All Forum Posts by: Jeremy T.

Who cares about the loser who is going to make one, maybe two paltry assignment fees before his/her 'operation' drifts away with the sands of time like all of those who came before him/her? 

Who are these people buying property long-distance, sight unseen, without any due diligence?  I believe the real problem lies with those too lazy, greedy, and/or ignorant to invest a little time and energy into conducting some research prior to investing their money.

Hidden camera footage of a recent @Joseph Ball negotiation:

Just wanted to chime in and say that this is a fantastic thread.  There is some very valuable information being distributed here.  

Pay attention.

If, domestically speaking, Detroit is "a little rowdy"...what then qualifies as dangerous?  Maybe border towns where Mexican cartels operate and leave severed heads behind on a regular basis? 

I consider myself to be a man of the people, I treat everyone with respect...but I am a white dude in my mid 30's.  There are parts of my town (Pittsburgh) where, in no uncertain terms, my presence is neither appreciated nor welcomed.  That isn't because they are "a little rowdy", it's because there is heroin being dealt on a large scale and the local warlords don't take kindly to outsiders (esp. well-to-do white outsiders who are looking to "invest in real estate" and not score drugs).

So, yes, know your market...but making dismissive blanket statements regarding the amount of crime in cities where one does not live is kind of dangerous, imo.

Highly desirable for what?  They are going to call you and discover that you are so enraptured with their property that you are going to offer them $.50 on the dollar (or less)?  

These are real people you are marketing to.  I see that you are marketing to absentee owners, they are probably landlords...they aren't stupid (not that's what you are suggesting, but they know the condition of their property).  

Ask yourself: what would lead a landlord to throw in the towel and be willing to sell their property at a discount?  Is it because a letter/postcard said their run down dump of a rental is "highly desirable" or is it because they became friends with their tenant and now the tenant has taken advantage of them and they are in the hole and bleeding money (for example)?

I love it.  You can almost completely eliminate emotion and revise your statement(s) prior to sending. 

Additionally, a lot of people (motivated sellers included) HATE to talk on the phone.  Requiring people to call you to talk about how their troubles (why else would they be motivated?) are leading them to consider liquidating a property isn't like calling to order a pizza...it's intimidating and very embarrassing.  If you can take away that barrier, the universe of potential leads increases somewhat dramatically I would imagine.

@Joseph Theriault 

I know that was a smart-*** reply, but I don't think anyone is going into 'self-righteous' territory regarding the use of bandit signs.  (IMO) They are the slimy used car salesman of the marketing world and never fail to elicit polarizing opinions here on BP.  Your callous response to the initial replies is what led me get wise with you.  Building respect over time (vs. guns blazing in your first 10 posts regarding one of the most polarizing topics on BP) goes a long way in generating a more favorable reply.

You asked the question about how to "avoid" the pissed off seller calling your bandit signs...

You (illegally, mind you) posted a phone number in a public space on a sign that says who knows what and you ask how to "avoid" crazy/angry people calling you and then getting bent out of shape when the responses don't provide the "solutions you are looking for"? 

Maybe someone can develop an app that provides bio-feedback and will send inbound callers with elevated blood pressure and/or heart rate to voicemail?  Of course, the real sociopaths have likely trained their bodies to remain calm under duress, so they are going to slip through the cracks. 

@Richard C.  has, much to your chagrin, provided the best advice thus far.

I'll just go ahead and assume you dropped the mic prior to leaving the stage.

Mostly unrelated to Jerry's post, buyers, do you ever inquire with wholesalers to determine how they acquired the property they are trying to flip to you?  I think the answer to that question will go a long way in determining the quality of that wholesaler.  If their reply does not include the word "marketing", I will go out on a limb and suggest that it probably is not a very good deal.

My point is this, and @Aaron Mazzrillo sums it up beautifully on his podcast (37): to be a quality wholesaler, you need to acquire a higher level knowledge (via education and experience) of marketing, negotiation, appraisal, rehab estimates, RE contracts, and local real estate law & customs.  That's a pretty tall order for a newb.

Wow, she really is one of the great philanthropists of our time.  Look at how badly her cardboard cutout wants YOU to escape the "rat race" and take control of your life (at least that's what I'm gathering from the not-at-all-ambiguous testimonials...)!