Real Estate Listings Hold Investing Opportunities
Real estate investors often think that they will not find leads in real estate listings. They think that people with distressed properties will not have time to wait on an agent. Investors often devote a lot of time and money to alternative methods of finding deals. These alternatives may include bandit signs, finding deserted properties and running 800 numbers.
But you should not neglect any way that you can get good leads on investment properties. Using real estate listings can often get you better results than you think. You can determine certain important things from real estate listings. These things could help you spot a good potential investment.
Do not overlook free sources for leads. Use real estate listings to locate great investment properties. You can look for the following “flags”:
* Houses that have been listed for a long time are good potential targets - If a house has been listed for a long time, the owners may be getting nervous. They may not know that a real estate agent is not their only option. They may feel as if you have thrown them a life preserver.
* • A house that has recently had the price lowered - Houses with recent drops in price often are owned by people who are getting more motivated. After all, if you had all the time in the world you would wait for your asking price. If an owner needs to get out, a drop in price may be an indicator.
* FSBO signs in yards or listings are promising - It is possible that FSBO owners are getting overwhelmed. They may be glad to just get out of their situation. They might also be willing to take a lower offer because they are not paying a commission.
* A good sign is when a property offers owner financing - Creative financing by nature is risky. It often involves working with buyers who do not have the credit to get bank loans. If a property owner is willing to take this type of risk they are likely a motivated seller.
It is probably clear now that real estate listings are a great source of leads. Pick up your local paper and see how many potential deals you spot in the real estate listings right away.
