I Dont think Potential Sellers take me serious?

I am sure you will get some good advice on here. Only things I can think of is to know as much as you can, and to dress appropriately, as well as, to speak, and write in a professional manner. Best wishes!

1. Exactly what do you say to these sellers???

2. Exactly what do you say to these buyers???

3. How are you dressed when you approach these buyers or/and sellers???

and equally if not more importantly

4. What is your rebuttal when they question your validity as an investor???

well the first seller had a bad divorce situation and wanted to get rid of his house ASAP! I/we basically asked him how much he was looking for? And that we are investors that find houses for investors who pay cash for houses.

As for buyers we've only talked to like 2 but we are working on more. We ask them if they are interested in great deals on houses. If so just let me know what type of houses you are looking for?

As for dressing up I wear a button up long sleeve shirt with blue jeans and black dress shoes.. maybe its the car im driving? I used to have a 1998 acura integra ? I used to have a 01 Corvette z06 but had to sell it to save up $.

Should of probly kept the car so I won't look soo young. Lol
that's the thing i dont know what to say when they ask me about me being an investor? Should I just lie and say I've done many deals or?

if they are motivated enough they want care if you ride up on horseback if you can help them. lol

True comment. i just don't want to have great deals pass me.because of this reason.

Yes, every day I'm on this website learning and learning! Im also all over the web learning new terms and ways of sounding more professional.

I had another quick question, are the contracts that are available here on DG legal for California? Or would I need to take them to an attorney?

"And that we are investors that find houses for investors who pay cash for houses."

YOU are there to 'buy'--you may assign etc,

You can state that we work with a group of investors and we can pay cash and close quickly (if you do)

I would not suggest you lie

As Jen (Bamagirl) stated, if they're motivated and need to sell, you can ride up on a horse-

I've seen cases where some "hot shot" investor arrived in a Benz, Rolex, $3000 suit, and $250 ink pen and seller refused to deal with him. To me, that's "in your face", I'm better than you and rich and gonna get richer off you....
I NEVER do that,but, that's just me-I've NEVER forgotten where I came from. DON'T let money change who/what you are

Dress for the occasion...oppose to the "dress for success" moto

Treat the sellers with respect and be a "Problem Solver" for them by 'listening' and creating a Win, Win Win situation for all involved

What matters is your knowledge on the subject & if you deliver. When people see that you know what your're doing, they don't care about your cars, clothes, or age. They only care if you can do what you say, & what you're selling is what they need.
I started out at 17 years old as an oil burner technician. Some people didn't even want to let me into their homes to fix their heat because of my age ... I had to show them I was not only confident & qualified, but I could do the repairs. Once I proved my capabilities, my customer base grew & grew. By the time I was 23 I owned & ran a full service oil company with an office staff, oil tankers & drivers, & even other service technicians; making about 2 million per year.
The BEST thing you have going for yourself is your age, take advantage of all that energy & learn everything you can ... the sky is the limit!

As Gary (gceriani) said, your age can be an asset. I approach my sellers and tell them that I am part of the "New Age" investors that work differently than the old time investors did. I tell them that if I don't make a win/win/win deal, I don't make the deal. What better way to show that then to be a younger investor?

Case in point, I recently visited a young couple looking to sell a home they have free & clear. After listening to their story, I told them that my biggest concern was that they had no place to go if we got the house sold quickly. #1) they didn't even know if they could qualify for a mortgage for the house they wanted to move to ( and from what they told me, they probably won't). #2) their house was an older MH and was worth maybe 5K, barely a 20% down payment on a decent home down here. #3) At this point, they had no money in savings and just a fair credit rating and #4) no family that they could move in with in the meantime. As you can see, this is not a winning situation for the seller. (I gave them some suggestions to look in to and to call me if any of them worked for them.)

Also, as mentioned above, you need to be a professional who exudes confidence and integrity. If you are concerned about the car, park a block away and walk up to the house. Don't let that be your stumbling block.

Hope this helps...

Andy Sager
DG's AndyS

NOW, Go get 'em!

view of yourself, your dress, your demeanor and your approach. If nothing seems out of order, than perhaps your just having bad luck.

Don't see problems where there isn't any.

In a 2004 Dodge Dakota with a busted out rear window and a dent in the side. You just aren't finding highly motivated sellers yet.

You will get there.

Keep pushing!

The more you do it ,the easier it will become."Think" positive. You can do it!

Good point!!! Always have a "partner" to discuss options with.

AndyS

Most people we'll encounter will be hurting, will be embarrassed, stressed, worried, in the middle of a storm, tragedy or just survived one. They feel like they are sinking, backs in a corner in a lot of cases. Us LISTENING, sympathizing/understanding, being sincere, genuine, up front and honest, gaining their trust. Whether you are 23. 43 or 93.....always be tough on the problem, easy on the people! Be a problem solver!

You, your talents, your knowledge and unique characteristics (BEING YOU/REAL) will always be a better fit than us trying to fit into what we think someone else is expecting/looking for.

Know what your talking about/trying to do, trust yourself and go solve problems!! (note: I didn't say 'take on' problems. - lol we can't turn a turkey into an eagle, but we can always leave people better than we found them)

just my .02
best wishes!
God bless,
Jen

If you don't believe in yourself....no one else will either. Confidence-not cockiness....can go a long way. Check out deans blog 169-70?.....I think it this fit in this area.......what's working vs. what's not.

Chin up, 23--HAVING NO DOUBT, MAKES THE CONFIDENT LEVELS HIGHER, ERSIE

Thanks Mike, i will start to not worry about what i drive or wheather i have a nice suit or nice car. But focus on how i can help solve their problems while sounding, looking and feeling confident.

Garry, your story is truly inspiring. Your right i need to take advantage of my age and use my energy to learn more RE and work on talking to potential sellers.

Andy, very good point always make it a win/win/win for everyone that way i feel good about what i do. The "New Age" investors idea is great. Makes the seller feel like you have better ways to help them out. LANE thats pretty funny, and true if a person is TRULLY motivated they shouldnt care what you drive, but how you can help them.

Thanks DG fam. All your advise is great i will focus on not worrying about what i drive or how old i look but learn as much as possible in order the solve what ever situation the sellers in, and make it a win win win for all parties.

Great advice Tom, never thought of "Third Party" i will use that technique the next time i meet another seller. Like u said if i cant answer one of the sellers questions, just say "il have to run it by my ___ then il get back to you. Then i could ask the question here. Thanks For this great info.

You're definitely on the right track. The best advice I can give is to not give up. Keep asking questions, keep learning, keep researching, keep talking to buyers and sellers. Every time you do, you're gaining more and more experience. Experience and knowledge plus action equals results. Analyze what's working and what's not working and tweak small things to see if they make a difference. When I was your age I got involved with someone who did real estate investing, and they screwed me so I got discouraged for a few years. DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU. Study, read and listen to the professionals on this site. DON'T QUIT, DON'T QUIT, DON'T QUIT! By the time you're my age, you won't believe how much success you've had, AS LONG AS YOU DON'T QUIT! You will be great at this, and don't believe any thing different.

Probably some of the best advise I can give you is "Fake it till you make it".

You can tell the sellers that you are working with partners nationwide (which you are with us fellow investor on DG.com) and we are currently looking for properties in the area. We are can only purchase (insert # here) houses this month and we have another 10 properties that we are looking at. We would love to purchase your house but is has to be a great deal.

Of course before you say all that you want to make sure they are motivated to sell. Start off asking them some thing about the property, general questions. Use this lead sheet:

http://www.deangraziosi.com/leadsheet

You need to make sure you screen the sellers:

A = MUST SELL NOW! - talk to them right away
B = Maybe selling - speak with them and follow up, may change their mind
C = Not motivated, looking for top dollar, NEXT!

You WILL be judged, subliminally, subconsciously, even overtly if the other person lacks manners or courtesy. Think back everyone who's in their 30-50's and have done a few deals (few dozen, few hundred, whatever). How many people took YOU seriously when you were young? Exactly.

It's just like anything else in life, man. Pull up on FOOT if you have to, but bring your confidence with you. Mike brings up an excellent point - you can "overdo" it, too. If the person you're talking to is "blue collar," and you appear to be snooty or stuck up, you can turn them off even faster than if you appeared "young" or "new."

Anyone in sales can tell you, the most important thing out of the gate is to relate to who you're talking to. If I can look and dress like a detective, but sell a pickup truck to a Hell's Angel, there's nothing special about ME, and there's definitely nothing special about that truck. If it "appears" you have nothing in common with them, don't sweat it. Embrace it! Keep this in your mind and your approach:

1) I'm in the "people helping" business. I focus on win-win-win solutions.
2) "Why are you selling? How can I help you?"
3) "I'm buying at least one house this week."
4) "Which house I buy will depend on who I can help the most."
5) I am an investor. I don't do this for play.
6) When in doubt (and you will be) ask questions and LISTEN closely.
7) Never fall in love with a property. Let the numbers decide for you.
Let them talk as much as they want. Pay attention the whole time.
9) 80% of sellers you talk to will NOT be motivated or flexible enough to do anything with the day you talk to them. Embrace it, and be ready when they finally are.
10) They're going to sell to someone. If they get paid full retail price for their place, be HAPPY for them. If they can't, be THERE for them.

Bottom line: Respect, confidence, professionalism, and a great ear will sell you without having to try. Best of luck to you...

NEVER!!!!.....EVER!!!!.....lie or 'Fake it til you make it'

That will only cause you pain and heartache at some point and that might be where you miss out on a 'great deal'.

I would suggest you tell people that you would be interested in buying the property yourself;

"I would be interested in buying your property. Let me do some research and crunch some numbers and i'll come back with an offer where we both are happy"

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SAYING OR DOING DON'T TALK YOURSELF OUT OF THE DEAL, WHICH IT SEEMS ALOT ON HERE SEEM TO DO. AFTER HE AGREES TO WORK WITH YOU, COME BACK ON HERE TO DISCUSS WHAT TO SAY AND DO.

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With buyers, tell them straight up you have houses you flip;

I'M COMING INTO SOME HOUSES THAT I WILL GET THE CONTRACT FOR. WHEN I GET THEM I'LL LET YOU KNOW.

True buyers know the deal and understand the situation and will work with you if the deal is right.

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Not saying you have to come in a tuxedo or suit, but at the same time come decent looking. At the very least don't come in cut off denim shorts and birckenstocks when you first meet.

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BE HONEST IF SOMEONE ASKS HOW LONG YOU BEEN IN THE BUSINESS; IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING SOMEONE CAN WORK WITH YOU ON, IT WON'T MATTER, BUT DON'T ANSWER A QUESTION WITH A QUESTION OR GIVE A RHETORICAL ANSWER LIKE "You wouldn't believe how many deals i've done".

IF PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO WORK WITH YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE INEXPERIENCED, MOVE ONTO THE NEXT BUYER OR SELLER. REAL ESTATE WILL ALWAYS BE AROUND.

Hope this helps.

If they don't take you serious, they are not motivated enough to sell.

Personally Robert, I think these people will get over your age when you hand them a nice juicy commission check! Use your young age to your advantage! I love your quote "Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still". ~Bob

your right the last seller i met with was very sad and embarrassed with his divorce situation. I'll defenetly not worry about my age but how i can help the sellers and make it a win win win situation for all parties involved. I wont "take-on" the problem but solve it lol thanks again

Robert.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience Brandon. Its great that your back in to REI. I am learning everyday more and more. I will never quit because success and freedom is what i after! Thanks and best wishes.

Robert.

Chris thanks for the lead sheet. I basically have to tell them that me and other investors are looking to buy x amount of properties this month and give them urgency by telling them that we are currently looking at 10 other ones! Well ill tell them that if they seem really motivated to sell their house?

I just got my business cards I ordered!(: now I will feel more confident and like you said David maybe the next seller i talk to will not worry about my age. But what I can offer for them. If they are not in need of selling their house now ill thank them for their time and hand them a business card.. just in case they change their mind.

the saying "fake it till you make it" kind of scares me too. I dont want to lie because like you said it might get caught in the lie lol. I like what you said about getting back to them once you go home and crunch the number.

CA is a casual dress state. You will have absolutely no problem not having on a tie. A button down shirt (pressed) or a nice collared golf shirt is perfect. If you are wearing jeans, make sure they aren't faded or worn looking.(dark denim) With jeans, I would go with clean sneakers. Or wear nice khakis with your dress shoes. Have your hair neat and clean and DO NOT BE CHEWING GUM or smoking! Be sure you are wearing a belt.

In all honesty, when a client first sees you they are probably going to be surprised at your age. That is only natural. But by this time they will have already spoken with you on the phone. If you know what you are talking about, you don't have to worry. They will get past the age issue very quickly. Be confident and speak matter of factly. They are wanting someone who can help them solve their problem.

Be sure to LISTEN and not do all the talking. A great opening question either on the phone or in person is "Tell me about your situation." And then listen while they tell you. What they say to you is going to give you VITAL info.

You will be nervous at first. Again, that is natural. But if you put your attention on the client and not yourself, all will be fine.

Good luck!

Karen