I am gonna post an ad today to try to build a buyers list. What do you all recommend to be good copy for the post in order to attract buyers. I want to haev 10+ buyers on the list before I make an offer on a home.
Your help is more then valuable.
Here’s one from REOConsultants “Who wants to be a millionaire?”
Here’s my craigslist ad:
"Investors-Rehabbers-Landlords: LET’S DEAL!
New wholesale firm for the Chicagoland area building buyers list now. Main areas of focus: Southside (lower and far), South Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs, West Side. All residential property types. Shoot me an email and let me know:
-your contact information (name, email and/or phone to start, a URL would be great if available);
-your preferred geographical locations;
-types of properties (low-end, high-end, ugly properties, multi-units, etc.);
-if you are a quick cash closer or will you require financing;
-if you do rehabs, what level (simple cosmetic or major overhauls);
-your price range.
To ensure both the quality and quantity of our deals are top notch, the number of investors we work with will be capped. We are looking to build successful partnerships, not membership.
Serious inquiries only—no bird dogs at this time, please. "
I also posted it in a couple of “free classifieds” but didn’t get much from them but I was overwhelmed with the responses I got from Craigslist (actually I plan to run it again because I suffered a severe computer crash which claimed the life of a week’s worth of data). I only got one email asking why I was excluding the bird dogs. I explained that I was trying to build a buyers list at that particular time, and that I was a newbie wholesaler/bird dog myself. Hope this helps!
Wow I am definitly doing that this afternoon. Do you know if there is a charge? Also what would you run if you are looking for bird dogs to find you properties that in the end I can flip to rehabs or rehab myself.
Craigslist is totally free. Not sure how they are able to do that or why they would, but I sure appreciate it 
Hadn’t given much thought to recruiting bird dogs yet. I kind of wanted to get my buyers together because I thought if I asked for a bird dog’s help they’d start finding properties before I was ready to act on them, and as a result they’d stop bringing me leads. Yes I know that’s the chicken in me talking (darn that bird flu!).
I’ve seen a few ‘bird dog wanted’ ads here and there, although not necessarily on Craigslist. If I can clip one I’ll paste it here for ya.
Thanks! your post was so clear and precise that I am going to try to use it. I posted and it hasnt listed yet, i bet there is some delay. I hope my buyers list grows now…
If anyone has a good Bird Dog ad that I can try out that they have had a good success rate with let us all know!
Yeah there’s a small delay. I use Craigslist for just about anything I need other people’s help or participation with. So I got a free account from them and it speeds up the process (they don’t make you publish via email, and it seemed to post quicker although that could have been a coincidence).
Yea just posted the same ad you had listed just changed it to fit my information. I hope I get a few responses. I have a few buyers on my list as is, but I am looking to make that list grow and grow.
Any word yet from anyone on what they think a good post would be for a bird dog?
Hey, JP I love your enthusiasm and desire to succeed! Keep me informed on your progress…
helllll yea got 3 responses so far!
Gonna fit this into my normal bi weekly marketing.
i would assume your putting this under housing but what specifically have you been putting it under and got the best results?
I listed mine under Real Estate Services.
I AM NEW TO REI BUT VERY PROFICIENT IN MARKETING TECHNIQUES
CRAIGSLIST IS ALWAYS A SURE BET IT HAS ALLOWED ME TO BUILD MY DATA BASE QUICKLY BY USING AN AD WITH A WEB PAGE LINK I PICK’D UP 250 HITS TO MY WEB PAGE IN A DAY AND A HALF . SO I WOULD SAY USE IT ITS FREE AND IT WORKS
GOOD LUCK
Well, after reading this thread, I admit I have bit on the niblet. I have posted my own birddog msg to craigslist in the Cincinnati area. My goal is to bird dog a couple of deals, get my feet wet and ask alot of questions of my stable of buyers.
Any advice, tips tricks, etc that anyone feels is important not already covered in this great forum, do me and others like me a favor, POST THEM!!
I thank you all for sharing knowledge and experience.
Well, I got my first response. Someone who used to live in my area with 8 houses he wants to sell. We’ve agreed to co-op deals (split 50/50 of the option fees).
Could I have done better, or was this a solid start?
Isn’t craigslist just for San Francisco area?
Go check it out yourself. Craigslist.org. They started a long while ago and are very popular in this area. I’ve used it for the last two years and have gotten all my rentals from it, I don’t bother to advertise in the local paper anymore.
They make their money from charging for job postings in certain cities, but everywhere else it’s free.
Seems like they have over 100 American cities listed, and they’ve got a bunch of international ones now too.
Every year it seems to grow by double digits and I think in this market it’s 3-4 times as big as it was just two years ago. Initially it was mostly students, but now I get all sorts that look for rentals.
I’m outside of Philly, PA and it looks like they don’t have my county listed there.
Craigslist is the most amazing marketing tool. YOU CAN’T BEAT THE FACT THAT IT’S FREE!!!
Not only that, but just because it doesn’t have your county listed, doesn’t mean that people don’t post.
I’m in Boston and people post stuff for things in Worcester or New Hampshire as it’s the closest one. Worcester and NH are about 40-50 miles away from Boston.
Even if you don’t see anything in there now, just keep an eye on it, it’s been on a solid steady growth for the last several years and they keep adding more and more cities all the time.