Category Archives: Dayton

Cheap Real Estate Marketing

Cheap Real Estate Marketing

I was asked recently how I do my real estate marketing for under $100 per month. It’s a great question, especially when you’re getting started with minimal money available.

I do enough real estate marketing to close my target of 1-2 deals per month. I could do more deals if I did more marketing. I may do more again, but now this is how busy I choose to be.

You can outsource much of this work when you have enough cashflow. But when you have more time than money, this is the way to do it.

  1. Google Voice. It’s free. Get your own dedicated number for marketing and forward it to your existing phone. There’s enough storage so you have a virtually unlimited voicemail box. Of course, you should still answer as many calls as possible.
  2. Free online ads. Craigslist is still the champion here, but there are others. Everybody else is on there too. So what? It still generates leads.
  3. Website. You can point the online ads to a website if you want, but most people call the phone number. Some people do go to the site from the craigslist ads and submit online. Only one seller in the past year has said they chose to contact me due to my DaytonHouseBuyer.com site.  $10 per month.
  4. Bandit Signs. If money is tight, you can buy a few locally and write on them yourself. About $5 per sign, and a really big Sharpie. Once you’ve got the funds, go online and order 100 preprinted signs for under $400. They’ll last a while, especially if you only put them out on weekends. Be aware of local codes and enforcement. It’s unprofessional to mess with other people’s signs. I won’t mess with yours, but don’t steal mine either.

    We Buy Dayton Houses Vehicle Lettering - Cheap Real Estate Marketing
    Vehicle Lettering
    www.DaytonHouseBuyer.com
  5. Vehicle Lettering.  Either decals like you see here, or magnetic signs. The decal pictured was about $60. Magnetic signs are about $50 per pair and should last a couple of years. Put one on the back for those tailgaters too. Park creatively everywhere, it’s about visibility, not convenience. Just don’t be obnoxious like the person who takes four spaces for their precious car.
  6. Business Cards. A box of 500 is $20-25 online. Watch for specials too. Go to various networking events, especially those with real estate related themes. A real estate agent referred a recent deal to me when they wouldn’t list it due to the houses condition.
  7. Network. Join your Local Real Estate Group. Meet people who have the same interest, and are potential buyers and sellers. Price varies locally, In Dayton it’s $150 for one year, Some groups are free. Google and Meetup can help you find a local group. If you’re in Dayton, contact me and I’ll get you connected.
  8. Talk. Talk is cheap, even better it’s free. People need to know what you do. Tell everyone, just don’t be like the stereotypical MLM convert. My barber bought a home from me as a result of casual conversation.
  9. Call. Call every “We Buy Houses” sign you see. I’m actually amazed at how few answer the phone, or even call back. The competition is not as strong as you think.
  10. Call. FSBOs. Many are FSBO because they have an inflated sense of value, or too large a mortgage. However, there are some deals here. And it’s great practice for talking to sellers.
  11. Direct Mail. I do a little, but very selectively. Some vacant houses, a few expired MLS listings. Less than 20 letters or postcards per month.

This is what I do for marketing each month.Can I do more? Absolutely. But I choose not too. We are in this business to create a lifestyle, not work 80 hours a week. For under $700, I can do my marketing for year. For under $1200, I can probably cover two years. So I guess that works out to $50 per month average over two years.

When I want to ramp up the business, I’ll do more Bandit Signs, and talk to a couple of friends about putting signs on their cars. I’d also start a direct mail campaign, targeting my desired properties.

There you have it, Cheap Real Estate Marketing. Of course, you could still get deals doing just the Free marketing too.

Did I miss any cheap real estate marketing ideas? Please add a comment below.

OREIA Wedding at the OREIA Convention

Going to the Ohio Real Estate Investors Association (OREIA) Conventions can lead to more than real estate investing. In this case it led to a permanent Joint Venture.

Check out the Real Estate Wedding at OREIA. Take a minute to read the vows too, they’re a riot, if you’re into real estate.

OREIA Wedding, Real Estate Wedding
OREIA Wedding

Guess where the OREIA  Wedding anniversary party will be?

Many thanks to Vena Jones-Cox for performing the ceremony and to Vena and Kyle Sweeney for their creative writing abilities.

A Real Email List

I finally got a real “Real Estate” email list

Email List for Homes and MoreGo to www.MyHomesAndMore.com to sign up for real estate deals, observations and (mis)adventures. Do it now. You can read the rest of this afterward. That’s www.MyHomesAndMore.com.

And wait, that’s not all, read below to find out about the free extras. (Billy Mays would be proud)

As many of you know, I’ve had an “email list” for some time. Unfortunately, I’d been trying to do it the hard way. Lists of email address in word, manually updating notes, trying to keep it right, and not get “spammed” off.

My first attempt with “Unnamed email list service provider” resulted in my account being cancelled the first day. I had uploaded the business cards from several networking  events over 3 years. and sent them an email. 2000 people. 4 clicked spam, and account cancelled. $120 poof. Geesh, give a guy a break. 3 hours on the phone, no mercy. So that project got shelved for almost two years.

And we won’t even talk about how long it took to get those typed in. Ok, I admit it, I started typing them all in, then paid someone else to finish. Otherwise I’d still be typing.

So I went back to working from memory, and my short list. Unfortunately the short list only exists in my head, and consists of people who’ve bought properties, or I met recently. Not the best way to run a business. Not even a good way. But it worked, and hey, if it’s working, why change, right? wrong!

This past year, I decided to ramp up. And the system broke. Well, the lack of a system broke, and it tried to break me.

Without an Email List service for Homes and More
This was me. This was my business.

I felt like the old school stage performer trying to spin plates on a stick, running from one to another to keep each going and keep any of them from falling. So, I added another plate.

Sounds crazy I know. I started forcing myself to take time again to focus on running the business better. And that lead me to identify three items to get implemented.

  1. A Property Manager
  2. A CRM program to track leads.
  3. A good email list service (which may be covered by the CRM later)

We’ll cover the property manager in another post, but I will say I have one and I’m gradually turning over all my properties. And I like it.

Next, I started looking at CRM, but found the many choices overwhelming. I’ve looked at many, and very few seemed to fit for a real estate business. I have finally narrowed it down to two. One will be implemented by the end of the year.

When the CRM frustrated me, I looked at the easier one, an email list service. Who knew two years would make so many changes. Multiple reputable providers, cool tools, great tracking. And the best part, getting started cost nothing! (My favorite price.)

I sent out my first email to the list today. Creating it was a piece of cake. Editing took longer, but that’s my fault, not theirs. Great tools, made it super simple. Now I’m asking you to make my life simple. Get on the list. Get great deals via email (email is free, deals are not. Usually). Get the occasional snarky post (always free), and some genuinely useful information (also free).

Go to www.MyHomesAndMore.com to sign up. Do it now. (Only if you didn’t follow the instructions the first time. You don’t need to do it twice.)

Tantalizing Teaser
Which email list service did I pick? If the curiosity is killing you, and you still haven’t signed up, the confirmation email will show you the email list provider I chose. Hey, they get a free advertisement at the bottom. I can work with that. And so can you.

PS. 
If you click “manage your preference” on the confirmation, you can add some additional details on your interests.

Dayton Rental Property Deals

Dayton Rental Property Deals

There’s a couple good deals for you below, but first, a bit of admin

Please go to the main website at www.MyHomesAndMore.com to sign up for the official email list. I’m making my emailing life easier, so you’ll get more deals coming via email, and they’ll look better too. During the transition, you may get duplicates, for which I will apologize in advance. The old list will go away soon, so please sign up to continue.

Front Tiny
1808 Brookline

DEALS

1808 Brookline – Belmont 2 bedroom, $650 rent, for only $42,700

 

40 Wampler
40 Wampler

 

40 Wampler – Harrison Township 3 bedroom, $650 rent, for only $29,700

 

Details are at: http://daytondiscounthomes.com/real-estate-for-sale/

GONE?

Sorry, the West Carrollton property is under contract. If you’re ready to submit a back up offer, let me know.

Coming Soon

  • Creighton Ave, rent $700 for only 29,700

We just finished a rehab for retail sale. Nothing to do here except move in. Check it out and see how we finished it off. I’ll do a blog post later with before and after photos. http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1119-Katherine-Dr_Beavercreek_OH_45434_M39397-38580

To Your Success,

Darrin Carey
Homes and More, Inc
www.MyHomesAndMore.com
(937) 458-3303

Turnkey double in Dayton, Ohio.

Only $39,700 for $900 per month gross rents.

This double is what you’re looking for!! This property is turnkey and can be a truly hands-off investment for you. Double digit returns are right here.

One side is already rented for $450. The second unit will be ready this week. Then the property manager will find a highly qualified resident to rent it. This side will rent for at least $450. Total rent is $900. Tenants pay all their utilities.

A fantastic, professionally licensed property manager is in place!

Each unit is 2 Bedroom, 1 Bath, 1200 square feet.

Property taxes are currently $1150 per year. Easily reduce those with a Board of Revision complaint.

THIS IS A TURNKEY PROPERTY!

SIT BACK AND COLLECT RENT!

http://daytondiscounthomes.com/real-estate-for-sale/7-turnkey-double-900-per-month/