Does the sound of the phone ringing sound like the cash register?  If it doesn't, or if that sound is just too rare - read on!   Here are some easy and cheap/free ways to make home sellers call you more often!                     

1. Tell all your friends/family/church members/poker buddies/workout pals what you are looking for.  Be specific.  If you want to buy preforeclosures, tell them to give your card to people who are talking about being behind on their house payment.  If you want to buy homes from folks going through a divorce, say that.  Don't leave them to guess - they'll guess wrong.

2. Send letters to people who have own a house you are interested in.  Give homeowners one good reason to call YOU.  Look at your letter carefully.  Use spell check.  Write it the way people in your area actually speak.  Be professional, it inspires confidence.  Be friendly, it makes people like you.  You need them to feel both.  Your letter can do that.  Address it to them, NOT to Homeowner in Foreclosure or something equally embarassing to receive.  Put yourself in their shoes & write in a kind way.  Do not tell them you are honest, just show them by your dealings with them.

3. Let your car do the talking.  Put car wrap of I BUY HOUSES on your car.  Or, if that is not yet in the budget, order a set of magnetic signs or have lettering put on the back window.  Pick one & do it - you're going to drive to work, the grocery store, the gym, and everywhere your kids need to go anyway - the difference is that now you're really getting somewhere.  (Pun intended)

4. Put an ad in the newspaper.  Use a local number.  Test using an out of area number - some people don't want friends/neighbors/people they see at Wal-mart knowing their business - you may be surprised.

5. Put an ad up in the grocery store.  Very often grocery stores have a board near the doorway where folks can post ads for free - is yours there?   If you wait around, your competition may take action first!

6. Tell every mortgage broker, title person, appraiser, home inspector, and mailman you know.  These people know what is going on with people's mortgages quite often before you will ever find it in public records.

7. Hand out your card to people having yard sales on Saturday's.  They may be "raising money" for their own private cause, so don't slow them down with a whole conversation - remember, you just want your phone to ring!

8. Go to networking groups in your area.  Not just real estate investing groups - other groups too.  Remember, people from all backgrounds buy & sell homes & know other people who want to buy & sell homes - but, do they know that YOU are the answer to their problem?  Not unless you tell them!

9. Yellow pages listing.  If you buy a "fancy" listing or ad it may be out of the current budget, but what about at least a regular listing?  Maybe if you skip a couple of nights out, you can have your ad, buy some houses & have some great TRIPS out!?

Jennifer Dintelmann