Guide to Finding Real Estate Listings

Face it: you’re addicted to your home's value.

Don't worry. So am I. And so is every other homeowner in your market.

Maybe addiction is the wrong word. How about you’re very curious to know how much your home is worth. Whatever we call it, most homeowners become preoccupied about the value of their home at least three or four times a year. Think about your own experience.

I know anytime I see a house for sale in my neighborhood and find out how much the home is selling, I always wondered how my home would match up to that particular home. Maybe you have too. Maybe you went as far as to have it appraised. I don’t know.

But I think we can both at least agree that the thought is there. Okay?

Now, if that’s the case, then here is a fast and easy strategy real estate agents can use to profit from this curiosity.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Old Way: Sold or Just Listed Postcard Mailers

You may have heard of—even have in place—a similar strategy: send a letter or postcard to people in a neighborhood where a home was just sold or listed. You tell them that a home in their neighborhood just sold or listed. You might even have your contact information at the bottom of the letter or postcard. And that’s it.

I recommend: If you are not doing this, it would be easy to get started. Simply contact a company like QuantumMail.com to get postcards or mailers designed and sent for you at the click of a mouse.

New Way: Sold or Just Listed Postcard Mailers

Here's how the one I want to present to you is different: Not only should you tell them that a home in their neighborhood just sold or listed, but you should also make a pitch to have them call your 800 number—a 800 call capture number would work best, more on that in a minute—and leave enough information on the voice mail so you can follow up with them and give them an over-the-phone market evaluation of their home.

I recommend: Now, get this: if you use a call capture 800 line instead of a conventional call capture 800 line, when they call your number and leave a message you’ve not only identified someone who is interested in selling soon, but you also captured their contact information—a benefit unique to call capture 800 lines.

Cherry-pick and Stuff Your Backend with Leads You Can Nurture.

Furthermore: when someone calls your 800 line, they are asking you to call them. They are taking the first step in building a relationship with you. They are giving you permission to call you. And now, especially if they are further out in the sales cycle, you can start to cultivate that relationship with a series of other mailers that keep them tied to you. And all you did was to leverage their obsession over their home's value.

I recommend: Start to cultivate those long-term leads with pre-written monthly mailers that are designed to keep homeowners tied tightly into you. One good resource is called Service For Life.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• You are more likely to generate more leads with a call capture 800 number than you are with a conventional 800 number. Why? Because most people like the idea of not having to talk to anyone on the phone. Matter of fact, you are likely to generate four times as many leads than if you didn’t use a call capture 800 line. That means you’ll probably get people who are anywhere from 1 month to 2 years out from the selling cycle. That’s a huge audience.
• Note: for the Just Listed or Sold postcards, use jumbo postcards. The jumbo will stand out better than a standard 4x6.
• The basic idea behind this strategy may be simple (every time you list or sell a home, send out these letters and postcards to the appropriate neighborhood). But don’t let its simplicity fool you. Because it is leveraging two very powerful emotions like pride and curiosity in combination with a toll-free call capture hotline, you’ll become a monster listing agent in no time.