Welcome back,

Attracting and finding real estate sellers is key to any consistently successful business. The life-blood of any real estate investing business is the amount of leads you are finding and/or leas that are finding you (preferred method). If you have a well established network of lead magnets (Lead magnets = Unique methods to attract seller leads) in and around your investing area then you will invariably be; speaking with sellers, going to appointments, evaluating homes, making offers, creating value, and reselling each property for cash or cash-flow… but it all starts with leads.   

Listed below is a list of some additional strategies for YOU to find new seller leads. Commit yourself to implementing just one (1) new lead magnet each week for the next 55 weeks. Enjoy!

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1. Accountants and CPA Firms:  They have clients with financial problems where an investor can be of help.
2. Advertising:  Never stops. Use simple ads with a USP, Unique Selling Proposition:  Quick Closing, All Cash etc., We Buy Houses Ads, Newspapers, Flyers.
3. Attorneys:  Attorneys know when people need money, often to pay their fees!  Not just probate but divorce, family law and real estate attorneys.
4. 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.
5. Apparel with Logos:  Hats, T-Shirts, Golf Shirts, Hand Bags
6. Bird Dogs: These people can be very valuable to your business.  It is important to know your local laws about compensating unlicensed people so do your homework first!
7. “Blue Tarp” Houses: Often blue tarps on roofs signify major roof damage.  Contact the owner to see if they want to sell the property.
8. 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!
9. Car Repos: If the car is going the house isn’t far behind.
10. Carpet Cleaners:  Many of their customers are preparing a house for sale.
11. Charitable Groups:  Frequently receive gifts of real estate, but they’d rather have the cash.
12. 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.
13. Classified Ads:  Look for specific keywords that could possibly mean the seller is motivated such as:  transferred, motivated, divorce, owner financing, must sell, etc.
14. Condemned Houses:  Many counties will provide you a free list.
15. Consumer Loan Companies:  When their loans go bad they are frequently willing to deal rather than foreclose.
16. Courts:  Eviction Filings, Probate, Divorce Cases, Tax Liens, Code Violations
17. 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.
18. Direct Mail : Pre-Foreclosure Letters, Probate Letters, Out of Town Owners, Bankruptcies, Divorce, Delinquent Taxes, Military Owners
19. 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!
20. 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!
21. Drive or walk Neighborhoods:  Get to know them well and take notice of changes.
22. Estate Sales:  Often the real estate will also be available and perhaps with owner financing
23. Eviction Court:  Great place to find landlords
24. Expired Listings:  Connect with an investor friendly Realtor
25. Family Members:  Talk about what you do and ask for referrals
26. 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.
27. Friends:  “Do you know anyone who wants to sell?”  Most people know 2 people who will be buying or selling a home this year.
28. FSBO Signs:  For Sale By Owner
29. Funeral Homes:  Can be a good lead source before information on a decedent becomes public.
30. Garage Sales:  Are they moving?
31. Hair Salons:  Lots of talking going on during hair cuts!
32. Home Builders:  Need to sell their buyer’s houses so they can close on the new place.
33. HUD Foreclosures:  Internet: Rent Clicks, EBay, Craigslist, Wholesale Sites, Lead Services, USLeaseOption.com
34. Insurance Brokers:  Policy changes from owner occupant to landlord or vacant house coverage.
35. 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.
36. Judgments: Check the public record or hire someone to do it for you.
37. 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.
38. Lenders: Banks / REO’s:  Mortgage Brokers, Private Lenders, Hard Money Lenders
39. Lis Pendens:  Notice of a law suit, usually a foreclosure.
40. 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.
41. Market Bulletin Boards:  Grocery stores, coffee shops, restaurants
42. Military Transfers:  Military bases provide an excellent transient market for those needing to sell and buy off- base housing
43. Newspaper Carriers:  They know the neighborhood better than anyone else and may be able to alert you to vacant or boarded up homes.
44. Nursing & Retirement Homes:  Frequently residents need to sell a house.
45. Pens: Buy cheap ones with your marketing message on them and leave them everywhere you go.
46. Pizza Boxes:  many sell advertising or sponsorship spots
47. Postman:  Same as the newspaper carriers- they know the neighborhoods well and could act as a bird dog for you.
48. Rental Agents & Property Managers:  Let them know you want to buy and also find a local manager. You buy, they manage…win/win!!
49. Retirees:  A growing population with free and clear homes.  Excellent prospects for seller financing.
50. Section 8 Landlords:  Each county maintains a list
51. Social Media:  A new way to get your message out:  Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
52. Structural Damage:  Once you know what you’re doing, you can buy at a rock bottom pricing.
53. 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.