How Real Estate Investors Find Motivated Sellers

If you're an aspiring real estate investor, or even an experienced one, and you would like to learn to market for motivated sellers and get them calling you, read on!

There are lots of ways to market for motivated sellers, and get them calling you on the telephone. Some cost lots of money, like classified ads. Others are virtually free. Your budget will determine which marketing methods you start out with, but the important thing to remember is, if you're not doing some form of marketing, your business is dead in the water.

If you have little or no budget, one of the first things you SHOULD spend a little money on is business cards. You can get a box of a thousand simple cards with your contact information and 'I Buy Houses' emblazoned on them for under thirty dollars. If you pass them out, they'll bring you contacts and business.

The sad thing about business cards is, many people never take them out of the box, or they hand them only to people they already know. What good does that do? Each card is like a little salesperson, waiting to introduce you to the world. Leaving them in the box is like telling your salesman he can stay home in bed.

Pass your cards out everywhere, and leave them places where people will see them. Leave them with tips at restaurants, on the gas pump after you're finished, hang them on community bulletin boards and in local businesses. In short, get them out there doing there job. Slowly but surely, people will find out about you, and they will call you when the need to sell a house.

Real estate investors also use things like hats, key rings, mugs, pens, and even t-shirts with their 'I Buy Houses' message printed on them. These are great, but can get pretty expensive. Use them after you have a couple of deals under your belt, so they won't break your budget.

Classified ads are probably the most often used method for attracting business. Unfortunately, in my market at least, they are overused and therefore it's hard to stand out. Try ad copy that's a little different. My ad reads, 'I Buy Houses - Sell Your House Today, Move On With Your Life Tomorrow.' It stands out a little from the rest, and it's been effective for me.

Where you put your ad can make a big difference, too. In my area, we have one major daily newspaper, which is widely read, but very expensive. I have had good success with a couple of the small, weekly 'Pennysaver' type classified ad papers. My suggestion is to test your results and keep careful track of where your calls are coming from. You'll soon find out what works and what doesn't.