My first big payday! $13,700

My first big payday! $13,700

Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes

Hello everyone,

I just felt like I should share my little success story to keep new investors from quitting on their journey.

So far I’ve been wholesaling for about a year and a half or so. I was not consistent in the beginning (first 6-7 months) but ever since Dec of 2016 I’ve been very focused on building my business and scratching and clawing to get deals closed. Before this deal I’ve completed 4 deals by myself.

It all started with a call from a seller who received a yellow letter of mine. She mentioned that she lived outside of the city and might be interested in selling her vacant house. I asked her if we could schedule a time for me to view the property and she mentioned she didn’t have a key to the house(wth Lol). So I said no worries I’ll just go by and walk the property and peak through the windows. I get there and see that it’s definitely a property that needs work (Full Rehab) and it was impossible for me to see through the windows. Knowing I would have to get inside to view the house and to show buyers I was straight up with her. In a nice respectful way I asked her basically if I could break into her vacant house. She laughed (built a lot of rapport that day) and said go ahead.

So I get inside and just as I thought, FULL GUT!!! No worries. I give her a call and we start talking numbers and she mentions that she has a 10k lien on the property because she took a loan out to pay the property taxes. I then asked her what she would be comfortable walking away with and she said at least 10k. So with those two numbers I was able to figure out my numbers and see if it could be a possible wholesale deal. The comps in the area were horrible so I knew that it was going to have to be a special buyer to pick this property up. I called back and tried to negotiate with her but she wasn’t having it at all… So we agreed to 10k for her while me covering her lien… So I’m 20k in… Let’s find some buyers.

I marketed the property hard on craiglist and my buyers but really wasn’t getting the hits I wanted… A lot of tire kickers and people saying they couldn’t do anything with it.. Eventually I gathered enough interested buyers to have a showing. At the showing not one buyer made an offer and I was a honestly questioning if I was going to be able to sell it or not. That night I gathered a few remaining blank bandit signs and wrote some out stating “House for sale $26,000”. Took a trip and placed them at the nearest intersections. The very next day my phone blows up with people interested in the house but they were all offering way below asking price. The second day, it was about 7am in the morning I get a call from a son of a lady who lives on the same street. He mentions that they have family moving nearby and need a place to live. I told him we have had a few offers put in and that they should go check it out and let me know what they thought.

Fast forward to the next morning. I get a call from the son and they offer $35,000. It caught me so off guard when he made the offer that I kind of froze on the phone. Eventually I was able to murmur something out that sounded like “Yeah, I think that may work”… Knowing in my head that was absolutely w worthy offer. The next day I meet them out there and they walk through the house and still willing to pay the $35k. They sign the assignment contract, put down $1,000 earnest money and we scheduled closing.

That deal ended up netting me $13,700 because a few other little charges/taxes came up. But all in all it was the most profitable deal for me so far and I’m so grateful for it.

Moral of the story… When it looks like things aren’t going to go your way, get creative and keep on pushing. You never know what your extra efforts will do for you.

Thank you all for reading this far, Lol, I know it was super long.

Have a great day everyone!

Benjamin

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Most Popular Reply

Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
9y

@Benjamin Blackburn,

Congratulations!   

Just a suggestion,  as I bought a similar house for $5K,  was worried no one would ever buy it... luckily sold it for $10K.. wish someone would have told me--- don't underestimate the power and smell of paint!   If I were you, I'd invest some $$ in a sprayer, and paint the exterior and interior and invest a week to fix it up, doesn't have to be perfect, but people LOVE fresh paint!     If it's freshly painted, people instantly think it's new and you can go after big $$$!    

See this reply in the discussion

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  • Harjeet BhattiPro Member
    Lender · Glenview IL- CDLP NMLS#230554 · Member since 2015 · 2k+ posts · 747 votes
    9y

    A successful story! Thanks for sharing with us.

  • Toronto, Ontario · Member since 2017 · 4 posts · 0 votes
    9y

    Thanks for the share Benjamin.  Glad you pressed on and got a fantastic outcome.

  • Surveyor · Hemet, CA · Member since 2015 · 797 posts · 112 votes
    9y

    @Benjamin Blackburn very great story. So anyone can whole sale? Sounds there is a lot of work to it it sounds like you're a realtor basically connecting buyers to people that were maybe going to sell or not with out a yellow letter? I'm new to real estate and I met a new wholesaler last week at a real estate meeting. I am working on becoming a buy-and-hold investor actually.

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Springfield, MA · Member since 2016 · 641 posts · 204 votes
    9y
    Wow that was amazing. I loved the detailed story. Keep up the hard work Benjamin Blackburn
  • Investor · Mount Dora, FL · Member since 2015 · 92 posts · 44 votes
    9y

    Great job!  keep it up, and wishing you much future success.

  • Seminole, FL · Member since 2017 · 86 posts · 39 votes
    9y

    Awesome story @Benjamin Blackburn! Noting beats persistence. Would love to hear more about how you've run your Yellow Letter campaigns. If you don't want to post much, can you PM me? Thanks again!

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Middlesex County, NJ · Member since 2017 · 29 posts · 8 votes
    9y

    congratulations! feels good to make money...keep hustling!

  • Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes
    9y

    Hey @Robin Boyer thanks a lot.  I'm definitely not a Realtor.  I am in no way representing the buyer or seller in the transaction. Your right about a lot of work... It's not easy at all.

  • Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes
    9y

    Hey @Mike Snyder thanks a ton.  My campaigns are pretty basic and probably need some more order.  I have simply been just trying out different zip codes in my area.  I mail about 2,000 a month.  Honestly i hate to say this but everyone who has received mail from me have only gotten one piece so far.  I've literally been mailing a diff list each month.  This month was the first time hitting a list for the second time and it's been horrible... Literally 5 calls and all requesting to be taken off of my mailing list.  So I really have to find a strategy and stick with it. We shall see I guess :)   

  • Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes
    9y

    thank you very much @Mel C. and @Sebby Gabre Madhin

  • Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes
    9y
  • Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes
    9y
  • Investor · Kent, WA · Member since 2015 · 624 posts · 274 votes
    9y

    Congratulations @Benjamin Blackburn!
    now on to the next one :)

  • Investor · Richmond, VA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 2k+ votes
    9y

    @Benjamin Blackburn,

    Congratulations!   

    Just a suggestion,  as I bought a similar house for $5K,  was worried no one would ever buy it... luckily sold it for $10K.. wish someone would have told me--- don't underestimate the power and smell of paint!   If I were you, I'd invest some $$ in a sprayer, and paint the exterior and interior and invest a week to fix it up, doesn't have to be perfect, but people LOVE fresh paint!     If it's freshly painted, people instantly think it's new and you can go after big $$$!    

  • Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes
    9y

    Oh wow @Linda S. that should be considered the tip of the year!!! LOL The next one I come across I think I'm going to do that.  Luckily I already have a sprayer ;)

    Thanks

  • Investor · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2016 · 33 posts · 7 votes
    9y

    @Benjamin Blackburn

    Congrats and good job!

  • Shiloh LundahlPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Gilbert, AZ · Member since 2016 · 3k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    9y

    @Benjamin Blackburn Congratulations. I made 13k on my first deal too.  Who says 13 isn't a lucky number?

  • Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes
    9y

    @Shiloh Lundahl Right on! Thanks a lot! Congrats to you too.

  • Humble, TX · Member since 2017 · 1 post · 1 vote
    9y

    Wow what an amazing story. I'm truly inspired to keep pushing on after reading this. Thank you for being an example for me to follow. We've got to get together soon bro. 

    @Benjamin Blackburn

  • Rental Property Investor · Baton Rouge, LA · Member since 2017 · 78 posts · 26 votes
    9y
    Congrats
  • Attorney · Houston, TX · Member since 2016 · 61 posts · 38 votes
    9y

    @Benjamin Blackburn Great story! What zip codes are you concentrating in? I am on the lookout for multifamily deals in 3rd Ward, South Union, and possibly 5th Ward. 

  • Investor · Seattle/Tacoma WA · Member since 2016 · 55 posts · 33 votes
    9y

    @Benjamin Blackburn
    I love hearing stories like this....scraping by, doing everything you can....doubting yourself, then believing, then doubting but never giving up.....If you never give up, you'll eventually win. Congrats.

  • Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes
    9y

    @Christen Myers Thanks a lot.  And yes, it is a must that we link up soon

  • Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes
    9y

    @Timothy Winfield thanks man

    @Kyle Bryant thanks a lot man... I'm mainly up north 77028, 37, 16 but have closed a few deals in 5th ward lately and like the area.  Please DM me your contact info and i'll shoot over the next property I get

  • Wholesaler/ Investor · Houston, TX · Member since 2014 · 491 posts · 113 votes
    9y

    Thanks a ton @John Bryson You're absolutely correct!

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