What sources do you use to locate your properties?

Question

I've looked at many different types from auctions, REO, and realtor.com.  I'm wondering if you have one or two that are your "go to" websites to locate good prices on properties?

Thanks!

Account Closed · Answer

Redfin.com

Loopnet.com

Foreclosureradar.com, but they don't have it for your area.

Wayne Brooks · Answer

Cyndy, you find them on the local county clerk of court and tax accessor sites.

Cyndy Rupe · Answer

great info!!  Thanks everyone!

However, I don't know how to find auctions, tax sales, etc.  are there websites that you can give me?

I will definitely talk to my realtor about setting up those notifications!

David Krulac · Answer

@Cyndy Rupe

Knew somebody that went to Radford.

Anyway, I did a study of hundreds of my personal purchases and here were my sources:

Verbal auctions    58%

Tax Sale          31%

MLS                 25%

FSBO              19%

Estate/Probate 15%

Sealed Bid Auctions  15%

Word of Mouth  13%

VA Foreclosures  10%

HUD Foreclosures 6%

REO                       2%

Relocation Company  2%

I'm not sure how somebody else's purchase pattern can help you.  I do no marketing as I'm mostly dealing in the foreclosure auctions and REO/VA/HUD after the auction market.  I can fill my funnel just by going to an auction where they're selling hundreds of properties in one day.

Anson Young · Answer

MLS, marketing.  :-)

Michael Woodward · Answer

@Cyndy Rupe , I've been searching for houses online for several years and have found that Zillow is the best non-MLS source on the Internet (in my area anyway).  I used to use Realtor.com almost exclusively but a few years ago it changed (a lot).  It used to be intuitive and easy to use but I became less and less happy with it. I think the thing that finally pulled me completely away from Realtor.com was that Zillow offers so much more supporting information like tax values and sales history.  Realtor.com might offer that now but, honestly, I haven't been on that site for a long time so I'm not sure.  Zillow isn't perfect but it seems to work better than any of the other similar sites.

It's also really important that you have a local Realtor that can send you reports of local listings.  I had my agent set up a report that will send me an email every day of anything that hits the MLS under $55/sq.ft.  That's the price point I'm looking for with my flips so these auto-reports save me the time and trouble of searching for them manually. I always use a combination of Zillow and MLS reports because not all listings will show up in both places.

Good luck!

Cyndy Rupe · Answer

bump :)

Cyndy Rupe · Answer

myhousedeals.com doesn't show listings in my area :(

Rick Damian · Answer

I like to use MyHouseDeals.com to browse. I'm also in process of getting my real estate license so I can access Trend and other MLS services in order to get a jump on properties. Good luck!!

Paul Sorgi · Answer

I get many of my prospective properties from my real estate agent.  I also do my own marketing which includes networking, Signs (bandit, car), Direct Mail (absentee owners), craigslist, driving for dollars, etc.