All Forum Posts by: Nate Si

 Thanks, Chase. That's very helpful. So you mail them once per week for 3 weeks? Do you send a different mailer each time, referencing the earlier mailer, or just send the same thing?

How do you keep track of who you've mailed? Just excel spreadsheets, or something more sophisticated?

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What are typical response rates for a direct mail campaign from an investor or homebuyer to potential sellers?  What kinds of target groups give the highest response rates?  Does direct mail from buyers / investors work in high income areas, or does everyone in those areas sell through real estate agents?

For investors (not real estate agents), does using your full name and providing additional information about yourself increase response rates for direct mail campaigns?

@ Nathan G.

Thanks.  Since I've found the property that I want to bid on without the assistance of a broker, I think using a discount broker is probably reasonable.  I think it's unlikely that a full service broker could negotiate a better price, since it's a competitive bidding situation--i.e., no negotiation, just who is willing to pay the most.  I know the comps pretty well.  And I doubt during inspection and escrow they could save me more money than the rebate from a discount broker.

What is it that you think a full service broker would offer that a discount broker wouldn't?  In my experience, full service brokers are a little faster to respond, but they also can be pushy.  And they rarely offer advice more helpful than "bid more" which is great for them and not so great for the buyer.

What is it that you think a full service broker would do for a well informed buyer that a discount broker wouldn't that would justify another $15,000 in cost?

They're basically just filling in a form contract, collecting signatures, and managing a process.  I already have a bank and inspector lined up.

Is it better to use a buyer's real estate agent recommended by the listing agent, or use a discount broker and use the commission rebate to bid higher? 

I’m assuming that the seller really only cares about getting the highest price, but the listing agent probably prefers to deal with a buyers agent she knows and likes and someone at her firm so her firm keeps both sides of the deal for commission.

Would using a buyer’s agent recommended by the listing agent, who works at the same brokerage as the listing agent, give me an advantage in a competitive bidding process because the listing agent might tip my agent off about how high I need to bid to beat the other offers?

Or would it be better to just use a discount broker and be able to bid a bit higher since the discount broker will rebate 1.5% or 2% of their 2.5% commission split to me?

Can "Driving for Dollars" be used effectively in a high income neighborhood to find deals, or only in low to mid income neighborhoods?  I've seen some dilapidated looking or boarded up houses in some high income neighborhoods.  But I've only seen "driving for dollars" discussed in the context of low income neighborhoods.