$18,000 From My Craig's List Ad.

Congratulations on your success. Would you mind sharing with us a sample of what you put in your Craigslist ads that has made you so successful?

Better than working a J O B ..... sticking with it is key. It's always good to reinvest $ back in to the business to continue getting leads. Nice job. Did this one come from a yellow letter, flyer, driving for $ etc ?

I used to use the add.. I buy Houses, Any Area, Any Condition for CASH.And also I wud include a photo of a big stack of cash.

Lately, I got several wholesalers using my same ads almost word for word.
Now I've been using.... I'll buy your house 4 CASH and pay you more than any other cash buyer, Guaranteed.

But actually, I dont get many calls on my CL ads and have only did a half dozen deals from them. I've got some deals from bird dogs and direct mail using the yellow letters and post cards and a few deals from my competitor that was copying my CL ads. He had a few houses he cudnt sell and I have the buyers.
I just got $2,500 check in the mail from a deal that I thought was dead, My partner bird dog got the same, it was in escrow for 2 1/2 months, it was such a bad deal with minimal profit margins it took my buyer, a (Realtor/Broker) quite a while to flip it.
My contract expired at 60 days, I had given up on this deal, the seller had stopped calling and whining, her father the 86 yr old owner said we wer all a bunch of crooks cuz he hadnt got his money in the 30 days I told him it wud happen. I stopped calling the buyer and was tired of him saying the funds wud be wired this week.
So, after 10 weeks to unexpectly get mine and my partners finders fee check was quite the surprise. This deal came from a yellow letter.
And yes, I'm going to the post office Monday to buy a $1,000 worth of stamps and start sending out more letters and post cards to my absentee owners.
I've noticed the more times I send out my letters, the more calls I get. I sometimes get calls on letters that I sent out over 2 years ago.
My first letter campaign I spent $3,500 in stamps and supplies and only made $2,000, my mistate was not repeating the mailing. Now I'm starting to see more success by repeated mailings to the same people.
Let's make some MONEY
Rando

I sometimes wonder if I somehow jinx my deals by bragging about them b4 they close. This Lady agreed to sell for 30K
The next day she said she talked to someone that told her the property was worth more. I asked what price were you thinking? I was fearing the worst but after 5 seconds of silence she says 35K I tell her I can do that.
I drove an hour to a small cow town to meet the seller, she was a sweet 78 yr old lady and she started to cry when she talked about the house and her husband that had left her and how the house was a shning jewel and how trashed it was now.
In fact I was shocked when I went inside, even the garage had issues with a collapsed roof.
I got her signature on my contract and got back to town and contacted my buyer.
He said he was having his contractor check the place out and wud get back to me.
I told him I had another buyer pressuring me so get back to me asap. He then tells me to go ahead and give it to the other buyer.
So now I called my backup buyer at the 45K price and he's started escrow.
Now my 18K assignment fee has dwindled from 18K down to 10K
But, who the heck wud complaing about making 10K?

Never give up, Keep Shining my friend-!!

Romaluv22
Signing Out,

Hi Randy,

I see you're taking the Fresno market by way My partner and I also invest there and noticed that the deals are drying up. I'm curious as to what techniques you're using to land your deals? Obviously what works in some ares will not work in all and it looks like we'll be re-evaluating our Fresno techniques. Much continued success to you!

Rando,

Successful business practices should always be a win-win which it was in this story. Your 78 year old seller got the extra money that she wanted; your buyer got a good deal and you still made $10k. A lot of time in contract negotiations, people get emotional and think that they have to 'win the battle'. Congratulations on this deal. Maybe you could talk your buyer into allowing you to bring the seller through the property once renovations are complete so she can get a glimpse of her house as a shining Jewel one last time. Sometimes it's the feeling of doing something good that motivates me as much or more than just the money.

Work a liitle better than the larger (Fresno) areas, less competition. Lots of junkers in the smaller areas. Your right ypu can make $$. I am now getting to the Fresno market and have relatives there. Currently in Sacramento, CA but I invest all the way from the bay to L.A......Northern CA to Southern CA. Keep closing those deals!

I laugh when msindiana says the deals in Fresno are drying up, I've heard Realtors say that too, I told one Realtor I wanted fixer deals under 50K in the Fresno area and she told me I wudnt find those, I told her I just bought one for 30K then she says well, you wont find any more. That was 10 deals ago.
Of course they only know to look on the MLS where-as I'm using bandit signs, direct mail and bird dogs and dealing direct with distressed sellers and distressed properties needing a ton of repairs.
First of all, dont listen to what Realtors say, unless you want a good laugh.
What's crazy is I've been exclusively selling my deals to Realtors, they have learned to wholesale and they have the buyers.
But it is interesting that many of my deals are from the smaller towns within a 30 mile radius, Hanford, Madera, Corcoran, Reedley etc.
But if you want to believe that Fresno is drying up, that's OK, more for me.

All of the strategies you're using, we are also using but fresno for me is not as lucrative as many others areas I'm in(some even in other parts of CA). I ask because I remember you sometime time ago reaching out for help, as it seemed you were struggling to get deal in fresno and now you're doing really well. So my gut instinct is to ask what's working for you... Obviously some things that work in one market, may not others. I'd suppose its time for us to rotate our techniques there and try some more. To continued success!

I got a call quite a few calls from my yellow letters (couple months ago), but none worked as a deal. I did get 2 cash buyer though. However I got a call from a seller 2 weeks ago, had someone to take pics but I was a day too late on getting pics back. Seller already said he had called a few other people also. Seller was very eager to sell!!! Oh well.... on to the next. I only did one round to test the water. Time to get more letters out.

AND he wanted 50k, but I knew he would go a little lower. 2bed 1 bath, small house about 900sqft.

Those numbers sounds like a deal we're working... I'll have to call you.

Carol Stinson did a video about finding what works in your neighborhood. Student Weekly Wisdom #16 - Wholesaling 101. In the video she explains that not every strategy works in every area...get creative.

I hope everyone caught the "selling to realtors" part of your post. They and the cash buyers they have are crucial to my wholesaling success. They and their buyers pay top dollar while the fix/flipper and landlord type buyers pay the least. These (agents and their buyers) people are the buyers that are paying way more than what works with the usual wholesale "formulas".
A year ago my fix/flippers were rocking, now that the market has really shifted I had to change my buyer types.

Good work!
Michael

I really like the idea about having the woman see the house again;closure is worth a lot! Ter

You are correct Walter. That's actually what I was saying, I was inquiring to see if maybe Randy was maybe doing something different than what we've already implemented..we are def going to try a few other things, now that what we were doing before isn't producing the same results.

Sometimes it seems that timing is what gets me some of my deals. A deal I got on contract last week the seller an elderly lady said another investor had it under contract for about the same amount but somethings came up in her life and she put off selling the house on the back burner. Then she just happens to get my post card. Because this other investor didnt follow up, I'm making $15K on this deal. And some deals I've worked for 6 months to a year b4 I got it at a price I cud profit. I will email sellers and txt them and say hi, and ask if they are ready to sell that house yet.

Another BIG advantage I believe I have over other investors is I've learned to shut up when talking to sellers and when they stop talking I ask leading questions. I've had several sellers start to cry when telling me their stories. It's an emotional experience selling a house sometimes. True empathy is something you cant fake, I really believe these people are important and I listen intently.
Several of my sellers told the Title company that they chose me to sell their house to because they liked me more than other investors. My title company gives me good reviews when my sellers call them. And it dont hurt that I give my Title girl cash bonuses.
So I got the methods down on wholesaling Real Estate. Now I'm learning my people skills.

And I'm learning how to program my mind for success. I have purchased some incredible courses on creating a wealth mindset and improving my health, wealth and relationships. I am developing a passion for this business.

If you and I are bidding on the same house, I will get it because I will spend an hour or more with the seller, and when I leave I will be their new best friend and have their signature on my contract.

Maybe I shouldnt be telling you my secrets. However, I believe ther are plenty of deals for everybody.
Let's make some MONEY
Rando

I felt like you were an underdog before & I feel like I am one now I have done 5 deals & have 2 under contract, i hve to close them tho. I am reenergized by what you say, it is what you put in to it & have a good heart that will make you $ I think. God bless.

Well again thanks for responding Randy. I was actually speaking to Jeanine about working on the same house However I'd be willing to take you up on the challenge if we were to be bidding on the same house, I love a good challenge I also make good friends out of clients, by having an accounting financial background sometimes I'm also able to help in other areas other then REI. Good luck to you!

randy thanks for posting. i believe some of the successful people are gettin to busy doin deals to post any more... seems its slowed down alot, so thanks for posting....

MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY HOLIDAYS - HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY

WALT

Hey Tony 5 deals is great, I think I did 5 or 6 my first year and about the same the second year. Buy I made my mistake by taking my profits and going to the islands for a 6 month vacation each year. I wud come back dead broke and wud have to start from ground zero using only Craig's List for marketing and recruiting bird dogs.
This is my third year and because I used some, maybe 10-15% of my profits on marketing, my business has exploded. It has really paid off, I been rehabbing my personal house, I got the truck I always wanted and the Harley. It's the first time in my life that all my vehicles are paid for, all insured and maintained and my bills are paid with a good chunk of change in the bank.. And that is a great feeling.
I'm now getting a web site and having some radio commercials made to start in Jan or feb or perhaps early spring. I don't know if they will work but the price is well with in my budget, I wud spend more in a week on direct mail that these commercials are costing for a 3 month run.

But man, did I spend a lot of hours in my home office This year, doing all the mundane chores. It was work. My main goal this coming year besides doubling the deals I did is to delegate more of the work load.

It don't seem like very long ago that I was up late at night worrying about how to pay my bills and take care of my family when this nerdy guy named Dean Graziosi came on TV and made me believe I could actually make money doing Real Estate. I ordered his book. The best 20 buks I ever spent.

thats awesome! yea man I am going to reinvest my next profits at least 20% of it in to marketing too & explode! cant wait, I am excited & anticipating the success. have 2 under contract just need to wholesale them!

So nice to hear you really advanced, it gives me hope! yes I saw Dean too about 4 yrs ago or 5 actually, bought his books & now am here, great job Rando! very inspiring, thanks for the encouragement!

I needed it!