Flipper/Rehabber · Mobile, AL · Member since 2010 · 138 posts · 55 votes
Anyone have an efficient method (and economical way) to track down sellers of vacant properties?
If I don't find a better way, I'm going to take my returned letters and trash them (I'm just too ADD) - but I know there's gold in these, just need to be patient and pan for it!
Orange, CA · Member since 2012 · 4 posts · 11 votes
14y
Ok put up a FSBO sign in the yard with you phone # on it someone that knows the owner will call the owner their is a FSBO sing up they will call you and ask why are you selling my house. you tell them this is the only way i had to find you. what would like to do with this house
Allen
Wholesaler · Bay Shore, NY · Member since 2009 · 359 posts · 199 votes
15y
I use http://www.ussearch.com/consumer/index.jsp
It gives me the current address of the seller which is listed as number 1. Address number 2 is usually the vacated property.
Here is the good part...an instant search is a $1.95!
Findtheseller.com is 20 bucks a pop and not the best option for me if I want to just find the current address. I grew up in REI on FTS.com but damm its expensive!
ussearch.com has premium search and save membership that for 19.95 a month you get 3 reverse lookups, 1 advanced background check and 3 advanced people searches. Well worth it if, like me, you find yourself having to track down owners of vacants.
Rehabber · Doylestown, PA · Member since 2011 · 3 posts · 1 vote
15y
Lexis Nexis is the best for this. They have a $150 minimum per month. Alternatively, a friend of mine uses merlindata and says he likes the pricing better.
Those return to sender labels on first class mailings you spoke of... there's a reason the stickers are GOLD.
Don't forget to pop their name into facebook. I've had great luck with finding people there.
Orange, CA · Member since 2012 · 4 posts · 11 votes
14y
Ok put up a FSBO sign in the yard with you phone # on it someone that knows the owner will call the owner their is a FSBO sing up they will call you and ask why are you selling my house. you tell them this is the only way i had to find you. what would like to do with this house
Allen
Real Estate Investor · Select a State · Member since 2011 · 11 posts · 7 votes
14y
I use Lexis Nexis and it's very expensive, but very good. SPOKEO is a good low cost online alternative.
I have had luck with talking to neighbors and having them relay a message to the owner. I have posted a bright yellow call me flyer on front door which has many times got the owner to call me.
Real Estate Investor · Select a State · Member since 2011 · 11 posts · 7 votes
14y
Originally posted by Allen Fidler:
Ok put up a FSBO sign in the yard with you phone # on it someone that knows the owner will call the owner their is a FSBO sing up they will call you and ask why are you selling my house. you tell them this is the only way i had to find you. what would like to do with this house
Allen
Sorry, but I think that is exactly a perfect way to piss off a home owner and make him not want to have anything to do with you. Erecting For Sale signs on other people's property without permission is flat out wrong and quite possibly illegal in many locations.
I feel that we investors should conduct our business in an ethical and legal way or get out of the business. There's already a dark cloud cast over the REI business due to a few bad people in REI, so we all owe it to each other to conduct ourselves in an honorable way.
Involved In Real Estate · Rochester Hills, MI · Member since 2010 · 812 posts · 178 votes
14y
Originally posted by Allen Fidler:
Ok put up a FSBO sign in the yard with you phone # on it someone that knows the owner will call the owner their is a FSBO sing up they will call you and ask why are you selling my house. you tell them this is the only way i had to find you. what would like to do with this house
Allen
Real Estate Investor · Select a State · Member since 2011 · 11 posts · 7 votes
14y
Originally posted by Allen Fidler:
Now we know why some Investors do Nothing
Sorry Allen, my intent wasn't to offend you. I just think there are more professional, ethical or legal ways to accomplish the same thing. I would be very embarrassed if it was publicized on the local nightly news that my company was placing For Sale signs in yards of properties that I didn't own. Also I don't like the idea of explaining to a police detective that I really didn't have any intent of committing fraud and that I wasn't really planning to collect deposits / earnest money on the sales of property that I didn't own.
There are a lot of things that I hear about "investors" doing that are often times illegal or unethical. Many people think that since one person did it and nothing bad happened, it must be okay. All you have to do is Google "real estate investor arrested" to read for hours about the people that thought they could get away with it.
As my grandfather used to say, "Right is right and wrong is wrong." Words to live by..
Wholesaler · Bay Shore, NY · Member since 2009 · 359 posts · 199 votes
14y
RE Investors have been known to live a little on the edge. I see Joe's point but I also see where Allen is coming from.
All the negative commentary about Allens approach is based on supposition when all he stated was that he's trying to get in touch with the owner. He never said anything about collecting earnest money or committing fraud and i'm sure that's not his intent.
I personally have never tried that approach but I'm not beneath it. If it works it works.
I think one should be willing to push the envelope a little considering the type of business we are in.
Just because someone isnt willing to take risks doesn't mean that other people shouldn't. If you are afraid to take risks then be afraid by yourself. Dont invite others to be afraid with you.
Some realtors are obviously against Allen's approach because of the rules and regulations box they have to operate inside of so it doesnt suprise me that the realtors comment says that it sounds like a seminar idea.
There are no REI police. If someone is going to do wrong they are going to do wrong no matter what.
Live and let live and stop being so judgemental of others conduct.
Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
14y
Originally posted by Joe S.:
Originally posted by Allen Fidler:
Ok put up a FSBO sign in the yard with you phone # on it someone that knows the owner will call the owner their is a FSBO sing up they will call you and ask why are you selling my house. you tell them this is the only way i had to find you. what would like to do with this house
Allen
Sorry, but I think that is exactly a perfect way to piss off a home owner and make him not want to have anything to do with you. Erecting For Sale signs on other people's property without permission is flat out wrong and quite possibly illegal in many locations.
...
The act of placing such a sign resembles an activity that only licensed real estate agents are permitted to perform in many areas - listing a property for sale. So it borders on illegal from that perspective. Placing a bandit sign on somebody's property without their permission is normally not permitted anywhere that I know of. It is important for those who aren't already aware of these issues to at least know them before suggesting / trying such ideas.
And I DID HEAR this idea once at a seminar, so for those who have mentioned that point ... you just weren't at that seminar if you said it isn't from a seminar.
Flipper/Rehabber · Bakersfield, CA · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
14y
Hello Brooks
Try the NCOA system, although a pain, it may be your best choice. Also mail to the address you get back using afirst class stamp and request forwarding info. The PO will charge you however it may be your cup of tea.
I would use a post card and a 32 cent first class stamp. Confirm with your local PO how they want to be told to send you the forwarding info. Althouhg it suppose to be a national guideline it certainly isnt.
Also as stated above Acurent seems to be the "Premier" find them site and I can put you in contact with Steve who does a lot of this as his model is abandand properties.
Steve is a great guy and will spend the time needed to walk you through the systems he uses.
Real Estate Investor · Select a State · Member since 2011 · 11 posts · 7 votes
14y
Originally posted by Michael G.:
He never said anything about collecting earnest money or committing fraud and i'm sure that's not his intent.
------------------------
Live and let live and stop being so judgemental of others conduct.
Just so we're clear, I'm not saying that was his intent. I said that I wouldn't want to have to deal with explaining my real intent to the police. If the owner calls the police and reports that someone erected a For Sale sign on his property without consent, the police ARE going to be asking questions.
Judgmental or not, I think it's important to for everyone to have a complete understanding of the possible risks of doing something like that.
Additionally, this is a forum to discuss good and bad investing ideas and issues. I'm simply one person that thinks it's a bad idea. Not a big deal. Just take it for what it's worth..
Wholesaler · Bay Shore, NY · Member since 2009 · 359 posts · 199 votes
14y
Originally posted by Joe S.:
Originally posted by Michael G.:
He never said anything about collecting earnest money or committing fraud and i'm sure that's not his intent.
------------------------
Live and let live and stop being so judgemental of others conduct.
Just so we're clear, I'm not saying that was his intent. I said that I wouldn't want to have to deal with explaining my real intent to the police. If the owner calls the police and reports that someone erected a For Sale sign on his property without consent, the police ARE going to be asking questions.
Judgmental or not, I think it's important to for everyone to have a complete understanding of the possible risks of doing something like that.
Additionally, this is a forum to discuss good and bad investing ideas and issues. I'm simply one person that thinks it's a bad idea. Not a big deal. Just take it for what it's worth..
Cheers!
I dont want to digress from the topic so Iwill make my last comment about this and zip it.
What is a good and bad investing idea is hugely subjective. Common sense and logic would dictate that there is some bit of illegality involved with the tactic and that should be apparent if you are a day 1 newbie or a 15 yr veteran but just how wrong could it be?
Than Merrrill of FortuneBuilders.com and Flip This House fame suggests this very same tactic for locating sellers of vacant homes in his Wholesaling seminar. He has a nationally televised TV reality show and is his company is reportedly rated # 1 in Education by Inc. Magazine. Hes not the only accomplished RE investor I've heard tout this tactic for finding sellers.
I've been RE investing since '05 and have NEVER heard of anyone getting in trouble for putting a bandit sign on someone's property for the sole purpose of getting in touch with them to buy the house. Have you?
I'm not saying it never happened...i'm just saying...
Bandit Signs @ intersections are probably against most city/town ordinances. Are we going to stop doing that also?
@ the end of the day if the goal is to help the person sell a home thats distressed either financially or physically or both, then where is the wrong in that?
Involved In Real Estate · Rochester Hills, MI · Member since 2010 · 812 posts · 178 votes
14y
Originally posted by Michael G.:
Originally posted by Joe S.:
Originally posted by Michael G.:
He never said anything about collecting earnest money or committing fraud and i'm sure that's not his intent.
------------------------
Live and let live and stop being so judgemental of others conduct.
Just so we're clear, I'm not saying that was his intent. I said that I wouldn't want to have to deal with explaining my real intent to the police. If the owner calls the police and reports that someone erected a For Sale sign on his property without consent, the police ARE going to be asking questions.
Judgmental or not, I think it's important to for everyone to have a complete understanding of the possible risks of doing something like that.
Additionally, this is a forum to discuss good and bad investing ideas and issues. I'm simply one person that thinks it's a bad idea. Not a big deal. Just take it for what it's worth..
Cheers!
I dont want to digress from the topic so Iwill make my last comment about this and zip it.
What is a good and bad investing idea is hugely subjective. Common sense and logic would dictate that there is some bit of illegality involved with the tactic and that should be apparent if you are a day 1 newbie or a 15 yr veteran but just how wrong could it be?
Than Merrrill of FortuneBuilders.com and Flip This House fame suggests this very same tactic for locating sellers of vacant homes in his Wholesaling seminar. He has a nationally televised TV reality show and is his company is reportedly rated # 1 in Education by Inc. Magazine. Hes not the only accomplished RE investor I've heard tout this tactic for finding sellers.
I've been RE investing since '05 and have NEVER heard of anyone getting in trouble for putting a bandit sign on someone's property for the sole purpose of getting in touch with them to buy the house. Have you?
I'm not saying it never happened...i'm just saying...
Bandit Signs @ intersections are probably against most city/town ordinances. Are we going to stop doing that also?
@ the end of the day if the goal is to help the person sell a home thats distressed either financially or physically or both, then where is the wrong in that?
Than Merril = Seminar advice like I stated previously.
Is "getting in trouble" really the basis in which to judge whether something is right or wrong? Me personally, no.
Wholesaler · San Francisco, CA · Member since 2012 · 259 posts · 147 votes
13y
Michael G.
Yes! Absolutely! I don't understand the desire to break the law or at least skirt it to get ahead. The way you do ONE thing is often the way you do ALL things. So if you are okay with breaking the law in one regard, why wouldn't you be okay with it in another instance?
I can agree to an extent but not when it comes to my business. If someone is doing something that is detrimental to your livelihood you are of course going to be judgmental of that person. People not involved in REI lump every single investor in the same bucket. If one acts illegally, shady or under-handed then that looks bad for all real estate investors - you included.
Wholesaler · Bay Shore, NY · Member since 2009 · 359 posts · 199 votes
13y
Thanks for your 2 cents Brandon.
Much to your chagrin... I'm STILL going to continue use bandit signs and will advise the same of anyone in listening distance to do the same. Especially newbies like your self.
Bandits are a win for both sides of the transaction. They are a form of guerilla marketing for the re investor on a limited budget.
I guess I understand your need to police the REI community (not really...). Some people are just like that. (Holier than thou, my way is the right way types).
Guess what? The people who call the Bandit signs are super glad the bandit signs are there.
Ask the gentleman who sold me the unwanted distressed probate property if he was glad the bandit sign was there when another investor backed out of the deal?
Ask the gentleman who short sold his house to me if he was glad the bandit sign was there?
There are more examples but i hope you get my drift.