Off market deals

Most Popular Reply

Jesus FloresPro Member
Rental Property Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2019 · 19 posts · 14 votes
1y

@Garrett Prenger, Great question! Another option is Driving For Dollars.

-Make a plan: Target some zip codes/streets.

-Action: Drive in those zip codes and identify distressed properties. Take notes.

-Analysis: After driving for dollars, analyze the potential properties (run the numbers).

Good luck!

Jesus Flores

3Reply
See this reply in the discussion

19 Replies

Jump to latestLatest
  • Andy SabischPro Member
    Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2021 · 657 posts · 559 votes
    1y

    Several options . . . . 

    1) Contact wholesalers in your area (look for the posted signs all over) and see what they are finding, the area and type of properties.  Never assume the ARVs or reno costs they provide are accurate - always verify.  We have only one that we use that finds deals and they sell quickly so if you are ready to move, find a solid wholesaler or two and get ready to lock up a pro[erty when presented.

    2) Join a local REIG and let members know what you are looking for - often they come across deals that are not in their wheelhouse but may be in yours.

    3) Contact investor friendly real estate agents and let them know you are looking - pocket listings come across their desks and it may fit your criteria - let them know what your parameters are so you are not wasting everyone's time.

    1Reply
  • Sam McCormackBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Cincinnati, OH/NKY · Member since 2021 · 1k+ posts · 833 votes
    1y
    Quote from @Garrett Prenger:

    How do you find off market deals for a fix and flip in the west central Ohio area?


     Wholesalers mostly. FaceBook groups are helpful. And once you do multiple you will make your presence known more and they may start coming to you. It's a hard train to start but momentum is a hell of a thing

    [email protected]859-443-4952
    Sam McCormack Realtor
    View Page
    1Reply
  • Kerlous TadresBusiness Member
    Realtor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2023 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y
    Quote from @Garrett Prenger:

    How do you find off market deals for a fix and flip in the west central Ohio area?

    I would connect with an investor-friendly real estate agent in that market and try to see if they can guide you in the right direction!
    [email protected]614-490-1163
    Kerlous Tadres | Reafco Real Estate539 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    2Reply
  • Jesus FloresPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · San Diego, CA · Member since 2019 · 19 posts · 14 votes
    1y

    @Garrett Prenger, Great question! Another option is Driving For Dollars.

    -Make a plan: Target some zip codes/streets.

    -Action: Drive in those zip codes and identify distressed properties. Take notes.

    -Analysis: After driving for dollars, analyze the potential properties (run the numbers).

    Good luck!

    Jesus Flores

    3Reply
  • Oleg Donets
    Specialist · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2021 · 99 posts · 30 votes
    1y

    @Garrett Prenger if this in not your first deal (meaning you already closed at least 5 deals) AND have a well oiled follow up system in place, I'd recommend trying Pay-Per-Lead. With PPL you get motivated seller leads in your target markets.

    However, if you are just starting out, I'd start with pulling lists of homeowners in distressed situations and then either cold call or cold text them. This will allow you to practice your closing skills and won't cost you much.

    Utilizing wholesalers is also an option if you are fine paying an assignment fee (which often can be quite steep).

    0Reply
    • Kortez Dejesus
      Member since 2025 · 13 posts · 9 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Oleg Donets:

      @Garrett Prenger if this in not your first deal (meaning you already closed at least 5 deals) AND have a well oiled follow up system in place, I'd recommend trying Pay-Per-Lead. With PPL you get motivated seller leads in your target markets.

      However, if you are just starting out, I'd start with pulling lists of homeowners in distressed situations and then either cold call or cold text them. This will allow you to practice your closing skills and won't cost you much.

      Utilizing wholesalers is also an option if you are fine paying an assignment fee (which often can be quite steep).


       homeowners in distressed situations, how do i find them and their contact information? besides doorknocking?

      0Reply
    • Andy SabischPro Member
      Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2021 · 657 posts · 559 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Kortez Dejesus:
      Quote from @Oleg Donets:

      @Garrett Prenger if this in not your first deal (meaning you already closed at least 5 deals) AND have a well oiled follow up system in place, I'd recommend trying Pay-Per-Lead. With PPL you get motivated seller leads in your target markets.

      However, if you are just starting out, I'd start with pulling lists of homeowners in distressed situations and then either cold call or cold text them. This will allow you to practice your closing skills and won't cost you much.

      Utilizing wholesalers is also an option if you are fine paying an assignment fee (which often can be quite steep).


       homeowners in distressed situations, how do i find them and their contact information? besides doorknocking?


       The problem with this especially for someone that is starting out is that with the ease of obtaining these lists anymore, you will not by the first or even the 100th person that has pulled them and reached out to owners.  The cost of the lists and then the time to contact people or pay a virtual assistant can quickly eat up seed money that could be used to acquire that first property.  Bandit signs were an effective tool a decade ago but they are so over used that their effectiveness in most areas is diluted.  We have found that getting an effective wholesaler or two to find deals is worth the assignment fee as long as the numbers work for us.  Good ones are experts in that area (finding deals) and we simply t=do not have the time or desire to compete with them to save the fee.

      2Reply
    • Sean McKee
      Rental Property Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2017 · 265 posts · 186 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Andy Sabisch:
      Quote from @Kortez Dejesus:
      Quote from @Oleg Donets:

      @Garrett Prenger if this in not your first deal (meaning you already closed at least 5 deals) AND have a well oiled follow up system in place, I'd recommend trying Pay-Per-Lead. With PPL you get motivated seller leads in your target markets.

      However, if you are just starting out, I'd start with pulling lists of homeowners in distressed situations and then either cold call or cold text them. This will allow you to practice your closing skills and won't cost you much.

      Utilizing wholesalers is also an option if you are fine paying an assignment fee (which often can be quite steep).


       homeowners in distressed situations, how do i find them and their contact information? besides doorknocking?


       The problem with this especially for someone that is starting out is that with the ease of obtaining these lists anymore, you will not by the first or even the 100th person that has pulled them and reached out to owners.  The cost of the lists and then the time to contact people or pay a virtual assistant can quickly eat up seed money that could be used to acquire that first property.  Bandit signs were an effective tool a decade ago but they are so over used that their effectiveness in most areas is diluted.  We have found that getting an effective wholesaler or two to find deals is worth the assignment fee as long as the numbers work for us.  Good ones are experts in that area (finding deals) and we simply t=do not have the time or desire to compete with them to save the fee.


       Andy you nailed this point. I tried Propstream and literally had someone tell me he was getting hundreds of calls.  I stopped after that. I found a property through direct mail by focusing on very niche lists and inaccurate seller address information. These were a lot more time consuming to come by and I found there was a lot less competition.

      0Reply
  • Oleg Donets
    Specialist · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2021 · 99 posts · 30 votes
    1y

    @Kortez Dejesus you can use software apps like propstream, xleads or many others to pull lists of prospects. Then skip trace them to find out their contact information. And then reach out by cold calling or texting them.

    0Reply
  • Oleg Donets
    Specialist · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2021 · 99 posts · 30 votes
    1y

    @Andy Sabisch totally agree with you with regards to lists. However, I believe it is the most affordable way for newbies to get their reps in before they can invest in something more scalable.

    That said, seems like you a seasoned investor already. I'm curious, why do you prefer source deals from wholesalers over marketing directly to home sellers?

    0Reply
    • Andy SabischPro Member
      Investor · Jackson, MS · Member since 2021 · 657 posts · 559 votes
      1y
      Quote from @Oleg Donets:

      @Andy Sabisch totally agree with you with regards to lists. However, I believe it is the most affordable way for newbies to get their reps in before they can invest in something more scalable.

      That said, seems like you a seasoned investor already. I'm curious, why do you prefer source deals from wholesalers over marketing directly to home sellers?


       We have found that if you find a wholesaler that provides real deals and not deals that will not work, we would rather spend our time doing what we do best and let the wholesaler beat the bushes for the deals.  The point I was making about the overuse of the lists is that we show up on them owning properties out of the area and get multiple calls on a regular basis from wholesalers trying to tie up the property.  We usually ask them about where they found our contact information and it is typically the same list that gets sold and resold.

      If you look at what it takes to find deals in terms of the programs that you need to subscribe to, learn how to use, contact the people on the list and deal with 1,000 no's to get that one yes.  Samuel says he has virtual assistants and has a team to get a deal flow which does not reflect a newbie getting started.  We would rather pay an assignment fee and have deals sent to us to pick from and move on to the closing, reno and rent or flip than try to duplicate what 100 others are trying to do.  Wholesaling is going to be regulated soon due to the way many are doing it but again for us, the cost to get a deal with no work on our part is simply an expense that goes into us determining if the deal is worth it to us or not.

      1Reply
  • Samuel DioufBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus & Cleveland, OH · Member since 2023 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    I personally have a team of cold callers, cold text, and have built a huge network in my areas to get constant deal flow. 

    [email protected]614-662-1652
    Reafco - Samuel Diouf528 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    2Reply
  • Oleg Donets
    Specialist · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2021 · 99 posts · 30 votes
    1y

    @Andy Sabisch, not sure who Samuel is. I was not responding to Samuel.

    Regardless, I totally understand what you said. Perhaps, I did not clearly relay my question. When I was saying marketing directly to home sellers, I didn't mean outbound stuff; I meant inbound marketing (SEO, PPC, etc.) when sellers reach out to you to buy their homes.

    Would you still prefer wholesalers as a source of deals over motivated sellers themselves coming to you to buy their property?

    0Reply
  • Joseph TadresPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2025 · 184 posts · 179 votes
    1y

    I find off-market fix-and-flip deals all the time by cold-calling specific zip codes. I’d recommend targeting distressed or vacant properties in those areas. You can also send postcards or letters to property owners and network with local wholesalers. Probate listings can be another great source. Consistency is key; keep reaching out, and you’ll find those hidden gems.

    1Reply
  • Min ZhangBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y

    Finding flips before they hit the market is a mix of networking and persistence, connecting with wholesalers, keeping in touch with local agents, and sometimes even working with probate attorneys. The trick is staying top of mind so they call you first when something comes up. Have you tried any methods so far?

    [email protected]614-412-2912
    Reafco.512 Reviews
    View Page
    1Reply
  • Marc RiceBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    1y
    Quote from @Garrett Prenger:

    How do you find off market deals for a fix and flip in the west central Ohio area?


    So basically you try to connect with the homeowners directly via cold calling/texting, direct mails etc. Also try to get in contact with the local agents there

    [email protected]614-363-2787
    Marc Rice | Investor Friendly Agent at Reafco Tailwind Team574 Reviews
    WebsiteView Page
    1Reply
  • Arman AhmedPro Member
    Real Estate Agent · Columbus Cleveland Dayton, OH · Member since 2024 · 2k+ posts · 911 votes
    1y

    @Garrett Prenger

    Hey Garrett,

    For off-market deals in West Central Ohio, a few solid strategies are: driving for dollars (scouting neighborhoods for distressed or vacant homes), building relationships with local wholesalers and agents who specialize in investor deals, and tapping into probate and tax delinquent lists.

    Also, networking with contractors and property managers can sometimes lead to early heads-up on potential flips before they hit the market.

    Staying consistent with these approaches usually uncovers the best off-market opportunities.

    [email protected]614-418-6081
    1Reply
  • Kenton Moyer
    Member since 2025 · 12 posts · 4 votes
    1y

    Most of my success with off market (all my investment properties except 1 SFH have been off market) have been through agents that are also property managers. Search your area for these companies and ask them out for coffee or lunch. Let them know what you're looking for and your ability to close. Understand, they probably have other clients so you will have to explain why they should go to you first. In my case, I let them know they can remain the property manager for the property if it's going to be a buy and hold. If it's a flip, you may have to convince them you can close early or take anything that is reasonably priced (which makes you the go to person to just dump properties and get off the books).

    0Reply
  • Kelly Schroeder
    Real Estate Broker · Member since 2025 · 196 posts · 79 votes
    1y

    @Garrett Prenger 

    In West Central Ohio, I’ve had luck networking with local wholesalers, attending investor meetups, driving for dollars, and pulling targeted lists from county records (pre-foreclosure, absentee owners, etc.). Pairing that with consistent follow-up has been key to finding solid off-market flips.

    0Reply
Join the conversationCreate a free account to reply, vote on answers and follow this thread.
Log InJoin for Free