Getting Real Estate Deals Through Letter Carriers
Looking for someone to help you out in looking for great deals? Look out for the mailman! He knows where you can find them… and more.
While the general public only think that all the letter carriers does is deliver letters and packages, real estate investors know better. If ever there is a person that has a good knowledge on where a vacant house can be located, it’s the mailman. If a person is in trouble with the mortgage company, the mailman knows for sure.
And why is that?
It’s simply because letter carriers have access to the residents’ mails. This means that letters and notices from mortgage companies pass through their eyes and hands. They’ll certainly know when a resident is in trouble with his property. There might even be people who’ll be asking if the mailman knows of anyone buying properties. This would absolutely be a great referral tactic!
Mailmen and letter carriers also have their walking or driving routes. They would know the addresses and the area well. They will know for sure where there is a vacant or abandoned property, or where there is a property that is waiting to be sold and bought.
With knowledge such as these, who wouldn’t want to work with letter carriers?
All you would have to do is make a proposal to the mailman working on your target area to give you some information on properties that you could buy and invest in. Introduce yourself and build a great working relationship with him.
The advantage of having a mailman as a source of information is obvious. He knows where the freshest deals are. He can bring lots of leads for you. All this before some other real estate investor would even know about it. You’ll also be able to monitor where your competition is going. Mailmen would know where real estate investors are going through the letters that they deliver.
Also regarding competition, you are also able to get to a deal wherein you would be the first to offer your services! Basically, in knowing about a lead first (through the mailman), there wouldn’t really be a competition for you. You knew about the lead firsthand, after all.
You will have to be careful about asking a mailman, of course. There are letter carriers that might think of this move as a shrewd one and would not commit to it. Mailmen are also not allowed to take tips for the information. But there are those who do. What is required of you is that you ask them professionally and with no strings attached.
Make it clear to the letter carriers or the mailmen that all you need from them is plain view information about a property. Plain view information means description garnered by sight alone. For example, in telling you about a vacant house, all they’ll tell you is that the lawn hasn’t been trimmed for so long, that there are stacks of mail in the mailbox, and other signs of a vacant house. If ever the mailman wants to give you more information than that, that will be theirs to decide. Don’t hound them for more.
So you see how helpful the mailman in your neighborhood can be? They’re not just your ordinary letter and package delivery guy. To a real estate investor, they’re a great asset to have.
