• Accountants and CPA Firms: They have clients with financial
problems where an investor can be of help.
• Advertising: Never stop. Use simple ads with a USP, Unique Selling
Proposition: Quick Closing, All Cash etc., We Buy Houses Ads,
Newspapers, Flyers.
• Attorneys: Attorneys know when people need money, often to pay
their fees! Not just probate but divorce, family law and real estate
attorneys.
• Auctions: Do your homework in advance. Auctions move very fast
and a single mistake can be costly. Visit your local auction a few
times to just observe. Know values and repair costs before bidding.
• Apparel with Logos: Hats, T-Shirts, Golf Shirts, Hand Bags
• “We Buy Houses” Bandit Signs: Check your local sign ordinances.
Some places have no issue with them others do.
• Bird Dogs: These people can be very valuable to your business. It is
important to know your local laws about compensating unlicensed
people, however, so do your homework first!
• “Blue Tarp” Houses: often blue tarps on roofs signify major roof
damage. Contact the owner to see if they want to sell the
property.
• Drive for Dollars: Look for houses with boarded up windows or in a
state of visible disrepair and contact the owner to see if they are
interested in selling.
• Business Cards-different types: one for sellers, one for buyers, one
for professionals (banker, attorney, CPA). Keep them on you at all
times and pass them out every chance you get!
• Builders Models: Frequently builders will sell a model home at a
discount.
• Car & Truck Loans: Some folks would rather keep the wheels than a roof
over their head. Buy here, pay here dealers can be a good lead source.
• Car Repos: If the car is going the house isn’t far behind.
• Carpet Cleaners: Many of their customers are preparing a house for sale.
• Charitable Groups: Frequently receive gifts of real estate, but they’d
rather have the cash.
• 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 community.
• Classified Ads: Look for specific keywords that could possibly mean the
seller is motivated such as: transferred, motivated, divorce, owner
financing, must sell, etc.
• Condemned Houses: Many counties will provide you a free list.
• Consumer Loan Companies: When their loans go bad they are frequently
willing to deal rather than foreclose.
• Courts: Eviction Filings, Probate, Divorce Cases, Tax Liens, Code
Violations
• Credit Repair Agencies & Counselors: Many times the only way someone
can get their spending under control is to sell a house they can no longer
afford.
• Direct Mail: Pre-Foreclosure Letters, Probate Letters, Out of Town
Owners, Bankruptcies, Divorce, Delinquent Taxes, Military Owners
• Door Hangers: 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 and recover your advertising cost!
• Door Knocking: Distribute flyers and go door-to-door asking residents if
they know of anyone planning to move because you’d like to buy a house
in their neighborhood!
• Drive or walk Neighborhoods: Get to know them well and take notice of
changes.
• Estate Sales – often the real estate will also be available and perhaps
with owner financing
• Eviction Court: great place to find landlords
• Expired Listings: Connect with an investor friendly Realtor
• Family Members: talk about what you do and ask for referrals
• Farming Local Areas: Become the local neighborhood expert.
• Flyers: Cut your cost in half, print two to a page and distribute: Shopping
Centers, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Malls. Put on car windshields or pay
someone to do it for you.
• Friends: “Do you know anyone who wants to sell?” Most people know 2
people who will be buying or selling a home this year.
• FSBO Signs: for sale by owner
• Funeral Homes: Can be a good lead source before information on a
decedent becomes public.
• Garage Sales: Are they moving?
• Hair Salons: Lots of talking going on during hair cuts!
• Home Builders: Need to sell their buyer’s houses so they can close on the
new place.
• HUD Foreclosures: Have an agent send you a list of HUD foreclosures in
your area.
• Insurance Brokers: Policy changes from owner occupant to landlord or
vacant house coverage.
• Investor Packages: Investors who are ready to retire and cash out their
portfolio. May be able to negotiate seller financing as well as a discount.
• Judgments: Check the public record or hire someone to do it for you.
• Large Employers: Let them know you buy properties so if they need to
transfer an employee, they don’t get stuck carrying the house. This can
be good for renting executive properties for short-term transfers, too.
• Lenders: Banks / REOs: – Mortgage Brokers, Private Lenders, Hard Money
Lenders
• Properties With Liens: Mechanics Liens, HOA Liens, Tax Liens
• Lis Pendens: Notice of a law suit, usually a foreclosure.
• Magnetic Car Signs and Wraps: Check with your auto policy carrier as to
whether or not this will affect your coverage. A rider may be required.
• Market Bulletin Boards: Grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants
• Military Transfers: Military bases provide an excellent transient market
for those needing to sell and buy off- base housing
• Mobile Homes: Get to know park managers. Banks don’t like mobile
homes but they can become little cash cows.
• Networking: Other Investors, Call We Buy Houses ads & signs, Churches,
Public Speaking, Investment Associations, Work, Clubs
• Newspaper Carriers: They know the neighborhood better than anyone
else and may be able to alert you to vacant or boarded up homes.
• Nursing & Retirement Homes: Frequently residents need to sell a house.
• Pens: Buy cheap ones with your marketing message on them and leave
them everywhere you go.
• Pizza Boxes: many sell advertising or sponsorship spots
• Postman: Same as the newspaper carriers- they know the neighborhoods
well and could act as a bird dog for you.
• Relocations: Great for Subject-to or buying on lease option
• Rental Agents & Property Managers: Let them know you want to buy
and also find a local manager. You buy, they manage…win/win!!
• Retirees: A growing population with free and clear homes. Excellent
prospects for seller financing.
• Section 8 Landlords: Each county maintains a list
• Social Media: A great way to get your message out: Facebook, Twitter,
YouTube
• Structural Damage: Once you know what you’re doing, you can buy at
rock bottom pricing.
• Tax Deed Sale Properties: These do not come with title insurance so do
your home work.
• Title Companies: Not all transactions close like they are supposed to. Let
the title companies know you can help in a pinch, for the right price.
• Trading Up: Trade your newly renovated property at retail for a property
down the block that you can buy wholesale. Try a sign that says “Will
Take Your House In Trade”
• TV and Radio: Cable companies may have community service spots for
free.
• Withdrawn MLS Listings: Easy to get from a friendly real estate agent.
