Making the Most of Real Estate Listings in Your Paper
Real estate investors often think that they will not find leads in real estate listings. They believe that owners of distressed home will not want to wait around for an agent. There are many investors who decide to spend a great deal of time and money finding leads other ways. These ways include 800 numbers, bandit signs and stalking down deserted properties.
But you should not neglect any way that you can get good leads on investment properties. However, real estate listings often hold more promise than you might think. You can learn a lot of important things from real estate listings. You might end up with a great investment opportunity thanks to this information.
Never neglect free sources of deals. You will be able to use real estate listings to find great investment properties. Watch out for these telltale signs:
* Houses that have been listed for a long time. - The owners might be getting nervous if a house has been listed for a long time. They may not know that a real estate agent is not their only option. Your contacting them could actually be a life preserver.
* Check for lowered prices - Motivated sellers often are compelled to drop their asking prices. After all, if you had all the time in the world you would wait for your asking price. A drop in price can be an indicator that the owner needs out.
* FSBO (For Sale By Owner) houses are good targets - People selling their property themselves may have bitten off more than they can chew. They may be happy to not have to deal with the situation anymore. Because they are not paying an agent, they may also be willing to take a lower offer.
* • Properties that offer “creative” or owner-financing - Creative financing is an inherent risk. It may involve working with buyers who do not have enough credit to get a bank loan. A property owner who will take this risk is often a motivated seller.
You can probably see now how real estate listings can be a great source of leads. Pick up your local real estate listings and start spotting potential deals.
