Is Craigslist Dead Now?

[baron14 1]

Hi All,

 

I would like to know if anyone else is having good success with getting CA leads from Craigslist?

I've emailed the two email approach to about 350 FSBO/FRBO sellers on craigslist. Mostly no response

from the FSBOs. A couple FSBOs respond to say they want to sell only and a few FRBOs respond to say

they just want to rent only. I did get two FRBOs that said they may be interested after I sent them the

second email. I sent them the proposed offer for their prices they requested and never heard from them again.

 

Could you please critique my proposed offer for the Sellers to review and discuss? Also, I know it may be more costly, but are others getting better results marketing for CA leads from newspaper ads or expired listings or leads from the MLS?

 

Thanks

baron14

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Hello ___,

 

 

Following up on our earlier discussion, please allow me to present you with the basic terms of my proposed offer to buy your ______ property on a lease purchase basis.

 

This agreement is entered into between the Parties, Seller(s) and Buyer(s), below in consideration of and subject to the following terms and conditions.

 

Parties: Buyer and/or assigns and Seller (Owner)

 

This agreement just states that I, or one of my Buyers, subject to Seller’s approval, can “rent-to-buy” your house within 60 days of the signed agreement.

 

Buyer has the right or option to buy the property for $___ cash and / or lease the property for $___ per month. Lease Term: 2 yr.

 

Period: Agreement Valid For 60 Days

 

Seller understands Buyer is working as a principle in the transaction for a profit.

 

If the property needs maintenance or repair that isn't covered by insurance, Buyer will pay for maintenance or repairs up to $350.

 

All closing costs will be paid when I, or my Tenant/Buyer purchases the home.

 

Buyer will refer his Tenant/Buyers to Seller for Seller’s final approval, at no cost to Seller.

 

Seller may continue to market the property and the property is not tied up. If you find a Tenant/Buyer through your own efforts, then you may cancel this agreement.

 

Upon Buyer’s decision to exercise his option with this agreement, both parties agree to move forward with the necessary standard lease and purchase and sales agreement.

 

Thank you for considering this proposed offer. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to email or call.

 

Sincerely,

Signature

Lease Purchase Specialist

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[Jonathan RexfordFL 8]

This is what I have been doing for the last week. I for one did not like doing it at first. But I finally got a system down for my area. Everyone seems to be texting, email, voice blast. I have my own home that is on craigslist and I get the same information. What made me change was first the idea of texting. I figure that some people may get ticked off to be texted "Hey I seen your home on Craiglist. I was wondering if you would sell rent to own. xxx-xxx-xxxx" I bet I get this type of message a few times per week. The Voice blast is similar. Not so much on the email though. So my thoughts was that if a lot of people were getting the same message and people are saying..."YEAH RIGHT" why not do something different.....now here is my secret. I am actually picking up the phone and calling people. This last week there have been a post or two on this idea.

 

It is simple. I pull my leads. I plug my headset into SKYPE and start working.

 

My critera is simple

3 bedroom homes

$795-$1,200 per month

NON LISTED PROPERTIES

 

Calling FSBO's

3 bedroom homes

$80K-225K

 

HTH

[speedingpenguin 19]

I've got a condo I'm hunting for a buyer for that I got through a craigslist email. Took about a month from the first email to getting it on paper and signed, but it does work. I hear ya though, frustrating sometimes!

 

I wonder if your email doesn't sound too "formal" and people assume you're some sort of con-artist.

 

"Following up on our earlier discussion, please allow me to present you with the basic terms of my proposed offer to buy your ______ property on a lease purchase basis.

 

This agreement is entered into between the Parties, Seller(s) and Buyer(s), below in consideration of and subject to the following terms and conditions."

 

Theres a thread in the marketing section about the 2 email approach, and if you've got the Naked Investor Manual you should have the short offer form.

 

Keep it simple and casual, people want to deal with another normal person, not a robot. ;-)

 

Same reason I don't waste time replying to emails I get that are like "Dear Sir, I am inquiring about the availability of your house. My employer is relocating to your state and I will require housing nearby. Please include the following information about your unit:"

 

(almost word-for-word an email I've gotten twice from some bonehead in the UK supposedly)

[MichaelC 160]

baron, are you sending that offer to folks without even having spoken with them first? If so, I would think that would be a real bucket of ice water on any potential deal. There needs to be some foreplay, so to speak, before progressing to the main event. Any homeowner is going to have to know and trust you before doing business with you. After the second email I want to speak with them and personalize the relationship somewhat. If they're still interested, then I'll get them some specifics in the form of my Short Offer Letter.

 

Same reason I don't waste time replying to emails I get that are like "Dear Sir, I am inquiring about the availability of your house. My employer is relocating to your state and I will require housing nearby. Please include the following information about your unit:"

 

(almost word-for-word an email I've gotten twice from some bonehead in the UK supposedly)

Hehe. Yeah, I receive those with some frequency, also. Old scam, but it must work because it's still being used.

[lhenley 8]

That doesn't answer the original question:

 

I would like to know if anyone else is having good success with getting CA leads from Craigslist?

 

Lynn (FL)

[baron14 1]

Hi,

 

I am thinking of using this script for the 1st email to FRBO on Craigslist to try and generate some leads. Could the "pros" please critique it?

 

Thanks,

baron14

 

 

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"Hi,

 

I’m interested in your house for rent. What I'm looking for is a nice house in a good area to rent now and buy later. If all rent payments were made to you on time, at the first of each month, would you consider selling your house at the end of the lease period?

 

If this is something that you would like to discuss further, please contact me.

 

Looking Forward to hearing from you.

 

Signature"

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[<Steve> 82]

That doesn't answer the original question:

 

I would like to know if anyone else is having good success with getting CA leads from Craigslist?

 

Lynn (FL)

Lynn

CL for me is hot and cold. I am in a smaller market and at times CL is flooded with FSBOs and other times only real estate agents and investors (typically in the dead of winter). Yes, CA leads come from CL, but this fall it has been like winter for me. Just no listings. I am getting a lot of deals this fall from repeats, a bunch from referrals, and from marketing to sellers over the summer that are now motivated.

 

My issue is tenant/buyers that are willing to part with their cash if they have any; and CL is not pulling in tenant/buyers much.

 

This year has been totally unpredictable.

[speedingpenguin 19]

Can't hurt to try it! I really think the less you say the better response you'll get. My reasoning is, by just asking "Would you sell your house on a lease-purchase?", more people will be take the email seriously (doesn't stand out like spam) and people who are interested in learning anything more about selling on a lease-purchase will reply. Most replies I get aren't a specific "Yes", but usually something about finding out more information. There are lots of "No"s, but those people you probably wouldn't want to try and convince to do a lease-purchase. It's just not worth it.

Meanwhile, back to the people who reply asking for more information... Now they are going to waiting to hear back from you, you've established even just a slight bit of a connection (a little warmer, not as cold) and you can mention the benefits in your reply email back.

From there it's about getting them on the phone and speaking with them (and hopefully getting commitment from them!)

 

I've got a condo under contract and a nice house under contract, both from online classifieds emails (fsbo.com and craigslist, same emails though)

They haven't sold yet, but presuming I get buyers for them it'll be about $7,500 in my pocket from the bare-bones FSBO email's

[MichaelC 160]

Lynn, I agree with Steve. Craig's List blows hot and cold for me, also. I can send out a dozen emails and receive five replies. I can send out five dozen emails and receive five replies. My thinking is emails are fast and free, so why not make them a consistent part of your marketing efforts?

 

baron, like Chris said, less is more. My goal with an email is not to provide a complete lesson about the ins and outs of lease purchasing. No email is going to convince any homeowner to do business with you. Instead, I'm trying to pique their interest enough so they want to know more. Meaning, we talk and I sell them not only on the concept but on me. The homeowner needs to trust and believe in you before they'll do business with you.

[baron14 1]

Hi All,

 

Hey I would like to have my 2nd email approach message reviewed and critiqued. I've gotten a couple of responses from FRBO off Craigslist, stating they may be interested in doing a lease option.

 

When I send them the 2nd email and the Seller LO Benefits attached, I don't heard from them anymore. What is wrong here?

 

Thanks

baron

 

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Hi,

 

Thank you for your reply. Your house sounds like it may be just what I’m looking for.

 

Please let me explain.

 

I help homeowners rent their houses on a long-term lease with a quality tenant at no cost to them. We are not Realtors and charge no commissions or fees to you.

 

Currently, I'm in contact with several prescreened tenant/families who are looking for a nice house in your area to rent now and buy later. Your property seems to fit our needs quite well.

 

These families will pay full market rent or slightly more and take care of all the day-to-day maintenance/repairs for the right house. All they ask for is an open-minded homeowner willing to rent the house to them on a “rent-to-own” basis.

 

Is it okay, if I refer these tenant/buyers to you? It doesn’t cost you anything. We get paid by our tenant/buyers. Any interested prospect is subject to your final approval. You decide who lives in your house. Not us.

 

If you are interested in no more problem tenants, late payments, maintenance calls, vacancies and evictions, then please feel free to contact me.

 

I'd be happy to speak with you and answer any questions you may have regarding this matter.

 

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[lhenley 8]

Baron,

 

This is pretty close to what I tell them on the phone AFTER they respond to my 2nd email. You're sending them the info in an email to help weed out the tire kickers.

 

Lynn (FL)

[MichaelC 160]

. . .When I send them the 2nd email and the Seller LO Benefits attached, I don't heard from them anymore. What is wrong here?. . .

There is nothing in your second reply that is throwing cold water on these folks. If they're not responding they just aren't motivated or interested at this point.

[speedingpenguin 19]

I was going to make some modifications to the second email but I got about halfway through and realized that you ARE going after lease-purchasing not just rentals and by the time I was done rewording parts of it, it would be the same as the original created by MichaelC

 

Why are you re-wording it?

 

Even though it's going to someone who's currently advertising their house for rent, if they're getting this email it's because they expressed interest or curiosity in selling their house, correct?

 

In the first part of the email you posted you're telling them that you can help them rent their house on a long term lease, but then a little further in you mention that the tenants you're in contact with ("working closely with" might seem more appealing to the landlord) are looking to rent and then buy.

 

I might try changing

 

Currently, I'm in contact with several prescreened tenant/families who are looking for a nice house in your area to rent now and buy later. Your property seems to fit our needs quite well.

 

These families will pay full market rent or slightly more and take care of all the day-to-day maintenance/repairs for the right house. All they ask for is an open-minded homeowner willing to rent the house to them on a “rent-to-own” basis.

 

to

 

Currently, I'm working closely with several qualified families who are looking for a nice house in the *INSERT TOWN/CITY* area they can rent now and buy at some point in the future (or in the next 12-24 months or whatever you feel like putting).

 

They are able to pay full market rent or slightly more and will even take care of all the day-to-day maintenance/repairs

 

Asking them if it's OK to refer your tenant/buyers to them puts some distance between you and the deal I think. Just because someone is willing to take referrals doesn't mean they have any interest in working with you under any sort of agreement.

 

The email mentions twice early on that you don't charge the homeowner/landlord any fees or commissions, but explaining that you get paid by the tenant/buyer will take away any mystery about why you're playing middleman. Is there a way to incorporate this part up at the beginning of the email?

 

At this point the recipient still doesn't know that they'll be working under any sort of agreement or that you will have any sort of control over the deal, so they might be confused as to why you're letting them know that they get to decide who rents their house... it's their house, and if you're just sending them referrals how would you have any say in the matter anyway?

 

The last part of the email is the call to action, or the most important part of your marketing message. I like the kinda passive approach like what you've got, the "feel free to contact me" rather than the "pick up the phone and call me now" style, but I think in order to make the seller/landlord decide to take action and call or email you back, you should focus the email more on the benefits of working with you or using your service. Make them curious, make them want to find out more! Or you could try something like "Please give me a call at your earliest convenience with any questions and we can discuss your property in more detail"

 

I really think MichaelC's FSBO 2nd response would work fine in a FRBO situation, I'd say split test 50/50 your email and MichaelC's follow-up email and see which one gets a better response. Maybe do the test for 100 emails each and then go back and see which one got more replies or phone calls (or deals!), then if you want, tweak the winner and split test, rinse, repeat!

 

However, if I were to tweak the email you posted I'd probably do it like this:

Hi,

 

Thank you for your reply. Your house sounds like it may be just what I’m looking for. Please let me explain.

 

I specialize in helping homeowners sell their house on a long term lease-purchase, usually between 2 and 4 years. I am not Realtor and charge no commission or fee to you.

 

Currently, I'm working with with several pre-screened tenant/buyers who are looking for a nice house in the *city* area to rent now and buy at some point in the future. These families are able to pay full market rent or slightly more and will even take care of all the day-to-day maintenance/repairs. Unfortunately, I don't have any homes in the *city* area to match them with which is why I replied to your ad.

 

I've attached my flier with some more information about my program as well.

 

If you'd be interested in learning how you can sell your rental property on a lease-purchase for top dollar without the typical "landlord" headaches, please give me a call and we can discuss your property in more detail and answer any questions you may have.

 

Thanks,

 

-Baron

555-123-8888

[baron14 1]

Chris, I re-worded the 2nd email becuase I didn't just want to copy MichaelC's email. I thought he provided it for us to use as a framework or guide to tweak it for our own email. Also, if all of us on the forum use the same email on Craiglist list, it will get flagged by Craiglist.

 

I like the 2nd email that you tweaked and provided. It' seems very clear and concise to me. I'm not a very creative person. I will test it.

 

I was debating between a generic "we buy houses" 1st message. Getting seller property information and situation. Then give 3 solutions: cash, sub2, L/O or direct approach..."would you consider selling at the end of the lease" or "would you sell your house on a lease purchase for Full Price".

 

Maybe I over think all of this, that's why I need the help and learn from the pros from this forum filled with creative and smart people.

 

Thanks Chris and all that helped!!

baron

[MichaelC 160]

Bottom line, baron, is that any marketing is better than no marketing. And what works for one may not succeed for another. In fact, what works for you this month may very well flop next month. Try different approaches, track the results, see what is working and what isn't. Marketing is an ever changing part of business.