Cold Calling agencies
Brenden StadelmanPro Member
Real Estate Agent · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2023 · 17 posts · 20 votesCold Calling agencies
Most Popular Reply
Wholesaler · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2015 · 398 posts · 680 votes
1y@Brenden StadelmanI found that agencies work well short term, but they are not a viable long-term solution. There's no workaround for bringing it in house. Firstly, you can save costs by paying your VAs directly. Usually agencies mark up the VA costs significantly. Oftentimes, they'll pay the VAs $3.50 an hour and charge you $12. Then when your VAs suddenly quit or not performing well, you wonder why because you're paying an agency so much. I understand they need to turn a profit and pay for overhead, but the minimum they should pay a cold caller is $5.
When I hired my first cold callers, I outsourced it to an agency, then I brought it in house. I use onlinejobs.ph for all my hiring, and I only hire cold callers from the Philippines. I'm entertaining hiring Egyptians because many of my colleagues have had great experience using them recently, but I've managed hundreds of VAs over my 10 years of investing with the majority of them being from the Philippines.
Having a hiring process will determine the quality of applicants you receive. I require all of my prospects to fill out a Google form that I link to my job announcement. I've had some VAs think they're doing a good job by messaging me directly on Facebook or emailing me, but they're automatically not considered if they didn't fill out the form. If they cannot follow that simple step, how do I expect them to take direction from my ops team or show up on time?
I have a system and process for everything in my company. You can make it work with an agency, but you'll need processes for auditing their progress. I worked with an agency back in 2019 - 2020 and found myself training their people more than they did. At that point, I was thinking "why am I paying them a markup?" Additionally, agencies can shut down on you in a heartbeat. It's happened to me a few times. I was using a company called Seller Snipers back in 2018 and they were delivering some great leads. However, I got an email on a Monday and they shut everything down abruptly. That really set my business back.
My suggestion is to use an agency short term, but try to always have a VA you're managing on your own. This will allow you to split test the results with the agency and also gain experience with managing a team. Expect to pay an agency $10 - $12 an hour. Ensure they're providing you with daily or weekly EOD reports with the campaign stats. Usually, there's a KPI sheet that they're using to track how many dials each caller is making.
Here's how you keep the agency accountable. I'll share some benchmarks below:
Dials per day: 800 - 1500. The dials could be closer to 2,000, depending on their dialer. If you're paying the agency full time, and they're not getting in at least 800 dials per day, the VA is not working full time.
Leads per day: 1 - 2 per caller. Most of my cold call leads convert to contracts within 60 - 120 days after we initially call them. Be prepared to aggressively follow up with the sellers to get the deals locked up.
Hot Leads: 2% to 5%. If you get 100 leads, about 2 - 5 will be "hot", meaning they'll be at or below 70% of ARV. However, they may not be ready to sign right now. Place all the cold leads on a 1 - 3 month follow up and follow up with the hot leads weekly until they sign.
Leads to Contracts: Expect 50 - 100 leads to generate a contract. If your list is more motivated, it will take fewer leads to generate a contract. However, I do think the conversion time frame of 60 - 120 days still stands, regardless of how motivated your list is.
I would ask if your agency can text for you. Since the 10DLC regulations went into place in October 2023, texting is my number 1 marketing channel. It's taking 30 - 50 leads to generate a contract and we usually get a contract a week, so the speed to lead is fast. It takes 2 weeks - 30 days to contract our hot texting leads. My assessment is that the investors who were texting heavily switched to cold calling after October 2023, so now it's oversaturated.
There are other variables that can significantly affect the overall performance of your cold calling campaigns, like your MSA, zip codes you chose within your MSA, the dialer you use, the size of your list, how fresh your list is, the quality of the property records on your list, the quality of your phone numbers on your list, and if the phone numbers you're dialing from in your dialer are being marked as spam.
It'll be unfair to place all of this on your agency if they aren't producing results. However, I do think these agencies should operate as hybrid consultants and be able to provide guidance to their clients. Too often, they lock clients in lengthy contracts and blame the clients when they don't get results, which is unethical because they're usually taking advantage of the clients' ignorance. Let me know if you have any questions or need me to provide clarity on any of the points I stated.
13 Replies
- Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes1y
Quote from @Brenden Stadelman:
I work wholesale in central Indiana and have a full sales team. I am trying to get more direct to seller leads as most my leads come from other wholesalers who don't have buyers like us. I am looking into REVA Global and Steller Staff currently because my best leads come from people who have VAs doing cold calling for them. Has anyone tried any of these agencies?
Or does anyone have advice on how to find a good cold calling VA?
Also curious if people use an agency or an individual. I am using one right now for the past few weeks (none of who you mentioned). Results have not been great but also realize it takes time.
7e investments53 Reviews - Lender · Member since 2024 · 60 posts · 26 votes1y
Quote from @Brenden Stadelman:
I work wholesale in central Indiana and have a full sales team. I am trying to get more direct to seller leads as most my leads come from other wholesalers who don't have buyers like us. I am looking into REVA Global and Steller Staff currently because my best leads come from people who have VAs doing cold calling for them. Has anyone tried any of these agencies?
Or does anyone have advice on how to find a good cold calling VA?
If you have a college nearby I would suggest recruiting some interns. Interview them of course but for the most part they are hard workers that are cheap or free. It is also providing great experience for them so win win.
- Investor · VA · Member since 2015 · 21k+ posts · 19k+ votes1y
Quote from @Thomas McPherson:
Quote from @Brenden Stadelman:
I work wholesale in central Indiana and have a full sales team. I am trying to get more direct to seller leads as most my leads come from other wholesalers who don't have buyers like us. I am looking into REVA Global and Steller Staff currently because my best leads come from people who have VAs doing cold calling for them. Has anyone tried any of these agencies?
Or does anyone have advice on how to find a good cold calling VA?
If you have a college nearby I would suggest recruiting some interns. Interview them of course but for the most part they are hard workers that are cheap or free. It is also providing great experience for them so win win.
great idea.
7e investments53 Reviews - Specialist · Member since 2025 · 52 posts · 10 votes1y
Hi Brenden,
I've been following the conversation on cold calling VAs and wanted to share some insights from my experience working with professional teams focused on acquisitions and follow-ups. While I'm not an investor myself, I work with highly trained VAs who support real estate professionals in generating direct-to-seller leads. Here are a few thoughts on what makes for a successful cold calling VA program:
• Rigorous Screening & Training:
Ensuring VAs have a solid understanding of your target market and messaging is key. A detailed screening process and ongoing training can make a huge difference in performance.
• Clear Guidelines & Performance Metrics:
Defining clear expectations, call scripts, and performance benchmarks helps maintain consistency. Regular performance reviews and feedback sessions keep the team aligned with your goals.
• Proven Systems & Oversight:
Establishing robust systems for tracking leads, follow-ups, and conversion rates can provide a clear picture of what’s working—and where improvements are needed.
I've been monitoring agencies like REVA Global and Steller Staff and know that many investors have seen success by using professionally managed teams. If you're interested in exchanging further insights on best practices or have specific questions about structuring a VA program, feel free to send me a private message.
Good luck with ramping up your direct-to-seller leads!
- Wholesaler · Charlotte, NC · Member since 2015 · 398 posts · 680 votes1y
@Brenden StadelmanI found that agencies work well short term, but they are not a viable long-term solution. There's no workaround for bringing it in house. Firstly, you can save costs by paying your VAs directly. Usually agencies mark up the VA costs significantly. Oftentimes, they'll pay the VAs $3.50 an hour and charge you $12. Then when your VAs suddenly quit or not performing well, you wonder why because you're paying an agency so much. I understand they need to turn a profit and pay for overhead, but the minimum they should pay a cold caller is $5.
When I hired my first cold callers, I outsourced it to an agency, then I brought it in house. I use onlinejobs.ph for all my hiring, and I only hire cold callers from the Philippines. I'm entertaining hiring Egyptians because many of my colleagues have had great experience using them recently, but I've managed hundreds of VAs over my 10 years of investing with the majority of them being from the Philippines.Having a hiring process will determine the quality of applicants you receive. I require all of my prospects to fill out a Google form that I link to my job announcement. I've had some VAs think they're doing a good job by messaging me directly on Facebook or emailing me, but they're automatically not considered if they didn't fill out the form. If they cannot follow that simple step, how do I expect them to take direction from my ops team or show up on time?
I have a system and process for everything in my company. You can make it work with an agency, but you'll need processes for auditing their progress. I worked with an agency back in 2019 - 2020 and found myself training their people more than they did. At that point, I was thinking "why am I paying them a markup?" Additionally, agencies can shut down on you in a heartbeat. It's happened to me a few times. I was using a company called Seller Snipers back in 2018 and they were delivering some great leads. However, I got an email on a Monday and they shut everything down abruptly. That really set my business back.
My suggestion is to use an agency short term, but try to always have a VA you're managing on your own. This will allow you to split test the results with the agency and also gain experience with managing a team. Expect to pay an agency $10 - $12 an hour. Ensure they're providing you with daily or weekly EOD reports with the campaign stats. Usually, there's a KPI sheet that they're using to track how many dials each caller is making.
Here's how you keep the agency accountable. I'll share some benchmarks below:
Dials per day: 800 - 1500. The dials could be closer to 2,000, depending on their dialer. If you're paying the agency full time, and they're not getting in at least 800 dials per day, the VA is not working full time.Leads per day: 1 - 2 per caller. Most of my cold call leads convert to contracts within 60 - 120 days after we initially call them. Be prepared to aggressively follow up with the sellers to get the deals locked up.
Hot Leads: 2% to 5%. If you get 100 leads, about 2 - 5 will be "hot", meaning they'll be at or below 70% of ARV. However, they may not be ready to sign right now. Place all the cold leads on a 1 - 3 month follow up and follow up with the hot leads weekly until they sign.
Leads to Contracts: Expect 50 - 100 leads to generate a contract. If your list is more motivated, it will take fewer leads to generate a contract. However, I do think the conversion time frame of 60 - 120 days still stands, regardless of how motivated your list is.
I would ask if your agency can text for you. Since the 10DLC regulations went into place in October 2023, texting is my number 1 marketing channel. It's taking 30 - 50 leads to generate a contract and we usually get a contract a week, so the speed to lead is fast. It takes 2 weeks - 30 days to contract our hot texting leads. My assessment is that the investors who were texting heavily switched to cold calling after October 2023, so now it's oversaturated.
There are other variables that can significantly affect the overall performance of your cold calling campaigns, like your MSA, zip codes you chose within your MSA, the dialer you use, the size of your list, how fresh your list is, the quality of the property records on your list, the quality of your phone numbers on your list, and if the phone numbers you're dialing from in your dialer are being marked as spam.It'll be unfair to place all of this on your agency if they aren't producing results. However, I do think these agencies should operate as hybrid consultants and be able to provide guidance to their clients. Too often, they lock clients in lengthy contracts and blame the clients when they don't get results, which is unethical because they're usually taking advantage of the clients' ignorance. Let me know if you have any questions or need me to provide clarity on any of the points I stated.
- Specialist · Member since 2025 · 52 posts · 10 votes1y
I completely agree with your approach. I always recommend starting small—testing with one VA for a month is a smart strategy. For example, you could run 2 weeks using your own data and another 2 weeks with the agency's data. That trial period lets you see which method works best before scaling up.
Moreover, the consistency and success of any agency largely depend on how well you follow up with your project manager and monitor the KPIs. The point is, you’re there to track the numbers, not to micromanage individual VAs. The real value of an agency should be in reducing your workload, not adding extra oversight.
On a related note, having worked in this field and provided these services myself, I can confirm that the pricing you mentioned for cold callers is too high. That rate might be justified if you were hiring a closer or someone in an acquisition role, but for cold calling alone, it’s definitely over the top.
Thanks for sharing your insights—they highlight the importance of having clear systems and processes in place. - Real Estate Consultant · MO · Member since 2025 · 23 posts · 7 votes1y
I have worked in this industry for a few years now and I can tell a couple of things to look for in these companies. One there hiring standards and qualifications, two their training and support systems and lasty how transparent they are through it all and providing you with accurate data and feedback to do the correct adjustments.
And if you need my advice, would be happy to hop in on a call with you to talk more about this, even if your not signing with us.
- 1yStephen MoralesBusiness MemberJacksonville, FL · Member since 2025 · 402 posts · 205 votes
Hey @Brenden Stadelman,
I have had the pleasure of speaking with Bob Lachance the CEO of REVA Global a few times and he runs a really tight ship. He has been in business for over a decade while other agencies have come and gone. In fact one agency we used to use literally had 500 agents in a headquarters in Philippines and disappeared almost overnight.
The tenure of his company speaks volumes. For Real Estate prospecting and calls all of his VAs are trained for at least 30 days with calls and actually understanding the real estate sales process. When I got my RE license I only got two weeks of classes lol.
I would definitely give them a try, obviously start out slow and if one VA isn't doing well you can always swap them out for another one. You should get recordings and samples of the VAs that you can choose from as well to help you with your decision.- Real Estate Agent · Indianapolis, IN · Member since 2023 · 17 posts · 20 votes1y
Quote from @Stephen Morales:
Hey @Brenden Stadelman,
I have had the pleasure of speaking with Bob Lachance the CEO of REVA Global a few times and he runs a really tight ship. He has been in business for over a decade while other agencies have come and gone. In fact one agency we used to use literally had 500 agents in a headquarters in Philippines and disappeared almost overnight.
The tenure of his company speaks volumes. For Real Estate prospecting and calls all of his VAs are trained for at least 30 days with calls and actually understanding the real estate sales process. When I got my RE license I only got two weeks of classes lol.
I would definitely give them a try, obviously start out slow and if one VA isn't doing well you can always swap them out for another one. You should get recordings and samples of the VAs that you can choose from as well to help you with your decision.I am almost a month into hiring a VA through them. So far so good, I haven't gotten a lead under contract, but I do understand that takes time and lead nurturing. I do have an appointment tomorrow for what would hopefully be a deal to contract!
- 1yStephen MoralesBusiness MemberJacksonville, FL · Member since 2025 · 402 posts · 205 votes
Quote from @Brenden Stadelman:
Quote from @Stephen Morales:
Hey @Brenden Stadelman,
I have had the pleasure of speaking with Bob Lachance the CEO of REVA Global a few times and he runs a really tight ship. He has been in business for over a decade while other agencies have come and gone. In fact one agency we used to use literally had 500 agents in a headquarters in Philippines and disappeared almost overnight.
The tenure of his company speaks volumes. For Real Estate prospecting and calls all of his VAs are trained for at least 30 days with calls and actually understanding the real estate sales process. When I got my RE license I only got two weeks of classes lol.
I would definitely give them a try, obviously start out slow and if one VA isn't doing well you can always swap them out for another one. You should get recordings and samples of the VAs that you can choose from as well to help you with your decision.I am almost a month into hiring a VA through them. So far so good, I haven't gotten a lead under contract, but I do understand that takes time and lead nurturing. I do have an appointment tomorrow for what would hopefully be a deal to contract!
That's awesome Brendan! Congrats! I'm sure it will turn into a contract!
There's definitely a ramp up period of a month or so and it also depends on how big your lists are that you're giving them. If they're using a triple line dialer they should be knocking out 800 dials+ per day, a few dozen actual conversations and average 2-4 leads per day. You'll get some goose eggs here and there but it should average out.
As long as you have a good follow up system in place you will have a nice pipeline by month 3.
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