Is it just too much of a liability to have a real estate website today?

The financial risks of having your own website have grown dramatically in the past few years. New laws and precedents set by some lawsuits are making it very expensive to have one. With recent economic trends and higher unemployment, real estate businesses could be a hot target for even more criminals and opportunists.

Here are the three biggest risks to watch out for, plus some potential alternatives.

1. ADA Lawsuits

Many good hearted and well intentioned entrepreneurs and real estate businesses have recently been targeted by malicious ADA lawsuits. The most notable case so far has been the blind man who sued Dominos pizza for not being able to use their website, and won in the US supreme court. Back in 2018 there were at least 2,200 similar cases filed. Unfortunately, this may just lead to fewer apps and websites, and fewer services available to everyone, as well as increased prices to cover this liability.

2. Images

Image copyrights are another huge issue. One which many real estate websites and publications may have to settle for thousands of dollars per image they didn’t have the right to use. Even if they were out there in the public domain. Stolen text content and blogs can also be sources of lawsuits.

3. Data

Keeping up with preventing hacks and new data and privacy rules that can vary by jurisdiction can be very expensive. Most businesses don’t know the laws and can’t afford the lawsuits. Even most large companies end up paying bitcoin ransoms or settlements for data breaches when the news of them finally leaks out.

Why Most Real Estate Websites Aren’t Nearly As Useful As You Think

We’re all told we need a website. It is true that you can’t just hope to get by with a Facebook page. Too few people use Facebook anymore and its effectiveness has jumped off a cliff into an abyss. Yet, most real estate websites are pretty useless.

They often haven’t been optimized for sales, and so don’t create the desired results. So many are cookie cutter copies of each other that they are counterproductive. They don’t carry any trust or credibility. While running an automated online business is smart, it doesn’t always work for real estate wholesalers. People, especially those buying and selling distressed property want to do business with real humans, not really poorly put together websites.

The Alternatives

The first solution is to redesign your real estate website to minimize liability. You can block it from being shown in certain areas. Or make it clear on your home page that you don’t offer your services in Europe or California, where the regulations are toughest and most lawsuits are happening.

You can also choose not to make it look like an ecommerce store. Don’t sell directly from your site. Use it more like an online business card, or educational platform in the form of a blog.

What issues have you encountered already? How are you switching things up to protect yourself?

 

 

Valentine’s Day 2019 is almost here. Take the opportunity to show some extra love to your real estate lead lists, and set your wholesaling business up for more success at the same time.

Get in those Mailboxes

This is a great time to be landing your information in mailboxes and email inboxes. Smart use of packaging and subject lines could greatly increase the number of people on your prospective sellers lists that actually open and read your message at this time of year.

People love to know someone is thinking about them, and many won’t be receiving Valentine’s Day cards this year. Stand out and show some love. They’ll remember you when they are really ready to sell their homes.

Educate Them

Whether it is through the mail, email or on your real estate blog and social media, invest in educating your prospects on the importance of selling their homes now, and the pain of failing to do so. With tax refund season here, many will find this their best opportunity to get out of a distressed housing situation and move on. Others just need a reality check on how far their home price could fall if they drag their feet on selling this season.

Realtor Matchmaking

One of he biggest reasons that those who should be motivated sellers don’t sell is that they simply don’t know where they will go next. Match them up with a motivated Realtor who can get them out and find them a new rental or more affordable home to buy.

Give Them Earning Opportunities if They Insist on Staying

Some people will refuse to get off the sinking ship, no matter how close they get to a foreclosure auction date. For those on your list that are adamant about staying, show them how to make more money to pay for their homes and Valentine’s Day gifts by bringing you leads on other properties and sellers.

Host an Event

Valentine’s Day brings so many themed event and party opportunities. Host a community event of your own. Invite all of your prospective sellers. Use the time to build relationships and trust, so when they do decide to sell their loyalty is with you.

Peak real estate season is coming up fast. How can investors do more wholesale deals in the months ahead?

Late spring and summer brings the highest volume of real estate transactions for the year. Those who excel during these months gain a great advantage in incoming cash, building a marketing budget for the rest of the year, and in generating ongoing referrals and repeat business. What can property wholesalers do to maximize the number of deals they get done this season?

Build Your Buyers List

In order to flip houses fast and maximize deal volume, build that buyers list in advance. Build your list of lenders too. Have the money and end buyers lined up so that as soon as you get deals you can turn them around and fund the next one. This can be done via direct mail, networking, Facebook, Google Ads, and more.

Market To Sellers Early & Often

Once school is out every Realtor and wannabe investor, along with a new lineup of websites is going to be vying for attention and marketing to these potential sellers hard. Then you have to compete on price and branding. It’s far easier and more profitable if you start connecting and building relationships before the rest of the pack. When they are ready to sell you should already be their first choice to pick up the phone and contact.

Make The Move Easier & More Attractive

Despite the sense in buying, selling, or investing this spring and summer, many will find a variety of excuses to hold back. For some it is the uncertainty of moving into a new neighborhood. For others it is navigating the mechanics of moving. Then there are those who are worried about how their family will handle the move. Teardown these objections in advance. Use your real estate blog to provide clarity on the lifestyle in different neighborhoods and how investments there are likely to perform ahead. Create referral relationships with movers and Realtors to facilitate a smooth process. Team up with new apps that make transferring utilities and forwarding mail a breeze. Build a sales and moving experience clients will rave about to others.

 

Authored by Best Transaction Funding BestTransactionFunding.com is the leading source of transactional funding for real estate wholesalers in the US, where 100% financing, and saying “Yes” is what we love doing all day long.

The more property wholesalers help their end buyers be successful, the more they will be successful themselves.

Wholesalers who are serious about succeeding will proactively look for ways to help their end buyer customers. The more profitable and efficient they are, the more homes you can sell them, the more loyalty and trust you will build, and the more you’ll enjoy what you do.

So how do you help your rehabbers and landlords who are buying your properties?

Pile on the Referrals

As a true wholesaler you may not be interested in retail buyers, or getting involved in renting or rehabbing at all. Yet, chances are you’ll run into plenty of these leads every week. Pass them forward.

This can include renters, Realtors, contractors, retail home buyers, and buy and hold investors looking for rentals, as well as lenders offering long term financing and rehab cash.

Provide Better Intel, Earlier

What slows most rehabbers down the most? Evaluating properties and getting the work complete. So give them a better head start. When you can get them access to the property in advance. When you can’t provide more detailed information, repair estimates, repair needs, etc. If you let them know what deals you may have coming up, even before you are ready to close on the B to C transaction they can be sure to have their financing and crews lined up too.

Share Marketing Tips

What is the biggest sticking point for more end buyers? It’s getting that property resold or rented so they can bring cash in and buy more inventory from you. Help them with that. It is only to your benefit. According to RealtyTrac flip times are at a new record high of over 6 months! That’s crazy. Start a real estate blog and share marketing tips to help them move their deals faster. Share tips you find via social media and email too. They’ll appreciate it, and you might generate more end buyer leads in the process.

Be Consistent

Stay consistent with your inventory conveyor belt, the quality and accuracy of your deals, the match for your end buyers, and the frequency. If they can rely on you to have the good deals when they want them then they will keep coming back.

 

Authored by BestTransactionFunding.com - the leading source of transactional funding for real estate wholesalers in the US. 100% financing, and saying “Yes” is what we love doing all day long.

Want to flip more houses this year? Is it time to close that Facebook account and upgrade?

2016 is a pivotal year for real estate investors. Those that get ahead this year are going to have a massive advantage going forward. The rest are going to struggle to stay in the game. It’s no secret that social media can be a powerful tool for finding more house flipping deals, buyer leads, capital, and strategic partners. However, many are tired of investing in SMM and going around in circles with their tactics to try and gain some traction. Some are doing incredibly well in this domain, but the truth is that what may really be holding many back is using the wrong social networks.

Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn all still have their uses and value. Used well, and with sufficient investment they may be strong contenders for reaching certain niche demographics, feeding real estate blog traffic, and bolstering SEO. However, even Facebook seems to be completely forgotten by masses in younger generations. Ask your teenager and they’ll probably tell you “Facebook is for old people,” with a look of confusion as to why you’d ever want to use it.

If real estate wholesalers and flippers want to engage and reach leads you’ve got to get on and get active with the social platforms people are really using every day.

Instagram

Instagram may not be new, but the fact that it has now separated itself from Facebook for signups has made it a whole lot more attractive for a lot more people. Especially younger generations and Facebook haters. This is a great way to expand reach fast.

4chan

This is not a site to visit for those that hate sensitive material. It contains a lot of junk, spam, and what perhaps should be censored material. However, there are business and finance boards, and it appears to be becoming a popular forum where there may be a substantial number of real estate leads to be farmed.

Snapchat

If you really want to engage get on snapchat and get active. It is a fantastic tool for blending offline and online connections, and using the ‘nearby’ function to secure contacts from live events, networking meetings, and every day encounters. It can also be used to seamlessly transition from updates to text chat to live one on one video chat. Consider it your live mobile contact to close social tool.

Periscope

Periscope is an Android and iPhone app allowing users to broadcast live video, and host recorded video. Could be perfect for live online open houses, showings to out of area buyers, and previewing potential acquisitions with partners.

About Me

About Me adds a super simplified why to trade contact info, send people to your site, and suggest referrals. Claim your URL to secure this slice of online real estate and use it as your virtual business card.

 

Authored by Best Transaction Funding BestTransactionFunding.com is the leading source of transactional funding and hard money loans for real estate wholesalers in the US, where 100% financing, and saying “Yes” is what we love doing all day long.

What are the easiest, highest ROI ways to generate leads for real estate wholesalers?

Even though wholesalers have BIG goals, sometimes they only have the bandwidth for taking small steps in lead generation. New real estate investors can often find lead generation intimidating when they don’t have the time and cash to launch glitzy marketing campaigns, and are trying to break in to wholesaling while juggling a full time job or two. Even highly successful real estate investors sometimes run into cash crunches. Still, even when you have a sizable budget and plenty of spare time it still makes sense to demand the maximum ROI from everything you do.

Here are seven small, affordable real estate lead generation strategies that everyone can do:

Send Cards

Even if your marketing budget is virtually non-existent you can always find the time to send out a few pieces of mail each week. There are ‘yellow letters’, postcards, jumbo postcards, bi-fold and tri-fold brochures, and more. However, it doesn’t even have to be this complex. Simple thank you, holiday, and personal cards and letters can go a long way too. They don’t even have to be designed as sales pitches, as much as keeping in touch, and staying at the front of mind when people need your services.

Read: Smart Valentine’s Day Marketing for Real Estate Investors

Casual Networking

Wherever you live there is likely many nearby formal networking gatherings every quarter. However, there are also many ways to network directly with consumers and other professionals in a warmer and productive way while enjoying life a little more. This can be as simple as grabbing a round of golf together, hanging out at the yacht club, going for dinner, or hosting a BBQ on the weekends. Surprisingly you may find this is one of the best ways to generate leads.

Cruising Your Farm Area

We’ve all heard of driving through target neighborhoods and knocking on doors, but there are other ways to accomplish this too. In waterfront areas literally cruising in your boat might bring more connections. Or how about getting out of your vehicle and making it easier to spark natural interactions? Walk your dog, run, or dine in your target neighborhood every week.

Email Autoresponders

Email is still almost as close to free real estate marketing as you can get. It’s also one of the most effective for making sure every contact and lead you make eventually turns into a real deal. Whether designed as an email course, saying “Hi” a few times a year, or providing valuable alerts on local home values; everyone has time to pop a handful of emails into a system that will continue marketing for them even while they are sleeping, travelling, or working another job. If you don’t feel like a great writer, hire a freelance writer to craft them for you.

Related: Best Transaction Funding Reviews Trulia’s 2015 Marketing Plan

Show You Are Interested First

John Corcoran of Smart Business Revolution highlights that one of the best ways to build rapport and connect with power contacts is to show you are interested and are invested in what they care about first. This might be sending them referrals, buying something from them first, subscribing to their blog or social feeds, or donating to a cause they are.

Provide Broader and Longer Service

It’s crazy to see how so many wholesalers allow their offers to be shot down because they aren’t helping with the one main factor sellers care about the most, and how contacts are churned and burned, instead of being nurtured and multiplied into boat loads of warm real estate leads. Ironically it doesn’t even have to cost you a dime to do better in this area.

Expand your services, or bundle them to offer more value, and stay at the top of mind forever. Don’t just help motivated sellers get out of their homes. They might have to, but what they want and need is somewhere new to live! On the other side buyers need various services when moving in or fixing and reselling. Show you are invested in their long term success and keep following up. Partner with other professionals and companies that provide moving services, rentals, contractor services, financial planning, mortgage financing. They want the leads and your contacts need their help. In turn you’ll find loyalty, repeat business, and referrals.

Blog

Start or re-start a real estate blog, and blog every day.

Like this? Discover 6 Easy Ways to Spark Lead Generation here…

 

Authored by Best Transaction Funding BestTransactionFunding.com is the leading source of transactional funding and hard money loans for real estate wholesalers in the US, where 100% financing, and saying “Yes” is what we love doing all day long.

The $3.5B Zillow takeover of Trulia, and consolidation of two of the largest online real estate platforms guarantees to have some ramifications for everyone engage in real estate. So what does it mean for property wholesalers, and how can they use it to their advantage?

The Rise of ‘Zulia’

Bloomberg coverage reveals the massive merger will deliver almost $1B a year in revenues for Zillow, and enable it to capture almost 90% of online real estate related search traffic.

A third of readers at industry publication Inman News believe it may be a good thing for the industry. Yet, over half are fearful that it could have negative fallout for professionals and consumers.

But, forget the rumor mill; what does the Zillow – Trulia consolidation mean for real estate wholesalers in the trenches?

Coming Soon…

One of the biggest concerns over the new giant dubbed ‘Zulia’ by the press, is the monopoly could dramatically increase online marketing costs. Zillow has made no secret of the fact it wants to grab as much of the $27B annual real estate marketing pie it can. As the main go to source for advertising and viewing homes (if consumers will ever trust it that much, in spite of flawed products) it could have the power to command a lot of online traffic and charge big fees for listings.

While many wholesalers may not use the MLS for flipping houses, Premium Zillow Broker, Sandra Allen of Metro Brokers Carolinas has announced the firm will assist property sellers in leveraging the platform’s ‘Coming Soon’ listings feature.

Billion Dollar Real Estate Blogging

G-Code Magazine was quick to pick up on the data showing each Zillow visitor is worth an estimated $89, and how much of the website, and its new companies’ traffic is drawn by blogging and articles. Considering the number of visitors the Zillow Blog, Trulia Blog, Active Rain, and RealEstate.com’s advice sections attract, each piece of content could be worth well in excess of $100,000. And, RealEstate.com, and Trulia have been investing in it heavily. This may explain their 76% annual growth, which far outpaced Zillow’s, and may have left Zillow no choice to buy Trulia, or be bought out by them next year. In which case we would have a ‘Trillow’.

While many real estate wholesalers may not be able to afford upwards of $200 or $300 for freelance writers to craft daily blogs at the beginning, the value is clearly there. Content is going to be the best marketing tool most wholesalers and small to mid-sized real estate investment firms, and Realtors have at their disposal.

Through better keyword, selection, honing in on targeting local and niche traffic wholesalers can capture high quality web traffic and real estate leads. However, they are going to have to shake the habit of crusty self-promotion, and cookie cutter content, and get serious about delivering on what consumers are really interested in.

Too many say they can’t afford quality content right now. They should be asking if they can’t afford to invest in quality content now – how will they survive and grow to be able to do it later? Quantity is great, but quality still rules. Fewer, better posts, with more circulation via social and email blasts might be the best strategy.

For many of those reading this - Zillow just helped you get free content! With rising cost of other types of online real estate marketing, other small and mid-sized real estate firms needing help, those that work together to collaborate could make a significant impact. Think guest posts, and collaborative articles, and content exchanges between various vendors, local companies, and real estate professionals.

On Target

On the subject of quality, Zillow has been plagued by a series of less than highly praised products and moves. There is the extremely controversial ‘Zestimates’, bold claims of perfect credit visitors, incredible inaccuracies in home listing data, and major loses in new customer acquisition practices. Perhaps buying other more profitable companies with better products is the only way for Zillow to stay afloat.

However, in the meantime it means wholesalers have a ton of room to win customers and lifelong business partners by doing great business. Provide accurate ARVs, repair estimates, and deliver good deals, and no matter how much noise the competition makes you’ll gain all the repeat business, and referrals you can handle as a property wholesaler.