sellers with direct mail, cold calling, or text campaigns. Absentee owners, pre-foreclosures, and tired landlords. Wholesaler relationships, or using tools like PropStream while driving neighborhoods to identify distressed properties, and REI meetups as deals can come from relationships.
What strategies have worked best for you so far?
Networking/Wholesale relationships has worked best for me so far, or just talking to my sphere of influence. I've had direct mail, or cold calling get me closer to deals, but nothing converted yet. I just invested in batch leads (wasn't happy with prop stream) and am using a virtual assistant to help cold call some absentee leads from there.
I have a terrible fear of cold calling that I need to get over, and get really down on myself when I get a few ********, or hang ups haha. That's why I finally decided to use a va for it. I know I will get better with time.How about you? Which of those strategies are working best for you, and how are you getting your texting campaigns out? Do you use google ads, or something similar, or do you just text motivated leads?
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews - Lender · Nationwide · Member since 2018 · 69 posts · 32 votes1y
Definitely get where you're coming from! Cold calling can be brutal at first but it's awesome that you're using a VA to keep things moving. If you ever decide to get back into yourself, once you get a few wins the confidence builds.
The strategies I mentioned are what my clients are using for their own deals. The wholesale relationships would be my go to for when I start building my own portfolio soon. I focus more on connecting with investors who already have deals in the pipeline or are looking for deals but need funding for their deals.
I've seen my investor clients keep text campaigns pretty targeted as they prefer quality over quantity. So they mainly reach out to motivated leads who’ve shown interest or fit their criteria. Haven’t personally seen anyone crush it with google ads much yet, but I've heard in passing that others have had some success with ppc, but not always guaranteed. Have you tried ppc or are you focusing mainly on batch leads and the va for now?"
- Specialist · Member since 2025 · 52 posts · 10 votes1y
Adrian, I appreciate your candidness and willingness to try new strategies. I've seen firsthand how a skilled VA can really help overcome the hurdles of cold calling. However, the key is partnering with a professional agency that not only supplies experienced VAs but also uses robust systems—like well-known CRMs—to track calls, monitor lead quality, and analyze performance metrics.
Keep in mind that not every VA agency is created equal. It might be worth testing a few until you find the one that best fits your style and business model. Once you land the right partner, the support can make a big difference in scaling your outreach while allowing you to focus on closing deals and nurturing your network.
Good luck refining your strategy!
@Adrian Lammersdorf-Scioll Hi Adrian in Florida-
I haven't seen the sun in three months here in Michigan. :) Jealous!
You have been investing for about three years but are finding it more difficult to find deals that pencil.
I understand.
Here is what I find works for sourcing deals:
1. There are markets in Michigan where deals still pencil thankfully.
2. Property managers can be great sources for deals.
3. I network with other investor friendly Realtors in the markets I work in to help source deals.
4. Foundation repair salespeople are great sources to find deals. Offer them a bird dog fee for finding the deals.
5. Other potential bird dogs are handymen, people who clean out houses, and various house related contractors.
To Your Success!
- 1yDrew SygitBusiness MemberProperty Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 13k+ posts · 9k+ votes
Why does everyone want to chase strangers – and ignore their own personal network?
Which do you think will be more competitive, buying from wholesalers or your own referrals?
Per this NY Times article, the average American knows around 600 people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/science/the-average-american-knows-how-many-people.html#:~:text=The%20average%20American%20knows%20about,do%20you%20know%20named%20Kevin%3FPer the US Census Bureau, the average American moves 11.7 time in their life, which based upon an approximate lifespan of 84 years, works out to be about every 7 years.
https://www.census.gov/topics/population/migration/guidance/calculating-migration-expectancy.html#:~:text=Using%202007%20ACS%20data%2C%20it,one%20move%20per%20single%20yearSo, if the average American knows 600 people and they each move about every 7 years, that means that the average American knows around 85 people that move in any given year.
How many of those moves do you want to be involved in?
To maximize the number of transactions you’re involved in you will need to:
- Be Top of Mind when they think about moving - which requires consistent reminders.
- Be seen as an Expert – which requires a consistent message and Evidence of Success stories
- Gain their Trust – which requires communicating integrity
So, start out by listing everyone you know in an Excel spreadsheet.
Why Excel? Because later, you can easily use it as your mailing list! Create columns for Name, Street Address, City, State, Zip and then contact info: Last Contact, Relationship, Status, Email & Phone.
IMPORTANT: do NOT ask people for THEIR business, ask for referrals! Why? Because they will get defensive if they feel you are pressuring them. Remember, they can always refer themselves😊
Now, make it a goal to call at least 5-10 of these people EVERY day and ask a MAX OF THREE off the list below of who do they know that:
- Just inherited a home
- Had a loved one pass away
- Is behind on their mortgage or tax payments
- Has a relative that can’t take care of their house anymore
- Has a house they’re having trouble selling
- Is facing bankruptcy
- Knows a probate attorney
- Knows a bankruptcy attorney
- etc
Why only three off the list per contact? Because on average, we can only remember three things at a time. If you try to go over the whole list, you’ll lose the attention of an average person and they won’t remember anything!
It should only take you about a month or two to contact everyone on your list and then the tough part – you start all over again.
Why the repetition? Because it takes repetition for people to remember things and you have to be top-of-mind when they encounter a potential client for you!
Have you ever been to McDonalds? Of course you have! So, why is McDonalds still spending billions on advertising?
One more tip – people remember stories that trigger their emotions. So, tell a story of how you (or a fellow wholesaler) helped a seller out with their challenge(s). Change your story each month as different stories will resonate with different people AND use each story to emphasize one of your “who do you know…” questions.
As you start closing deals, you will need to reinvest your profits into mailing lists and other scalable activities to grow your business.
One last thing – we recommended you create a Status column on your spreadsheet, now we’ll explain why. If you find someone that seems to know a lot of people needing your services, wouldn’t it make sense to focus more resources on them? Conversely, you will run into people on your list that just seem to be a waste of time, so you’ll want to avoid them. So, create status codes for both of these and a few in-between codes to help you work smarter, not harder.
Logical Property Management4.9469 Reviews - Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @David Atis:
Definitely get where you're coming from! Cold calling can be brutal at first but it's awesome that you're using a VA to keep things moving. If you ever decide to get back into yourself, once you get a few wins the confidence builds.
The strategies I mentioned are what my clients are using for their own deals. The wholesale relationships would be my go to for when I start building my own portfolio soon. I focus more on connecting with investors who already have deals in the pipeline or are looking for deals but need funding for their deals.
I've seen my investor clients keep text campaigns pretty targeted as they prefer quality over quantity. So they mainly reach out to motivated leads who’ve shown interest or fit their criteria. Haven’t personally seen anyone crush it with google ads much yet, but I've heard in passing that others have had some success with ppc, but not always guaranteed. Have you tried ppc or are you focusing mainly on batch leads and the va for now?"
Oh I still cold call from time to time, I'm just not that great at it, and only do it once a month. Investors/Wholesalers are great, that is agreed, and is how I bought my duplex. With the text campaign my question is are you having them opt in, or just finding a list of distressed owners and texting them directly? I knew a couple people that did well with google ads, although have not asked them as of late. I have not tried PPC yet, and am focusing on the VA, and batch leads which I just started with.
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews - Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @Drew Sygit:
Why does everyone want to chase strangers – and ignore their own personal network?
Which do you think will be more competitive, buying from wholesalers or your own referrals?
Per this NY Times article, the average American knows around 600 people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/science/the-average-american-knows-how-many-people.html#:~:text=The%20average%20American%20knows%20about,do%20you%20know%20named%20Kevin%3FPer the US Census Bureau, the average American moves 11.7 time in their life, which based upon an approximate lifespan of 84 years, works out to be about every 7 years.
https://www.census.gov/topics/population/migration/guidance/calculating-migration-expectancy.html#:~:text=Using%202007%20ACS%20data%2C%20it,one%20move%20per%20single%20yearSo, if the average American knows 600 people and they each move about every 7 years, that means that the average American knows around 85 people that move in any given year.
How many of those moves do you want to be involved in?
To maximize the number of transactions you’re involved in you will need to:
- Be Top of Mind when they think about moving - which requires consistent reminders.
- Be seen as an Expert – which requires a consistent message and Evidence of Success stories
- Gain their Trust – which requires communicating integrity
So, start out by listing everyone you know in an Excel spreadsheet.
Why Excel? Because later, you can easily use it as your mailing list! Create columns for Name, Street Address, City, State, Zip and then contact info: Last Contact, Relationship, Status, Email & Phone.
IMPORTANT: do NOT ask people for THEIR business, ask for referrals! Why? Because they will get defensive if they feel you are pressuring them. Remember, they can always refer themselves😊
Now, make it a goal to call at least 5-10 of these people EVERY day and ask a MAX OF THREE off the list below of who do they know that:
- Just inherited a home
- Had a loved one pass away
- Is behind on their mortgage or tax payments
- Has a relative that can’t take care of their house anymore
- Has a house they’re having trouble selling
- Is facing bankruptcy
- Knows a probate attorney
- Knows a bankruptcy attorney
- etc
Why only three off the list per contact? Because on average, we can only remember three things at a time. If you try to go over the whole list, you’ll lose the attention of an average person and they won’t remember anything!
It should only take you about a month or two to contact everyone on your list and then the tough part – you start all over again.
Why the repetition? Because it takes repetition for people to remember things and you have to be top-of-mind when they encounter a potential client for you!
Have you ever been to McDonalds? Of course you have! So, why is McDonalds still spending billions on advertising?
One more tip – people remember stories that trigger their emotions. So, tell a story of how you (or a fellow wholesaler) helped a seller out with their challenge(s). Change your story each month as different stories will resonate with different people AND use each story to emphasize one of your “who do you know…” questions.
As you start closing deals, you will need to reinvest your profits into mailing lists and other scalable activities to grow your business.
One last thing – we recommended you create a Status column on your spreadsheet, now we’ll explain why. If you find someone that seems to know a lot of people needing your services, wouldn’t it make sense to focus more resources on them? Conversely, you will run into people on your list that just seem to be a waste of time, so you’ll want to avoid them. So, create status codes for both of these and a few in-between codes to help you work smarter, not harder.
Great feedback, but I don't just target strangers I reach out to my sphere of influence as well. I agree it is the best leads you can get. As far as looking out for those deals, I'm fairly young and majority of my sphere do not own homes, or are dealing with a lot of the things you mentioned, but agreed they are all great resources.
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews - Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @Jeff Roth:
Hi Adrian in Florida-
I haven't seen the sun in three months here in Michigan. :) Jealous!
You have been investing for about three years but are finding it more difficult to find deals that pencil.
I understand.
Here is what I find works for sourcing deals:
1. There are markets in Michigan where deals still pencil thankfully.
2. Property managers can be great sources for deals.
3. I network with other investor friendly Realtors in the markets I work in to help source deals.
4. Foundation repair salespeople are great sources to find deals. Offer them a bird dog fee for finding the deals.
5. Other potential bird dogs are handymen, people who clean out houses, and various house related contractors.
To Your Success!
Great feedback, if you don't mind me asking you, how are you finding multiple handymen/foundation repair salespeople to network with?
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews - Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @Amanda Smith:
Adrian, I appreciate your candidness and willingness to try new strategies. I've seen firsthand how a skilled VA can really help overcome the hurdles of cold calling. However, the key is partnering with a professional agency that not only supplies experienced VAs but also uses robust systems—like well-known CRMs—to track calls, monitor lead quality, and analyze performance metrics.
Keep in mind that not every VA agency is created equal. It might be worth testing a few until you find the one that best fits your style and business model. Once you land the right partner, the support can make a big difference in scaling your outreach while allowing you to focus on closing deals and nurturing your network.
Good luck refining your strategy!
@Adrian Lammersdorf-SciollYeah I've heard great things about start with virtual, and some other ones, but I'm currently using my brokers VA, and gohighlevel for our CRM
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews Quote from @Adrian Lammersdorf-Scioll:
Quote from @Jeff Roth:
Hi Adrian in Florida-
I haven't seen the sun in three months here in Michigan. :) Jealous!
You have been investing for about three years but are finding it more difficult to find deals that pencil.
I understand.
Here is what I find works for sourcing deals:
1. There are markets in Michigan where deals still pencil thankfully.
2. Property managers can be great sources for deals.
3. I network with other investor friendly Realtors in the markets I work in to help source deals.
4. Foundation repair salespeople are great sources to find deals. Offer them a bird dog fee for finding the deals.
5. Other potential bird dogs are handymen, people who clean out houses, and various house related contractors.
To Your Success!
Great feedback, if you don't mind me asking you, how are you finding multiple handymen/foundation repair salespeople to network with?
Hi Adrian-
Through local networking events, deals I have been a part of and needed to bring in contractors, and asking for referrals from other active investors and investor friendly Realtors.
To your success!
- Lender · Nationwide · Member since 2018 · 69 posts · 32 votes1y
Quote from @Adrian Lammersdorf-Scioll:
Definitely the latter, just obtaining a list of distressed owners and texting them directly.
- 1yDrew SygitBusiness MemberProperty Manager · Royal Oak, MI · Member since 2012 · 13k+ posts · 9k+ votes
@Adrian Lammersdorf-Scioll expand your mind!
Your sphere doesn't know ANY older people or have relatives that own homes?
Again, you do NOT ask them for their business, you ask them for referrals with, "Who do you know that...".
Also, how many times did you contact your sphere last year?
FYI - with all the social media choices, all you have to do is make a plan to post the same message across numerous platforms.
- You can even recycle the messages annually or quarterly!Again, expand your mind and break your internal idea limitations!
Logical Property Management4.9469 Reviews - Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @Drew Sygit:
@Adrian Lammersdorf-Scioll expand your mind!
Your sphere doesn't know ANY older people or have relatives that own homes?
Again, you do NOT ask them for their business, you ask them for referrals with, "Who do you know that...".
Also, how many times did you contact your sphere last year?
FYI - with all the social media choices, all you have to do is make a plan to post the same message across numerous platforms.
- You can even recycle the messages annually or quarterly!Again, expand your mind and break your internal idea limitations!
I guess easier said than done haha. I feel just as uncomfortable cold calling as I do asking someone to have me talk to their friend that owns a house.
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews - Member since 2021 · 107 posts · 82 votes1y
On top of working with wholesalers, I make offers on everything on the MLS that interests me, not worrying about asking price. Last year it seemed to work great and I picked up several properties for a steal. This year I have yet to close a deal and have lost a few deals over 10K. I'm hoping to pick up a few once they've sat on the MLS for longer.
- Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @Karolina Powell:
On top of working with wholesalers, I make offers on everything on the MLS that interests me, not worrying about asking price. Last year it seemed to work great and I picked up several properties for a steal. This year I have yet to close a deal and have lost a few deals over 10K. I'm hoping to pick up a few once they've sat on the MLS for longer.
That's a really good one! I've been doing that a bit, but no luck on anything yet. Do you utilize and software to generate the offers quicker, or any AI tools? I've seen an LOI blaster from Pace Morby, but haven't tried it, it was pricey. I think this is a very underutilized strategy in this type of market
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews - Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @Amir Twig:
Hey Adrian, I'm a real estate investor from Miami :)
Lately, AI has been a huge help in closing deals and saving me a ton of time. Instead of chasing leads manually, I've been using it in a few different ways. It follows up with realtors I've worked with before, so I hear about off-market deals before they hit the MLS. It also scrapes MLS for properties sitting 90+ days and reaches out to sellers who might be open to creative financing.Another big one: it sends out offers in bulk, tracks responses, and helps me focus on the ones that actually move forward. I'm not wasting time on dead leads or playing phone tag all day.
Honestly, it’s taken so much of the busy work off my plate, so I can just focus on closing.
I've only heard of Pace Morbys LOI blaster, and agent reach out AI bot that he has with Jamil Damji, but which one are you using to get all that done if you don't mind me asking? I've been interested in it, the cost was pretty high on the Pace Morby one
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews - Specialist · United Kingdom · Member since 2024 · 53 posts · 7 votes1y
Quote from @Adrian Lammersdorf-Scioll:
Quote from @David Atis:
Hey Adrian, Here are a few strategies I’ve seen people use:
Targeting motivated sellers with direct mail, cold calling, or text campaigns. Absentee owners, pre-foreclosures, and tired landlords. Wholesaler relationships, or using tools like PropStream while driving neighborhoods to identify distressed properties, and REI meetups as deals can come from relationships.
What strategies have worked best for you so far?
Networking/Wholesale relationships has worked best for me so far, or just talking to my sphere of influence. I've had direct mail, or cold calling get me closer to deals, but nothing converted yet. I just invested in batch leads (wasn't happy with prop stream) and am using a virtual assistant to help cold call some absentee leads from there.
I have a terrible fear of cold calling that I need to get over, and get really down on myself when I get a few ********, or hang ups haha. That's why I finally decided to use a va for it. I know I will get better with time.How about you? Which of those strategies are working best for you, and how are you getting your texting campaigns out? Do you use google ads, or something similar, or do you just text motivated leads?
Good day Adrian, I am intrigued to know why you stopped using propstream and was it from there data you got the Fk you's from? If so, do not feel down as many people report this. Its because there data is at least 2 weeks old, only covers around a third of the leads available from county records and is made available to every subscriber at the same time via the data update they receive from the data brokers and records departments.
Keep in mind that any service that is receiving data is at the behest of the provider and this is certainly the ecase with propstream, propwire and most likely batchleads. Using these sources guarantees you will be accessing leads which everyone is accessing which is the complete opposite to what investors/wholesalers should be targeting. Make sure you find out from whoever you want to use data from how often they update there data and where they source it from.
Where is your market?- Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @Kieron Osullivan:
Quote from @Adrian Lammersdorf-Scioll:
Quote from @David Atis:
Hey Adrian, Here are a few strategies I’ve seen people use:
Targeting motivated sellers with direct mail, cold calling, or text campaigns. Absentee owners, pre-foreclosures, and tired landlords. Wholesaler relationships, or using tools like PropStream while driving neighborhoods to identify distressed properties, and REI meetups as deals can come from relationships.
What strategies have worked best for you so far?
Networking/Wholesale relationships has worked best for me so far, or just talking to my sphere of influence. I've had direct mail, or cold calling get me closer to deals, but nothing converted yet. I just invested in batch leads (wasn't happy with prop stream) and am using a virtual assistant to help cold call some absentee leads from there.
I have a terrible fear of cold calling that I need to get over, and get really down on myself when I get a few ********, or hang ups haha. That's why I finally decided to use a va for it. I know I will get better with time.How about you? Which of those strategies are working best for you, and how are you getting your texting campaigns out? Do you use google ads, or something similar, or do you just text motivated leads?
Good day Adrian, I am intrigued to know why you stopped using propstream and was it from there data you got the Fk you's from? If so, do not feel down as many people report this. Its because there data is at least 2 weeks old, only covers around a third of the leads available from county records and is made available to every subscriber at the same time via the data update they receive from the data brokers and records departments.
Keep in mind that any service that is receiving data is at the behest of the provider and this is certainly the ecase with propstream, propwire and most likely batchleads. Using these sources guarantees you will be accessing leads which everyone is accessing which is the complete opposite to what investors/wholesalers should be targeting. Make sure you find out from whoever you want to use data from how often they update there data and where they source it from.
Where is your market?My market is Orlando metro, and New Smyrna Beach, and I had a bad experience with propstream, prop wire, and Batchleads. I do have one that works very well called Florida.fetch.com from a title company I work with. That is the best one along with true people search.
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews
- Real Estate Broker · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2018 · 196 posts · 191 votes1y
If you are struggling to find deals right now, you are not alone. The game has changed, and you have to be more proactive than ever to uncover solid opportunities. The good news? There are still plenty of deals out there, you just need to know where to look and how to get in front of them first.
One of the best ways to find deals is by working with wholesalers. These guys spend all day tracking down motivated sellers, and their whole business depends on moving properties quickly. If you build relationships with the right wholesalers, you can get access to deals before they ever hit the market. Connect with local wholesalers on BiggerPockets, Facebook investor groups, and at networking events. Let them know exactly what you are looking for so they come to you first when they get a deal that fits. Be ready to move fast because wholesale deals do not last long.
Another great way to find deals is by buying directly from other investors. Sometimes seasoned investors want to sell part of their portfolio because they are tired of managing properties, need quick liquidity, or are looking to 1031 exchange into something bigger. Many of these properties never get listed because they are sold within investor networks. Start building relationships at real estate meetups, REIAs, and even through property managers who may know of landlords looking to offload properties.
Do not overlook the power of your personal network. Family, friends, and co-workers may already know someone looking to sell. Let people know you are buying real estate. Post about it on social media. Ask around & you would be surprised how many off-market opportunities come from casual conversations.
Running targeted marketing campaigns is another effective strategy. The old-school “We Buy Ugly Houses” model still works. You can run targeted ads to homeowners in distress using Google Ads, Facebook, or mailers. Driving for dollars and looking for vacant or run-down properties is another way to find motivated sellers. In some areas, bandit signs still work if used correctly.
Building a strong brand and being visible as an investor also helps bring deals to you. Yard signs, car magnets, and even business cards still go a long way. Make sure your website or social media clearly says you buy investment properties. The more visible you are, the more likely someone will bring you a deal.
At the end of the day, the right real estate team can be the perfect catalyst for your operation. Having a dedicated person whose job is to find and negotiate deals that match your goals can help you scale much faster. Remember, commissions are always negotiable, so you can find the right agent and agree to terms that fit your needs. Real estate is all about scaling efficiently, working with the right people makes all the difference.
Disclaimer: I am a licensed real estate broker associate in Florida, but I am not an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor. The information shared is based on my experience and industry knowledge and should not be considered legal, tax, or financial advice. Always consult with a qualified professional before making any real estate investment decisions.
- Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @Khalid Bryan:
If you are struggling to find deals right now, you are not alone. The game has changed, and you have to be more proactive than ever to uncover solid opportunities. The good news? There are still plenty of deals out there, you just need to know where to look and how to get in front of them first.
One of the best ways to find deals is by working with wholesalers. These guys spend all day tracking down motivated sellers, and their whole business depends on moving properties quickly. If you build relationships with the right wholesalers, you can get access to deals before they ever hit the market. Connect with local wholesalers on BiggerPockets, Facebook investor groups, and at networking events. Let them know exactly what you are looking for so they come to you first when they get a deal that fits. Be ready to move fast because wholesale deals do not last long.
Another great way to find deals is by buying directly from other investors. Sometimes seasoned investors want to sell part of their portfolio because they are tired of managing properties, need quick liquidity, or are looking to 1031 exchange into something bigger. Many of these properties never get listed because they are sold within investor networks. Start building relationships at real estate meetups, REIAs, and even through property managers who may know of landlords looking to offload properties.
Do not overlook the power of your personal network. Family, friends, and co-workers may already know someone looking to sell. Let people know you are buying real estate. Post about it on social media. Ask around & you would be surprised how many off-market opportunities come from casual conversations.
Running targeted marketing campaigns is another effective strategy. The old-school “We Buy Ugly Houses” model still works. You can run targeted ads to homeowners in distress using Google Ads, Facebook, or mailers. Driving for dollars and looking for vacant or run-down properties is another way to find motivated sellers. In some areas, bandit signs still work if used correctly.
Building a strong brand and being visible as an investor also helps bring deals to you. Yard signs, car magnets, and even business cards still go a long way. Make sure your website or social media clearly says you buy investment properties. The more visible you are, the more likely someone will bring you a deal.
At the end of the day, the right real estate team can be the perfect catalyst for your operation. Having a dedicated person whose job is to find and negotiate deals that match your goals can help you scale much faster. Remember, commissions are always negotiable, so you can find the right agent and agree to terms that fit your needs. Real estate is all about scaling efficiently, working with the right people makes all the difference.
Disclaimer: I am a licensed real estate broker associate in Florida, but I am not an attorney, CPA, or financial advisor. The information shared is based on my experience and industry knowledge and should not be considered legal, tax, or financial advice. Always consult with a qualified professional before making any real estate investment decisions.
I've had some success with wholesalers, but with all the fishing through deals it can be a full time job. All the others you mentioned are great as well, and are other sources I've utilized. The last deal I bought for myself was off market from an investor I knew at my gym.
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews
- Member since 2025 · 4 posts · 0 votes1y
I've been seeing the same thing—finding good deals is getting harder, especially with so much competition on both the MLS and off-market channels. The usual go-to strategies like direct mail and cold calling still work, but the response rates have been dropping, and a lot of sellers are either unrealistic on price or getting bombarded by investors.
Lately, I’ve been focusing on identifying early-stage distressed properties before they even hit public records. Instead of waiting for pre-foreclosure filings or tax liens to become widely available, I’ve been tracking subtle distress indicators like mortgage delinquencies, utility shutoffs, and code violations that often show up first. It’s been helping me surface opportunities before they become obvious to the market.
Have you noticed any particular types of deals getting harder to find? Are you struggling more with on-market or off-market properties right now? I’d be happy to swap notes and see if there’s a way we can help each other out.
- Realtor · FL · Member since 2020 · 234 posts · 101 votes1y
Quote from @Daniel Generalov:
I've been seeing the same thing—finding good deals is getting harder, especially with so much competition on both the MLS and off-market channels. The usual go-to strategies like direct mail and cold calling still work, but the response rates have been dropping, and a lot of sellers are either unrealistic on price or getting bombarded by investors.
Lately, I’ve been focusing on identifying early-stage distressed properties before they even hit public records. Instead of waiting for pre-foreclosure filings or tax liens to become widely available, I’ve been tracking subtle distress indicators like mortgage delinquencies, utility shutoffs, and code violations that often show up first. It’s been helping me surface opportunities before they become obvious to the market.
Have you noticed any particular types of deals getting harder to find? Are you struggling more with on-market or off-market properties right now? I’d be happy to swap notes and see if there’s a way we can help each other out.
It feels like the on market deals are even easier to do now, and less work. You can send an offer 10-20% under asking to 10 properties and 1 or 2 will entertain he offer with a counter offer. I haven't seen much from wholesalers lately and felt like that was a good option for some time. A majority of the wholesalers are just buying on market stuff as well, and selling the contracts right from the MLS.
Thomas Lynne Realty528 Reviews
- Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes1y
Quote from @Adrian Lammersdorf-Scioll:
What are some strategies you are using to find deals? I have been investing now for about 3 years in real estate, and I'm finding it harder, and harder to find deals for my clients and myself that work. I use some mixed strategies to go on and off market, but I'm just generally curious what others are doing and finding that works for them?
3 years ago finding deals was like taking candy from a baby, now finding deals is like finding TP during COVID. What we had 3 years ago was very abnormal and we are getting back into normal real estate market which people are not used too. To find deals it will take almost a full time effort and a lot of outreach to find the deals. Those who grow and stick with it long term are typically the ones who win.
7e investments53 Reviews - 1yStephen MoralesBusiness MemberJacksonville, FL · Member since 2025 · 402 posts · 205 votes
Hey @Adrian Lammersdorf-Scioll
I would check out some proptech software and pull targeted seller lists. We see a lot of our users succeeding with pre-foreclosure, tax liens and high equity sellers. I would go through about 10,000 properties a month and you should be able to generate 1-2 deals from that alone.
If you're not interested in doing the cold calling yourself, I would look into hiring a VA caller and equiping them with a triple line dialer. Kixie and Readymode are some great ones to use. - Investor · Member since 2024 · 83 posts · 58 votes1y
Hi Adam, great question! We actually started in wholesaling over 10 years ago, so we always keep an eye out for deals when we’re out and about. Over the years, we’ve also built strong relationships with partners and now get a good number of referrals through our network.
I’d definitely recommend connecting with reliable wholesalers in your target areas, they can be a consistent source of quality deals. If you’re interested, we’d be happy to add you to our buyer network to help expand your opportunities.
Finding deals can definitely get tougher over time, but building and nurturing those relationships makes a big difference.
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