One of the most important skills a real estate investor should have is knowing how to find investment properties for sale. In fact, the ability to find a property for sale is the foundation on which your real estate investing career will be built.
For beginner real estate investors, however, finding a property for sale can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be so since you need not reinvent the wheel. There are several tried and tested ways to find property for sale.
In this article, you will learn of the best ways to find a property for sale. But before we go through them, it’s important to note that in order to maximize your potential of finding good real estate deals, you shouldn’t relegate your investment property search to just one strategy especially when you are getting started. With time, you will find which options work best for you and implement them to further your real estate career.
Related: How to Find Real Estate Deals: The Ultimate Guide
The Best Ways to Find a Property for Sale
1. Use Mashvisor
Technology has made it possible for real estate investors to easily find property for sale online. There are numerous real estate websites with property listings and other services. The best way to find property for sale is to use Mashvisor, whether you are looking for a single family property or multi unit property for sale. With our tools, you can get a detailed analysis of different real estate markets and properties in the US housing market in a matter of minutes.
First, our real estate heatmap tool helps you to find the best performing neighborhoods in your city of choice in terms of real estate metrics like rental income, cash on cash return, and Airbnb occupancy rate.
Mashvisor’s Real Estate Heatmap
After doing a neighborhood analysis, you can use our rental property finder to find rental properties. The tool lists the best-performing properties that match your criteria and investment goals. For instance, if you are searching for profitable Airbnb properties for sale, you can easily customize your search results using different filters. The filters you can use include:
- Location
- Budget
- Property type
- Rental strategy
Mashvisor’s Property Finder
Moreover, our investment property calculator will provide you with a detailed analysis of each listed property. You can check metrics such as expected rental expenses, rental income, cash flow, cap rate, cash on cash return, and Airbnb occupancy rate. If you are looking for positive cash flow properties, Mashvisor’s calculator will help you do your analysis quickly and accurately.
Mashvisor’s Investment Property Calculator
2. Work with a Real Estate Agent
Another great way to find a property for sale is to hire a real estate agent. Real estate agents have a lot of real estate knowledge and experience which they can use to help you find the best real estate deals in the market. They are particularly important if you are a first-time investor or if you are investing in a new real estate market you are yet to understand. If it is your first time buying an investment property, they will help to compensate for your lack of skills and experience.
Real estate agents also have access to a variety of real estate resources that you may not have access to. Moreover, you can make use of their connections to find off market properties.
Just make sure that the real estate agent has experience working with real estate investors. It’s best if you find one who is specialized in investment properties. You can find real estate agents here.
Related: Do You Need to Find a Real Estate Agent to Buy Investment Rental Properties?
3. Direct Mail
Direct mail is one of the most common ways to find a property for sale. It involves writing a short letter to a property owner stating your intentions to buy their home. You first have to build a list of homeowners to target. The list could include out-of-state owners, absentee owners, recent probate cases, etc. You can get the homeowner data you need for a real estate direct mail marketing campaign using Mashboard.
Related: How to Find Out Who Owns a House in 6 Steps
Though handwritten letters may seem outdated, they can actually be very effective if used correctly. They have the most chance of being opened and responded to because they are personalized and can trigger an emotional response. This personal nature cannot be replicated by most electronic forms of communication like email.
The downside to this strategy is that most people who will receive your letters may not be interested in selling their home. In fact, you may not even get a response on your first round of direct mails. But don’t be discouraged. Send a second, third and even fourth letter. With persistence, it will eventually pay off.
4. Network
You can also find income properties through your real estate networks. Real estate being a people business, it’s important that you put a lot of your focus on building valuable relationships over the course of your career.
If you align yourself with the right people, you can easily find a property for sale. Someone in your network might have a lucrative deal or know someone who does. Therefore, make sure that those around you know that you are looking for a house for sale. It doesn’t hurt to ask.
Moreover, make an effort to expand your real estate network as much as possible. The bigger, the better. You can get useful contacts by attending local real estate meetings, joining real estate investor groups, and even holding your own networking forums.
Speak to all people in the real estate industry including mortgage lenders, contractors, real estate wholesalers, real estate attorneys, and other real estate investors. These people can help you find off market properties before they get listed.
As you meet new people, make sure that you offer value before you ask for something in return. Generally, people are more likely to reciprocate kindness if they know that you can do the same.
The Bottom Line
Every successful real estate investor knows the importance of understanding how to find a property for sale and staying ahead of the competition. As a beginner, make sure you master a number of strategies since you never know where your next deal could come from. This article has provided you with some of the best options to get started. You can now easily find both single family homes for sale and multi family homes for sale. When properly used, these strategies can increase your chances of finding income properties for sale.
Having said that, knowing how to find a property for sale is not the end. You also need to learn other real estate skills to be a successful investor. Be sure to check out Mashvisor’s investment blog for more tips on real estate investing.
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