Knocking on Doors: Contacting the Homeowners

Knocking on Doors: Contacting the Homeowners

Like a lot of things in life – both personal and professional – there’s a measure of comfort to know that there’s no one fixed way to get in touch with homeowners. You can explore options and then weigh which one works best for you, and which one is the most sensible in a particular situation.

For instance, you can try literally knocking on the door, utilizing the phone, or resorting to direct mail. Here’s a quick overview of each.

Knocking on the door 

Advantage

It’s very straight forward and clear. If the homeowner expresses interest to sell the house, you can immediately appraise the property on the spot, and even draw up a purchase contract if both parties come to an agreement.

Disadvantage

Yes, it’s straight forward – to the point that it can be taken as already being invasive. If you don’t like feeling like you’re somehow stepping on the boundaries of privacy and personal space, this method probably won’t suit you very well.

Utilizing the phone 

Advantage 

Calling a homeowner will get your point across quite clearly, and at a more cordial manner compared to simply showing up at someone else’s doorstep. If the homeowner is interested to sell, you can easily set an appointment to look at the property.

Disadvantage

You may find it considerably challenging to properly locate the phone number of a lot of people you need to get in touch with. After all, it seems a big percentage of people no longer find it necessary to list their complete names with their corresponding addresses and phone numbers in a regular phone book or directory assistance. You can always check out CDs and Internet that feature phone numbers from different respective cities, but then again you may want to keep in mind that the source of that information is also the telephone companies.

Punching in the numbers may also spell out a lot of wasted time on your part. It’s not uncommon, after all, to take several tries – spanning days – until you can finally get a hold of the homeowner you’re trying to reach.

Resorting to direct mail 

Advantage

Working on a direct mail may seem considerably daunting, but actually, if you put in enough effort, you’ll find that it’s quite easy to make and develop an automated system for you. If you don’t have the time – or the slightest inclination – to be hands-on about it, you’ll find it a pleasant surprise that you actually just need to hire one person to handle your entire mailing program, and he doesn’t even need to be full-time on the job. A competent contractor will take no more than a few hours a week to make photocopies, fold the paper, stuff and seal envelopes, stamp them, and then, of course, drop your mail. That’s about it.

If you want something economical and affordable, direct mail will definitely compliment your modest budget. For about a dollar or less each, you can send literally hundreds of mails and they’ll do the work for you.

Here’s another thing that you can save with direct mail: your pride. You can be sure that the homeowners you talk to are the ones who are interested, to begin with. After all, they call you, and not the other way around. If you’re new in the foreclosure business, opting for direct mail will also eliminate your initial fear or shyness in selling. Your letter acts as the first buffer against uninterested or unmotivated homeowners. 

Disadvantages

If you’re not very adept at stringing words in the written form, this method is not recommended for you. Direct mail is also not a good bet for you if you’re not patient in waiting for responses because, of course, the replies will take time.

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