Using Handwritten Bandit Signs

Marketing Your Property
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Using Handwritten Bandit Signs

Sharon Vornholt
Goshen, KY · Member since 2009 · 835 posts · 683 votes

I decided to try something new this week to market a wholesale property; handwritten “bandit†signs. In the past we have used “We Buy Houses†bandit signs for finding deals. I really am not a big fan of this whole process to be quite honest. I hate putting those signs out! After the last time I subjected myself to feeling like a “bandit†on the run, I had decided that if I ever were to use bandit signs again I would hire someone to put them up for me.

Recently I have heard of other real estate investors using handwritten signs to sell their properties and I decided to give it a try. I have to tell you, I was quite surprised by the results I got and definitely consider this experiment a success. Over the weekend I put out about 10-12 signs in the area where the house is located. I have gotten half dozen calls in just a few days from people that want to look at the house. Most all of these calls came from other real estate investors looking for something to rehab.

I put a few of the signs several miles away from the house on heavily traveled streets which were on the “route†to the house This particular property is not going to work for some of the investors that called, but I have been able to put them on my buyers list for future deals. Best of all, I have a potential buyer!

Has anyone else has success using these types of signs?

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Terry Royce
Real Estate Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2008 · 619 posts · 75 votes
16y

What wording are you using?

If I use "Cheap House 8k" I get homeowner wannabes

If I use "Cheap Shell 8K" I get handyman/investor types

Im interested to hear your input as im a big fan of these, I just hate putting them up.

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  • Sean Terry
    Real Estate Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2008 · 55 posts · 99 votes
    16y

    YES & YES Again!!

    We use hand written bandit signs religiously with great success for both buying and selling properties.

    We have one of our crew members put out between 50 to 100 a weekend consistently. We pay them $1.50 per sign.

    Thanks for sharing the positive experience.

    P.S. Make sure you have the calls go to an local eVoice number, not your cell.

    Cheers :)
    Sean

    1Reply
  • Johnny P.
    Real Estate Broker · Orlando, FL · Member since 2008 · 181 posts · 66 votes
    16y

    I would recommend using a google voice number since they are free and very hard to track back to you ( less worries of getting a fine). Ive put up over 600 signs in my area and never gotten a fine

    0Reply
  • Sharon Vornholt
    OP
    Goshen, KY · Member since 2009 · 835 posts · 683 votes
    16y

    @Sean and Johnny -

    I have used Bandit signs off an on for a while, but have never used handwritten signs until this time. I like the per sign amount for putting them out. I hate putting out those signs.

    I need to go ahead and sign up for Google voice. I have been meaning to do it for a while.

    Sean - do you have any idea how many houses you buy on average per month with the volume of signs you use?

    0Reply
  • Terry Royce
    Real Estate Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2008 · 619 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    I have used handwritten signs to sell mainly shells, since I find these attract handyman types looking for projects.

    1Reply
  • Sharon Vornholt
    OP
    Goshen, KY · Member since 2009 · 835 posts · 683 votes
    16y

    I got a lot of calls from the signs. One of the things I am most excited about is the number of folks I have added to my buyers list. I will definitely use these in the future.

    1Reply
  • Terry Royce
    Real Estate Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2008 · 619 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    What wording are you using?

    If I use "Cheap House 8k" I get homeowner wannabes

    If I use "Cheap Shell 8K" I get handyman/investor types

    Im interested to hear your input as im a big fan of these, I just hate putting them up.

    3Reply
  • Sharon Vornholt
    OP
    Goshen, KY · Member since 2009 · 835 posts · 683 votes
    16y

    People in my area wouldn't have any idea what a "shell" is but everyone understands "house".

    I just put "Handyman Special - Must Sell" along with the phone number. Sometimes I put "cheap house". It just depends. You can put the price or not.( I put it on cheap houses a lot of times.) I never put it on a more expensive house I think you probably get a lot more potential people for your buyers list that call without a price.

    Like other folks have said, you can hire someone else to put them up.

    1Reply
  • Robert Pickett
    Investor · Dallas, TX · Member since 2009 · 66 posts · 19 votes
    16y

    I Handwrite

    If it's under 30k

    Cheap House
    Must Sell 20K
    Cash Only
    xxx-xxx-xxxx

    Over 30K

    Investment Property
    Worth: 90K
    You Pay: 40K
    Cash Only
    xxx-xxx-xxxx

    Alot of Investors have the under 30k Mattress Money..
    Over 30K You Have To Show Them The Profit Potential Spread...
    So when they see that 50K spread They get curious...

    1Reply
  • Terry Royce
    Real Estate Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2008 · 619 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    The problem is when I put "Cheap House 10k" I get these people that think its a retail deal.

    I tried
    "Cheap House
    Tons of Equity
    13k
    555-5555"

    yesterday so im waiting to see how many calls I get. Certain streets around here my phone just blows UP, but then other busy streets I don't get alot of calls, even if they are in the same neighborhood.

    0Reply
  • Sharon Vornholt
    OP
    Goshen, KY · Member since 2009 · 835 posts · 683 votes
    16y

    @ Robert. I agree with using different signs for different priced houses.

    @ Terry. I think you have to just try different things and see what works in your area.

    0Reply
  • Kevin Kim
    Investor · Ft Collins, CO · Member since 2008 · 20 posts · 12 votes
    16y

    Great info. I handwrite, use multiple signs on a single property and often list terms: 4 Sale, $3150 down, $518 month.
    These are FHA terms, get a lot of renters calling in. I fish the 80% market that dont know that they can buy. Great for collecting a buyer's list.

    2Reply
  • Sharon Vornholt
    OP
    Goshen, KY · Member since 2009 · 835 posts · 683 votes
    16y

    Great idea Kevin.

    0Reply
  • Jonathan Rexford
    Real Estate Investor · Vero Beach, FL · Member since 2008 · 268 posts · 89 votes
    16y

    I hire my signs out. I run an ad on craigslist and have them call a 800#. If they like what they here I tell them to go to the ad and reply back with there contact information. We are paying $1.40 per sign. Last ad I ran I had 53 calls and 42 emails off craigslist of people wanting to do it.

    I for one use handwritten for SELLING only. I never use it for BUYING. For those using it for BUYING do you see a different results with Preprint than handwritten? What is your message with BUYING?

    0Reply
  • Lafi S.
    Real Estate Agent · North Jersey, NJ · Member since 2008 · 287 posts · 51 votes
    16y

    AVOID FORECLOSURE
    Have your lender forgive your debt

    Sell Your Home-Pay Nothing
    Owe Nothing- Save Credit

    Toll Free- xxx-xxx-xxxx

    This sign is printed in black on yellow corrugated signs and do pretty well at pulling in short sale leads.

    I've used handwritten signs for selling and had an incredible response, but the actual buyer came through the MLS. I think those signs do a better job at building your buyers list than actually selling the specific property in mind. Has anyone here ever sold their actual property using these signs?

    0Reply
  • Jim Ludes
    Vendor · Redondo Beach, CA · Member since 2010 · 37 posts · 17 votes
    16y

    I've used handwritten bandit signs to sell my wholesale properties and retail homes. For me they work 10x better than the fancy pre-printed signs.

    They look less threatening and intimidating to prospective buyers, especially first-time home buyers and newbie investors.

    I've also used the pre-printed "Rent-To-Own" bandit signs that come in a "freehand font", they seem to work just as well.

    0Reply
  • Sharon Vornholt
    OP
    Goshen, KY · Member since 2009 · 835 posts · 683 votes
    16y

    Thanks for all the suggestions. One thing I have noticed is that my handwritten signs are still up almost 3 weeks out and I'm still getting calls. I will definitely leave them up after the house is sold to continue to build my buyers list.

    0Reply
  • Lafi S.
    Real Estate Agent · North Jersey, NJ · Member since 2008 · 287 posts · 51 votes
    16y

    Yes handwritten are extremely effective.. Some gurus even advocate doing this on a fake property for beginners just so they can start building their buyers list right away. Good Luck

    0Reply
  • Jonathan Rexford
    Real Estate Investor · Vero Beach, FL · Member since 2008 · 268 posts · 89 votes
    16y

    So I am assuming that everyone is just using handwriten signs for SELLING. Not BUYING.

    0Reply
  • Sharon Vornholt
    OP
    Goshen, KY · Member since 2009 · 835 posts · 683 votes
    16y

    Just for selling.

    0Reply
  • Sam D
    Member since 2009 · 7 posts · 0 votes
    16y

    I'm thinking of putting up signs for buying, as I usually have a much easier time finding buyers than sellers. What's your guys success rate with that? Thanks.

    0Reply
  • Terry Royce
    Real Estate Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2008 · 619 posts · 75 votes
    16y

    I had an angry neighborhood person take my sign down and write " FREE 2006 HUMMER" with my phone number on it on the other side of my sign.

    Funny thing is it was a half mile from my house and I ran into the guy when he was trying to put it back up.

    Never had that one happen before.

    2Reply
  • Nick Abbate
    Real Estate Investor · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2010 · 155 posts · 16 votes
    16y

    Everybody has some awesome suggestions. Just a thought thinking outside the box, What if you did put FREE 2006 Hummer, what the heck I betcha that phone will ring right?

    The question I have for everybody is this: If you are putting bandit signs up in the areas you are targeting and lets say you do 100 a week you have 5 areas and you do 1 area each week. Will the signs you put up first still be generating calls? Or will they have been ripped down or taken anybody have any experience with this?

    0Reply
  • Dave Gibson
    Real Estate Investor · Huntsville, AL · Member since 2010 · 44 posts · 11 votes
    16y

    I'm getting bandits this week and will be putting them up next week. I like the idea of handwritten signs to sell....makes it a bit more personal. For my buy signs, they will be simple and straightforward - black on yellow with:

    Fast Cash
    For Your House
    XXX-XXX-XXXX (Large Print)

    0Reply
  • Andy J.
    Wholesaler · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2009 · 286 posts · 255 votes
    16y
    Originally posted by Nick Abbate:
    Everybody has some awesome suggestions. Just a thought thinking outside the box, What if you did put FREE 2006 Hummer, what the heck I betcha that phone will ring right?

    The question I have for everybody is this: If you are putting bandit signs up in the areas you are targeting and lets say you do 100 a week you have 5 areas and you do 1 area each week. Will the signs you put up first still be generating calls? Or will they have been ripped down or taken anybody have any experience with this?



    Whether or not they are still standing will vary depending on your location. Some cities take them down, some citizens take them down, others don't. In my area I'll lose quite a few throughout the week, almost all from citizens. Some weeks they'll all be left standing (the sign slashers went on vacation???) and other weeks they'll almost all be gone. If they're still standing, regardless of how long they've been, they'll still generate calls. May be less response that at first but it still works.
    0Reply
  • NA Beauvais
    Specialist · Jacksonville, FL · Member since 2008 · 140 posts · 14 votes
    15y

    I have always used hand written signs to sell a house. Effective, but gets old really really quick. You should always do a task until you can teach it but as soon as you can, outsource it.

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