Finding motivated sellers (my list)

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Finding motivated sellers (my list)

Kenneth E.
Davenport , IA · Member since 2011 · 213 posts · 265 votes

Hey guys, over time I have taken lots of ideas from BP on finding motivated sellers. I compiled a list and am sharing it back with BP members. Enjoy!

Hey guys, over time I have taken lots of ideas from BP on finding motivated sellers. I compiled a list and am sharing it back with BP members. Its nothing new, just my list.... hope it helps a new person out.

1. Tired landlords
a. List of eviction court attendants
b. Mailers to Out of state landlords
c. Mailers to Landlords who own more than one property with back taxes
d. Mailers to Landlords who own tax delinquent multi-family properties
e. Buy a “leads list” of landlords from: (www.realquest.com)

2. Mailers to Property owners whose assessment went way up this year
3. Mailers to Properties that were owned by known investors who went out of business
4. Mailers to out of state landlords/Owners of multifamily houses
5. Mailers to Tax delinquent homeowners
6. Place “We Buy houses” flyers/business cards at unemployment offices….a lot of people there could be having trouble with their homes and may need a solution
7. One-page Flyers posted on bulletin boards at large stores
8. Mailers to Vacant land owners (only in specific areas where development is ideal)
9. Using Craigslist to find sellers:
a. Post ad that states, “We Buy houses”
b. Send emails to craigslist ads with apartments for rent (the emails go to landlords who may be looking to sell, or buying more properties)
10. Mailers to specific zip codes (preferably low income neighborhoods) asking if they want to sell or know someone who does
11. Mailers to People getting divorced
12. Mailers to Divorce Attorneys who can refer clients to us
13. Mailers/emails to FSBOs
14. Send mailers to expired MLS Listings
15. Post ad on www.Backpage.com: We buy houses
16. Send mailers to properties purchased between 3k-20k within last five years (owner might be wanna-be flipper who did nothing with property)
17. Send mailers to estate Executors/Administrators
18. Send mailers to Estate/Probate Attorneys (consider having my attorney send letter, business cards to Estate attorneys because attorneys always open mail from other attorneys)
19. Bandit signs: We buy houses
20. Big Baller marketing: TV, billboards, radio ads
21. Send mailers to Out of state owner who have owned for more than x years (more than 30 years, so you know its free and clear meaning they will be more flexible with sales price)
22. Send mailers to Building code violators
23. Send mailers to Health code violators
24. Send mailers to people facing foreclosure
25. Purchase leads lists of folks who inherited homes
26. Send mailers to people making double payments (bought a new house, REALLY want to sell old house)
27. Target people who have been transferred (job) and must sell NOW
28. Target people with medical problems / health issues who cannot keep their houses
29. Target who own vacant homes
30. Target people who are having financial chaos of any sort
31. Target people who are 30-60 day late on mortgage lists
32. Send ads/ mailers/business cards to Credit Repair Agencies & Credit Counselors
33. Target HUD/VA Foreclosures
34. Send mailers to people arrested for violent crimes (going to prison for a long time)
35. Send Mailers/ads/business cards to Realtors
36. Send mailers to employees who have been laid off (ie “corporate downsizing” in the news)
37. Networking with other investors, ACRE
38. Locate list of section 8 approved properties—send mailers to the owners
39. Post Newspaper classified ads: We Buys houses
40. Send mailers to Properties with liens: Mechanics Liens, HOA Liens, Tax Liens
41. Contact sales people at new home subdivisions (their clients will want to sell their OLD houses) (or place signs near new home subdivisions that say "Sell Your House Fast" with your phone number….they will want to sell their old house ASAP)
42. Contact mortgage companies; they may know of people wanting to sell their old house/last house
43. Hire bird dogs (sometimes even through craigslist “help wanted” ads)
44. Send mailers to Bankruptcy court listings
45. Send advertisements, business cards to Accountants and CPA Firms: They have clients with financial problems where an investor can be of help.
46. Send ads, mailers, business cards to real estate attorneys
47. Advertise using Apparel with Logos: Hats, T-Shirts, Golf Shirts,
48. Send to anyone getting their car repossessed: If the car is going the house isn’t far behind.
49. Send ads, business cards to carpet cleaners: Many of their customers are preparing a house for sale.
50. Consider sending mailers to charitable groups/churches: They frequently receive gifts of real estate, but they’d rather have the cash
51. Send ads, business cards to City & County Inspectors: Code violations and red tags. (If you develop a reputation of buying distressed properties and improving them, you become an asset to the
52. Community)
53. Send ads to Large Employers (HR departments): Let them know you buy properties because if they need to transfer an employee, they don’t get stuck carrying the house. This can be good for renting
54. executive properties for short-term transferees, too.
55. Place ads on boards at Nursing & Retirement Homes: Frequently residents need to sell a house.
56. Consider placing Door Hangers on target properties: You can also use pre-printed post-it notes to leave messages at target properties. Be sure to advertise on both sides, you can even sell the back side
57. and recover your advertising cost!
58. Send mailers to addresses having Garage Sales: Are they moving?
59. Send mailers to Hair Salons/Barbers: A social hub! Lots of talking going on during haircuts!
60. Send mailers, ads, business cards to Insurance Brokers: Policy changes from owner occupant to landlord or vacant house coverage.
61. Recruit Mail Carriers to notify you of vacant properties
62. Send mailers to Owner of multiple properties (target them to offload portfolios)
63. Post advertisement in PennySaver type papers: We Buy houses
64. Send mailers to Water, Gas, and electric company shut off lists
65. Or, just buy leads from:

a. www.Listsource.com
b. www.USLeadsList.com
c. www.MelissaData.com
d. www.propertyleadsnow.com
e. www.foreclosuredata.com
f. www.Wehavehomeleads.com

155Reply
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Most Popular Reply

Michael Quarles
Flipper/Rehabber · Bakersfield, CA · Member since 2008 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
14y

Here is my list.

I don't think you need to do anything but two things. The reality is that finding motivated prospects is a rather simple concept. You don't need to hang signs or mail letters. All you have to do is.

1). Speak to everyone you know about who they know who needs to sell, and

2). Speak to everyone else. All of those people you come into contact with daily and ask them if they are thinking of selling or know someone who is.

Problem is that most of us don't ask for referrals or ask for business.

25Reply
See this reply in the discussion

139 Replies

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  • Kenneth E.
    OP
    Davenport , IA · Member since 2011 · 213 posts · 265 votes
    12y

    @Bryan L.

    I got access to the mls. Thank you for the suggestions on keywords to search. Very helpful!

    0Reply
  • Bryan L.
    Residential Real Estate Agent · Cookeville, TN · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 948 votes
    12y

    @Kenneth E. There are good deals on the MLS, often with little or no competition. Learn how to find those, and you are onto something. Here's a couple of ideas.

    1. 3-bedroom houses that are listed as 2-bedroom (or less). yes, it does happen.

    2. 2-bedroom houses that can easily be converted to 3-bedroom

    3. houses that are WAY over-priced - to the point that no one else is making offers on them (often REOs).

    3Reply
  • Bryan L.
    Residential Real Estate Agent · Cookeville, TN · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 948 votes
    12y

    @Kenneth E. - Just to follow up on my previous post, I hopped on the internet and found a possible deal in about 5 minutes. Listed as a 2-bedroom, but county tax website says it has 3. These are the ones where you get less competition on the MLS.

    2Reply
  • Kenneth E.
    OP
    Davenport , IA · Member since 2011 · 213 posts · 265 votes
    12y

    Bryan, that is a great point. I am going to try that right now! Thanks!

    0Reply
  • Marcus Brown
    Ladson, SC · Member since 2014 · 29 posts · 2 votes
    12y

    Great advice in this tread!

    0Reply
  • Tyler Jaeger
    vancouver, British Columbia · Member since 2014 · 5 posts · 1 vote
    12y

    Hello everyone!

    I would like throw a question out to all my Canadian wholesalers (I know your out there somewhere)

    How/ where can I access records regarding cash purchases of property in Canada?!?!

    Land & Title office? Real estate board? ...FINTRAC???

    Any help would be greatly appreciated,

    Sincerely,

    Tyler Jaeger

    0Reply
  • Steve Babiak
    Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    12y

    @Tyler Jaeger I am not from Canada, but here is one way that works in USA. When a property is purchased with mortgage, the public records for that property will show BOTH a new deed and a new mortgage. With a cash purchase, only one of those is recorded, because the other was not used ...

    0Reply
  • Josh Bryant
    Investor · Portland, OR · Member since 2012 · 40 posts · 3 votes
    12y

    Great list, but why not just keep it simple and due a "blanket" mailing to one's target zipcodes/neighborhoods. This can include both non-owner and owner, as long as there is equity there to work with or room to add value. Mail, mail, mail and keep mailing that same list. Deals are always in the follow up.

    0Reply
  • Clary C.
    Real Estate Agent · Attleboro, MA · Member since 2014 · 91 posts · 15 votes
    12y

    Great advice in this thread! I myself use the finding motivated sellers now sofware. It seems ok and I am having a decent response rate so far(10%). I will continue to post more updates to my success rate using this software.  FYI if anyone wants to purchase a list of motivated sellers for cheaper than the other list sites in their particular area from this software send me a private message and let's talk

    1Reply
  • Matthew Gillespie
    Involved In Real Estate · Pittsburgh, PA · Member since 2013 · 9 posts · 1 vote
    12y

    Wow, This is an extensive and awesome list.  Thanks for putting the time in to do this and for sharing it back with the community!!

    0Reply
  • Mark Braun
    Involved In Real Estate · Colorado Springs, CO · Member since 2014 · 12 posts · 2 votes
    11y
    Kenneth - thank you for paying it forward.  I intend to do the same as get moving on this new and uncertain chapter of my life.

    Originally posted by @Kenneth E.:

    Hey guys, over time I have taken lots of ideas from BP on finding motivated sellers. I compiled a list and am sharing it back with BP members. Enjoy!

    Hey guys, over time I have taken lots of ideas from BP on finding motivated sellers. I compiled a list and am sharing it back with BP members. Its nothing new, just my list.... hope it helps a new person out.

    1. Tired landlords
    a. List of eviction court attendants
    b. Mailers to Out of state landlords
    c. Mailers to Landlords who own more than one property with back taxes
    d. Mailers to Landlords who own tax delinquent multi-family properties
    e. Buy a “leads list” of landlords from: (www.realquest.com)

    2. Mailers to Property owners whose assessment went way up this year
    3. Mailers to Properties that were owned by known investors who went out of business
    4. Mailers to out of state landlords/Owners of multifamily houses
    5. Mailers to Tax delinquent homeowners
    6. Place “We Buy houses” flyers/business cards at unemployment offices….a lot of people there could be having trouble with their homes and may need a solution
    7. One-page Flyers posted on bulletin boards at large stores
    8. Mailers to Vacant land owners (only in specific areas where development is ideal)
    9. Using Craigslist to find sellers:
    a. Post ad that states, “We Buy houses”
    b. Send emails to craigslist ads with apartments for rent (the emails go to landlords who may be looking to sell, or buying more properties)
    10. Mailers to specific zip codes (preferably low income neighborhoods) asking if they want to sell or know someone who does
    11. Mailers to People getting divorced
    12. Mailers to Divorce Attorneys who can refer clients to us
    13. Mailers/emails to FSBOs
    14. Send mailers to expired MLS Listings
    15. Post ad on www.Backpage.com: We buy houses
    16. Send mailers to properties purchased between 3k-20k within last five years (owner might be wanna-be flipper who did nothing with property)
    17. Send mailers to estate Executors/Administrators
    18. Send mailers to Estate/Probate Attorneys (consider having my attorney send letter, business cards to Estate attorneys because attorneys always open mail from other attorneys)
    19. Bandit signs: We buy houses
    20. Big Baller marketing: TV, billboards, radio ads
    21. Send mailers to Out of state owner who have owned for more than x years (more than 30 years, so you know its free and clear meaning they will be more flexible with sales price)
    22. Send mailers to Building code violators
    23. Send mailers to Health code violators
    24. Send mailers to people facing foreclosure
    25. Purchase leads lists of folks who inherited homes
    26. Send mailers to people making double payments (bought a new house, REALLY want to sell old house)
    27. Target people who have been transferred (job) and must sell NOW
    28. Target people with medical problems / health issues who cannot keep their houses
    29. Target who own vacant homes
    30. Target people who are having financial chaos of any sort
    31. Target people who are 30-60 day late on mortgage lists
    32. Send ads/ mailers/business cards to Credit Repair Agencies & Credit Counselors
    33. Target HUD/VA Foreclosures
    34. Send mailers to people arrested for violent crimes (going to prison for a long time)
    35. Send Mailers/ads/business cards to Realtors
    36. Send mailers to employees who have been laid off (ie “corporate downsizing” in the news)
    37. Networking with other investors, ACRE
    38. Locate list of section 8 approved properties—send mailers to the owners
    39. Post Newspaper classified ads: We Buys houses
    40. Send mailers to Properties with liens: Mechanics Liens, HOA Liens, Tax Liens
    41. Contact sales people at new home subdivisions (their clients will want to sell their OLD houses) (or place signs near new home subdivisions that say "Sell Your House Fast" with your phone number….they will want to sell their old house ASAP)
    42. Contact mortgage companies; they may know of people wanting to sell their old house/last house
    43. Hire bird dogs (sometimes even through craigslist “help wanted” ads)
    44. Send mailers to Bankruptcy court listings
    45. Send advertisements, business cards to Accountants and CPA Firms: They have clients with financial problems where an investor can be of help.
    46. Send ads, mailers, business cards to real estate attorneys
    47. Advertise using Apparel with Logos: Hats, T-Shirts, Golf Shirts,
    48. Send to anyone getting their car repossessed: If the car is going the house isn’t far behind.
    49. Send ads, business cards to carpet cleaners: Many of their customers are preparing a house for sale.
    50. Consider sending mailers to charitable groups/churches: They frequently receive gifts of real estate, but they’d rather have the cash
    51. Send ads, business cards to City & County Inspectors: Code violations and red tags. (If you develop a reputation of buying distressed properties and improving them, you become an asset to the
    52. Community)
    53. Send ads to Large Employers (HR departments): Let them know you buy properties because if they need to transfer an employee, they don’t get stuck carrying the house. This can be good for renting
    54. executive properties for short-term transferees, too.
    55. Place ads on boards at Nursing & Retirement Homes: Frequently residents need to sell a house.
    56. Consider placing Door Hangers on target properties: You can also use pre-printed post-it notes to leave messages at target properties. Be sure to advertise on both sides, you can even sell the back side
    57. and recover your advertising cost!
    58. Send mailers to addresses having Garage Sales: Are they moving?
    59. Send mailers to Hair Salons/Barbers: A social hub! Lots of talking going on during haircuts!
    60. Send mailers, ads, business cards to Insurance Brokers: Policy changes from owner occupant to landlord or vacant house coverage.
    61. Recruit Mail Carriers to notify you of vacant properties
    62. Send mailers to Owner of multiple properties (target them to offload portfolios)
    63. Post advertisement in PennySaver type papers: We Buy houses
    64. Send mailers to Water, Gas, and electric company shut off lists
    65. Or, just buy leads from:

    a. www.Listsource.com
    b. www.USLeadsList.com
    c. www.MelissaData.com
    d. www.propertyleadsnow.com
    e. www.foreclosuredata.com
    f. www.Wehavehomeleads.com

    1Reply
  • Account Closed
    Investor · Dearborn, MI · Member since 2014 · 23 posts · 8 votes
    11y

    Kenneth, add TheWholesalersToolbox to your website list. The USPS Vacant Property list with property owners tax mailing address is available there. 

    1Reply
  • Avery Davis
    Fairfield, OH · Member since 2014 · 19 posts · 2 votes
    11y

    Actually last week I tried to obtain a tax delinquent list and & code violation list for properties and the people downtown Cincinnati seemed as if they had no idea what I was talking about and sent me to like 4 different buildings. I'm going back out tomorrow to keep fishing for them though i'm grinding to get them both. Anyone have suggestions on where to go or who to call? If not a list just how to find these type of properties in general? Thank you

    0Reply
  • Don Alberts
    Frankfort, IL · Member since 2014 · 153 posts · 18 votes
    11y

    Happy New Year to all the BP contributors. I feel special and privileged that I have this resource to help me assist others and myself, in the trials and endeavors in real estate. This information that you are sharing is helping me to streamline my purpose. Thanks again and I will pay it forward. Don

    0Reply
  • Kenneth E.
    OP
    Davenport , IA · Member since 2011 · 213 posts · 265 votes
    11y

    Hi all.

    Thanks for the votes and compliments. Glad this list is helping everyone.

    Now, get out there and do some deals!

    I recently got interviewed by Joe McCall and discuss some strategies for getting leads from public records requests.  You can listen to this while you are driving to your next deal!  LOL

    http://www.realestateinvestingmastery.com/075-invisible-leads-put-the-freedom-of-information-act-to-work-for-you-ken-elshoff

    1Reply
  • TYRONE SUTTON
    Real Estate Investor · Nashville, TN · Member since 2011 · 1 post · 0 votes
    11y

    This is good information! I have already been adding some of this in my business as task for my VA.

    0Reply
  • Quentine White
    Washington, DC · Member since 2015 · 2 posts · 0 votes
    11y

    Hello, Kenneth.  This is priceless information.  Thanks for sharing.

    Quentine, a newbie investor

    0Reply
  • Paolo Ruggieri
    Lender · USA · Member since 2015 · 212 posts · 53 votes
    11y

    you mentioned "List of eviction court attendants"

    where do you find it?

    0Reply
  • Steve Babiak
    Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @Paolo Ruggieri:

    you mentioned "List of eviction court attendants"

    where do you find it?

    That would be the landlords who had an eviction. Sometimes those court records are online, sometimes they're not. You can hang out outside the landlord tenant hearings and try to make friends with the landlords and/or their attorneys. 

    0Reply
  • Paolo Ruggieri
    Lender · USA · Member since 2015 · 212 posts · 53 votes
    11y

    "You can hang out outside the landlord tenant hearings and try to make friends with the landlords and/or their attorneys".

    has anyone tried it?

    0Reply
  • Account Closed
    Real Estate Agent · Flint, MI · Member since 2015 · 270 posts · 71 votes
    11y

    Thanks alot @Kenneth E. and @Dale Osborn I looked at your file this past weekend and plan on downloading. Both you guys did a excellent job! Thanks again

    0Reply
  • Marlena Cooper
    Investor · Ann Arbor, MI · Member since 2015 · 14 posts · 5 votes
    11y

    Thank you this is so informative.!

    0Reply
  • Kenneth E.
    OP
    Davenport , IA · Member since 2011 · 213 posts · 265 votes
    11y

    Hi everyone. Thanks for all the votes and feedback. Glad everyone enjoyed this.

    Now, go make some money!

    (sorry its taken me so long, I don't get here much anymore).

    0Reply
  • Michelle Cobbs
    Investor · Copiague, NY · Member since 2012 · 19 posts · 4 votes
    11y

    Great list Kenneth thank you for sharing.

    Michelle

    0Reply
  • Dan G.
    Real Estate Investor · New York, NY · Member since 2013 · 8 posts · 0 votes
    11y
    Originally posted by @Dale Osborn:

    If you check the file section - you will see my list under spreadsheets titled "zero down - motivated sellers". I tried to keep
    it all on one page to make it easy for people to have a simple guide to see who to contact. You may have all of these in your list and perhaps you will find a few more ideas that will help out in your investing goals. Good Luck.

    Dale, where do I find the file section you mentioned in your post ?

    0Reply
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