Residual Roads

What is wholesaling real estate?

Wholesaling real estate involves an investor buying a property or getting a property under contract and then selling the house or assigning the contract as quickly as possible. The investor may wholesale the property to another investor who will then fix up the property and rent it or flip it. The key to a successful wholesale deal is finding properties cheap enough that there is room for the end buyer to make a profit. You have to be very careful when you assign contracts on houses. Some states consider finding a buyer and seller to be performing the duties of a real estate agent. Even if you have the house under contract, it may be considered acting as a real estate agent if you assign that contract. If you are placing signs in the yard, advertising on Craigslist, or marketing with flyers without owning the house, it could be considered practicing real estate without a license. Check with your state laws before performing any of these activities!

How can you find properties to wholesale?

There are many ways to find cheap properties, but you must find very cheap properties to wholesale them. A wholesaler has to leave enough room for them to make a profit and enough money for the end buyer to make a profit.

Attend REIA meetings: You may find investors or wholesalers with off-market properties at Real Estate Investor Association (REIA) meetings. Meeting other wholesalers will not do a wholesaler much good unless it is an incredible deal. Investors looking to get rid of homes at the meetings may be a fantastic opportunity. You can also find buyers at REIA meetings, which is very important to a wholesaler.

Send direct mailings: I send out direct mailings and I have purchased off-market properties because of my letters. I started my mailings this year and I think that given enough time and effort this will be a successful tactic. I send mailings to absentee homeowners and inherited homeowners. As a Realtor, I can list homes that may not work out as purchases. However, I must disclose that I am a Realtor and that I may be buying homes below market value. It is a double-edged sword but I still think it is very advantageous to be an agent. I recently purchased my first property due to direct marketing and I will be the first to tell you that I am not an expert yet at direct marketing.

Advertising for off-market properties: Many investors advertise that they buy houses with websites, bandit signs, and billboards. I have not tried these tactics yet, but I want to try a few of them. I do not put any signs in my car; I love my cars too much.

Websites: A few websites market to off-market sellers. The website sells leads to investors. I have never used these websites, but I know investors who have gotten deals from them.