When driving around I was thinking of using Yellow Letters instead of flyers and door hangers. I am usually looking for vacant or junker houses.
Most of the time there is no mailbox so maybe sticking the envelope on the door? Good or bad idea? Comments?
No mailbox probably means no person at the house, so is it worth your time to be leaving flyers on the property?
What I do is have preprinted letters that tell them I buy vacant as-is houses, my contact info, etc. I put the letter in an envelope, the put the envelope in a 1gal ziplock bag and tape it to the door with packing tape. I usually try to tape it to the glass on the door so it sticks better. I just put out about 20 this weekend, no calls yet but I don’t expect immediate results seeing that people don’t check on their vacant houses much. Some folks have claimed thanks to the plastic bag that they get calls months or years later when the owner finally goes there. I am also recording the address as I put them out so I can look up the owner of record when I get home and mail them a letter direct to their current address. I keep the letters, bags and tape in my car so I can stop and tag houses as I see them when I am going to/from places.
3 major points- The bag keeps the water off your letter. The envelope keeps the sun off your letter so it won’t fade. Use a laser printer so just in case a little moisture gets in there it won’t bleed like an inkjet. Keep these things in mind as they will serve you well if its a while until they are discovered.
Sure it is, someone may stop by in the future. The cost of the paper, envelope and baggie I mentioned above is probably only $0.10, cheaper than mailing right? But certainly it should be followed up by a letter to the address on file with the tax collector.
Don’t you know? The fastest way to find the owner of a vacant property is to stick a “For Sale” sign in the yard! 
This is what I am planning to do from now on.
Is that legal?
I dunno … with the price of gas now … :shocked
Well if you are driving to find them you are already in front of the house… :rolleyes
Is that legal?It's no more illegal than putting bandit signs on public property. Instead of being fined by the city, you could get sued by the owner, but I think that's pretty unlikely. When they call angrily about the sign just tell them the truth: "I'm very, truly, sorry and I hope you can forgive me. But I REALLY want to buy your house and I didn't know how else to find you!"
This is excellent info. Exactly the type of suggestion I was looking for. Thanks!
It’s not something I would recommend, but what a great way to build a buyer’s list.
As for the flyer, I guess what I meant to say that I didn’t think it made sense to just shove a flyer in the door when the flyer is likely to blow away or rot before anyone sees it. The idea about putting them in baggies and taping them with duct tape is spot on. You plant enough seeds, and something is bound to grow.
Do you use the same colour envelope as your letter? ie Yellow envelope and yellow letter???
I don’t put that much effort into it. I had some colored paper that I used on some of them and white on others, I don’t think it matters much. Something taped to the door gets them to open it from sheer curiousity and if the idea of selling works for them they call. I have my website address and 800 number on the letter so it’s not as if I am playing it off as someone that is looking for a personal home. It says right in the letter that I specialize in buying vacant properties, not exactly trying to sound like a regular homeowner. No calls yet but I only put them out a few weeks ago and how often do people drive by their vacant houses? I’m just hoping for a call weeks or months later when they finally do drive by. For a few bucks in gas and maybe $2 worth of bags, envelopes and paper the chance to get a decent rehab deal in a few months is worth it.
I prefer to use greeting cards. I have a system that is set up to go out when ever I pull the trigger. It is set up so I can design the mail to go out every day, week, month, qtr and so forth. Cost of the greeting cards is as low as .62 I get my own handwriting font and signature. It is mailed in a light blue envelope. It is greeting card size.
So for $1.03 I get my message out. It is not for everyone and its not for mass mailing. But it works.
why not just pay a skiptracer?