I got started in real estate in 2008 after doing appraisals for three years because I realized I could make more money selling property than appraising them. I started like most other agents – calling my database of friends and family and anyone who I had worked with in the past, to tell them I’m in real estate. But I didn’t think it was smart to depend on my database unless I was actively growing it by prospecting for new business.
I’ve tried a bunch of different services, but I really like REDX’s because it’s the most accurate and well-scrubbed data I’ve found. Along with all the other agents, I call Expireds and FSBOs because they’re the most likely to list. However, because they’re tough and competitive, I use all of REDX’s lead types because they give me more opportunities to talk with homeowners. I like those other little niches, like FRBOs and Pre Foreclosures, because there’s less competition for those listings since most other agents only focus on Expireds and FSBOs.
Pre Foreclosure leads allow us to see what the trends are. We’ve recently seen more foreclosure properties popping up than we have in the past. So it’s really good to keep a pulse on them because they give me more insight into my market. You can either pursue them for a listing appointment or avoid them if they’re outside your strategy. We choose to call them on a regular basis but we don’t mention anything about going into foreclosure or being behind on payments. We just simply offer them a free market analysis, in case they’re thinking of selling a home, just like we would with circle prospecting.
I focus on building my business with prospecting – it’s given me the freedom to live a great life and to do nice vacations. A few months ago I took the kids on a Disney Cruise for a week and was completely checked out on life. And I’m gonna take them to see some family in New York this summer. We’re gonna go to see my brother in Alaska in the fall and right now I’m planning a 10 day trip to the South Pacific in November. It’s nice to have the money to actually be able to do stuff like that and not worry about my business collapsing while I’m gone.