All Forum Posts by: May Lin
May Lin has started 8 posts and replied 25 times.
Post: Are there any legal issues with direct mail marketing?
- Posts 25
- Votes 4
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
Quote from @May Lin:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
Quote from @May Lin:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
That's the only explaination I can think of - most agents have never heard about yellow letters, let alone are familiar with any regulations related to the subject. So to your point, who knows..
Just to clarify - the FBI was an empty threat, at least I never heard from them. I did however get a letter from the BBB. The complaint was false advertising for "cash offers". The home owner claimed nobody has that much money, so it must be a hoax. I contacted the BBB and had to respond in writing to the complaint. Also I remember someone who was uncomfortable selling his house for cash as they literally envisioned a briefcase full of cash (like drug money in a movie). I think thats funny, but also those were interesting insights in the minds of potential sellers. The way we craft a message is one thing, who it is received and understood is sometimes another.
Hi Marcus, I just see your post which you sent 7 years ago. Sill it is legal to send direct mails including an offer price, correct?
After you sent the writing response to BBB, what happened? Did they close the case and not bother you any more? I just received a threat that the seller told he reported me to BBB and State attorney general too.
In addition, did you cross check your mailing list and make sure it does not include the people in " National do not mail list"? Is it illegal to send direct mails to the people who are in " National do not mail list"?
Thank you and expecting your response.
I don't think the State Attorney is too worried about your direct mail, they certainly have bigger fish to fry. I don't know what the implications are of mailing someone who is on a do not mail list, maybe ask your mailing list provider or look up their FAQs. But what I can tell you is if you want to reach out to sellers directly, you need a thick skin. Sending mailers is only step 1 out of many!
Thank you very much for your response, Marcus! Sending direct mailers with offer price is definitely legal, correct?
What happened with your BBB complain? Any bad result or any legal issues against you?
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!
Thank you so much for your help! Best wishes to you and your family!
Post: Are there any legal issues with direct mail marketing?
- Posts 25
- Votes 4
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
Quote from @May Lin:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
That's the only explaination I can think of - most agents have never heard about yellow letters, let alone are familiar with any regulations related to the subject. So to your point, who knows..
Just to clarify - the FBI was an empty threat, at least I never heard from them. I did however get a letter from the BBB. The complaint was false advertising for "cash offers". The home owner claimed nobody has that much money, so it must be a hoax. I contacted the BBB and had to respond in writing to the complaint. Also I remember someone who was uncomfortable selling his house for cash as they literally envisioned a briefcase full of cash (like drug money in a movie). I think thats funny, but also those were interesting insights in the minds of potential sellers. The way we craft a message is one thing, who it is received and understood is sometimes another.
Hi Marcus, I just see your post which you sent 7 years ago. Sill it is legal to send direct mails including an offer price, correct?
After you sent the writing response to BBB, what happened? Did they close the case and not bother you any more? I just received a threat that the seller told he reported me to BBB and State attorney general too.
In addition, did you cross check your mailing list and make sure it does not include the people in " National do not mail list"? Is it illegal to send direct mails to the people who are in " National do not mail list"?
Thank you and expecting your response.
I don't think the State Attorney is too worried about your direct mail, they certainly have bigger fish to fry. I don't know what the implications are of mailing someone who is on a do not mail list, maybe ask your mailing list provider or look up their FAQs. But what I can tell you is if you want to reach out to sellers directly, you need a thick skin. Sending mailers is only step 1 out of many!
Thank you very much for your response, Marcus! Sending direct mailers with offer price is definitely legal, correct?
What happened with your BBB complain? Any bad result or any legal issues against you?
Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!
Post: Are there any legal issues with direct mail marketing?
- Posts 25
- Votes 4
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
That's the only explaination I can think of - most agents have never heard about yellow letters, let alone are familiar with any regulations related to the subject. So to your point, who knows..
Just to clarify - the FBI was an empty threat, at least I never heard from them. I did however get a letter from the BBB. The complaint was false advertising for "cash offers". The home owner claimed nobody has that much money, so it must be a hoax. I contacted the BBB and had to respond in writing to the complaint. Also I remember someone who was uncomfortable selling his house for cash as they literally envisioned a briefcase full of cash (like drug money in a movie). I think thats funny, but also those were interesting insights in the minds of potential sellers. The way we craft a message is one thing, who it is received and understood is sometimes another.
Hi Marcus, I just see your post which you sent 7 years ago. Sill it is legal to send direct mails including an offer price, correct?
After you sent the writing response to BBB, what happened? Did they close the case and not bother you any more? I just received a threat that the seller told he reported me to BBB and State attorney general too.
In addition, did you cross check your mailing list and make sure it does not include the people in " National do not mail list"? Is it illegal to send direct mails to the people who are in " National do not mail list"?
Thank you and expecting your response.
Post: Land flippers sent out direct mailers with blind offer
- Posts 25
- Votes 4
Quote from @Account Closed:
Quote from @May Lin:
when seller calls back, we negotiate the price due to some material facts of the land, did not honor the offer price we sent initially. Is it illegal, not ethical, violation, red flag or fraud? or grey area? or anything wrong business practice?
It is legal? As @Account Closed says, yes until a contract is signed. Is it ethical? I think you know the answer.
Thank you for your response, Kristi! To me, I think it is ethical. Because in the contract, I have a term" buyer can cancel the agreement anytime due to the investigation of the land". And the initial offer is not signed by me even. But some sellers still got pissed off. I can not understand.
Post: Land flippers sent out direct mailers with blind offer
- Posts 25
- Votes 4
Quote from @Chris Seveney:
@May Lin
When you send the offer is it signed
If so then you can open yourself up. It’s probably not worth it for them to go after you
Is what you are doing super shady and someone I would ever want to consider doing any business with. No way.
Thank you very much for your response, Chris! The offer I sent out does not have my signature on it and I add a contingency in the agreement: " Buyer can cancel the agreement any time due to the land investigation". But some sellers got pissed off, because I did not honor the initial offer price. The initial offer is a blind offer, I did not really dig and see if that is the price I want. So I wonder, is it normal practice to send the blind offer as direct mail? Thank you
Post: Land flippers sent out direct mailers with blind offer
- Posts 25
- Votes 4
Quote from @Account Closed:
Quote from @May Lin:
Hi Professionals, as a land flipper in FL, we send out thousands of direct mailers with blind offer, when seller calls back, we negotiate the price due to some material facts of the land, did not honor the offer price we sent initially. Is it illegal, not ethical, violation, red flag or fraud? or grey area? or anything wrong business practice?
You can offer anything you want. It isn't a contract until both sides sign an agreement. (Okay, for those of you in the know, sometimes judges will enforce an agreement written on a napkin or a verbal agreement, but that is because the parties had a "meeting of the minds".) That isn't what we're talking about here.
Just be sure that if someone accepts your offer, you're ready to proceed to escrow.
Thank you very much for your response, Mike! The offer I sent out does not have my signature on it and I add a contingency in the agreement: " Buyer can cancel the agreement any time due to the land investigation". But some sellers got pissed off, because I did not honor the initial offer price. The initial offer is a blind offer, I did not really dig and see if that is the price I want. So I wonder, is it normal practice to send the blind offer as direct mail? Thank you
Post: Land flippers sent out direct mailers with blind offer
- Posts 25
- Votes 4
Hi Professionals, as a land flipper in FL, we send out thousands of direct mailers with blind offer, when seller calls back, we negotiate the price due to some material facts of the land, did not honor the offer price we sent initially. Is it illegal, not ethical, violation, red flag or fraud? or grey area? or anything wrong business practice?
Quote from @Scott Morris:
You are kinda at their mercy. I have a few pieces of vacant land listed for sale, but they don't all go through unfortunately. Just repost and submit a ticket again and wait.
Craigslist has the same situation as Zillow? I posted a list in Craigslist, after a while, they removed my list due to red flag. Then I relist it with same words, it is ok. Sometimes the removed my list, but sometimes they keep mine.
Quote from @JT Olmstead:
Quote from @May Lin:
Quote from @JT Olmstead:
Quote from @May Lin:
Quote from @JT Olmstead:
@Scott Morris Is correct. It's a bit of a game. Persistence is required.
Alternatively you can simply flat list the property and it will syndicate much more cleanly onto Zillow.
Flat list means, Brokerless MLS?
Exactly. Find a broker who will list the property on the local MLS for you at a flat inexpensive fee. We use them on a lot of our Vacant Land listings. They're pretty much all over the place but just be clear about what MLSs they are actually listing to.
Thank you very much for your response, that really helps!
Glad I could help!
Craigslist has the same situation as Zillow? I posted a list in Craigslist, after a while, they removed my list due to red flag. Then I relist it with same words, it is ok.
Quote from @JT Olmstead:
Quote from @May Lin:
Quote from @JT Olmstead:
@Scott Morris Is correct. It's a bit of a game. Persistence is required.
Alternatively you can simply flat list the property and it will syndicate much more cleanly onto Zillow.
Flat list means, Brokerless MLS?
Exactly. Find a broker who will list the property on the local MLS for you at a flat inexpensive fee. We use them on a lot of our Vacant Land listings. They're pretty much all over the place but just be clear about what MLSs they are actually listing to.
Thank you very much for your response, that really helps!