Whether you’ve been in the real estate game for a while or if you’re just getting started, you’ve probably heard that direct mail is a great way to stimulate the deals you need to make your business grow. That being said, you’ve probably heard just as frequently that despite the effectiveness of direct mail, you still need to be trying to find deals in other ways to really make your business thrive. Below we have a few great options to help you find deals outside of your direct mail marketing campaign, so that even in months where your mailers don’t produce like you wish they would, you can still be making money and moving forward.
Craig’s List
If you’ve read my book or stumbled across any of my other REI articles online, you probably already know that I’m a huge fan of Craig’s List. It’s a great free marketplace and can help you stimulate your business in many ways, and finding deals is certainly no different. When your mailers aren’t producing like you wish they would, Craig’s list is a great place to go hunting for deals. Just go to the “Real Estate for Sale” section, select “For Sale by Owner”, and start hunting! This is also a great place to post ads fishing for fixer uppers. Either way, Craig’s list is a great FREE tool to use early and often in your real estate career.
Door Knocking
If you’re really motivated to find a deal ASAP, there really isn’t a faster way to experience results than door knocking. While this is certainly the most intimidating technique of trying to find your next property, it’s also the technique that is guaranteed to produce the quickest. Simply go to an area where you know a number of your cash buyers are looking, pick a street, and start walking! If the home owner isn’t interested, just thank them for their time and keep going. But when you finally find the one who is, you’ll be in business!
Bandit Signs
Bandit signs are also a great way to stimulate some new deals in many different markets! Just put out some signs in and around the neighborhoods the largest majority of your buyers are looking to purchase in, and wait for the calls to start coming in. Just make sure to put them in highly visible areas at the intersection of major roads. You may have to put more than one at each intersection so they’re visible from all angles, and remember to use a marker that is bold enough that it can be seen and read from a passing car!
Newspaper
Though in many businesses the newspaper is considered more of a relic than anything else, it can still be a great way to find a good deal in real estate investment. Most of the sellers you work with will be of a higher age, so using a medium that appeals to those of a previous generation is actually a solid tactic to take. It only cost about $1 to buy a newspaper on Sundays, so try to get into the habit of buying one each weekend and looking in the Real Estate for Sale section for your next deal!
Are these all the ways you can find deals outside of direct mailing? Of course not! However, they’re definitely enough to get you pointed in the right direction as you try to find some additional deals to get your business really moving. If you’d like some more suggestions as to how you can stimulate the opportunities you need to take your business from A to E, check out my bookThe Get Rich Scheme: The Secrets to Making Fast Real Estate Cash in Any Economy at Amazon for FREE August 6th- August 10th at the link below!
