Craigslist Ghost Ad

Are you trying to attract cash buyers? Or anyone looking to buy a home?

You won't know until you try it. It's a trial and error method for me since I use ghost ads in craigslist(I've gotten a few buyers this way) doing a google search using keywords like "Lease options" or "Cash buyers" in another good way and call them if they are looking to buy. So if you don't get any calls try something else. You can find them like I did.

When we do these ghost ads. we are looking for investors everyone knows this.
But when you get calls on your ad they are people like us.Not sure how to word this.Lets say one of you DGer's call my AD. Would you willing to do a Wholesale deal, Cuz that means you have to get the wholesale from me then turn around and wholesale to your end buyer..Thats alot of people at closing that day, Not sure if this makes sense to anyone Its hard to word what Im trying to say.

Im thinking to much...I was talking to a Investor that I called from one of the "I buy Homes" ads..Now is he willing to have me assign it to him..Cuz then he would have to assign it to his end buyer

I know exactly what you are talking about conquesttsi89.

This happened to me, I called an ad and the guy who wrote the ad was a fellow investor. I actually added him to my buyers list and he added me to his. We agreed to help each other and when I find my first deal I am definitely going to call him to see if he has anybody looking for what I have. If that is the case, I am going to pay him a bird-dog or referral fee. It might not be as much as he would make on an assignment, but he is still making money. The same goes inversely for me, if he finds something and I have a buyer for him, he'll pay me a bird dog fee.

Does that answer your question?

I'm not a fan of ghost ads and in most cases if you're busted, you've potentially lost a client. An example would be

"I saw the ad you posted yesterday and would like to see the property today if possible. My # is 444 444-4444

I'll bring my financial info to you personally when we meet."

-----

If you posted this ad on monday and I replied the same day and you told me you sold it, I would know right off the bat that you were lying and wouldn't deal with you, especially since I know you'd try and bring another property to my attention.

How would you handle this???

I would never use ghost adds, its being DISHONEST!!! Why would you want to advertise something you dont have? There are many other honest ways to build your buyers list. (Honesty is the best policy).........

Mike and Elix,

That is the way I see it as well. I'm completely new to this whole RE thing and I'll admit would be a little nervous to speak to someone about a property I do not currently have. I've just seen from others that this is a good way to market to potential buyers and thought it was worth a try. Can I ask what other methods y'all have actually used and saw results?

Hi jbtyree,

I am new and maybe I'm missing something, but I placed a ghost ad on CL and I put out bandit signs that say 3 bed 2 bath $49k xxx-xxx-xxxx....from these two methods I have came up with about 20-25 different investors! I told them that I currently had a buyer and the property was sold just as fast as I put the ad out there! I then go on to tell them that I always find properties under FMV and ask if they are interested in learning about my properties as they come available. We usually chat about the type of properties they are interested in, how much they looking to spend, etc. Sometimes they weren't even investors, I put a ghost ad out for a trailer also bc here in Louisiana they are very popular and I had a lady call me about the trailer I was selling, she needed a trailer asap bc her's burned and as a result she was living with her ex-husband until she could find something. She told me the details of what she was looking for and I looked for something for her and found something that wouldve been perfect, but my offer wasn't accepted by the seller. I'm still looking for her bc she hasn't found anything yet....

We are actually still getting calls from our ghost ads....that's my experience. Oh, and most of our buyers were ok with giving us a proof of funds letter (because our realtor suggested it) with no hesitation. Hope this information helps, as I said I am a newbie but if there is anything else I can do, please let me know.

One last thing, I know that what I did doesnt work for everyone but you'll never know until you try, so try it all...except the illegal stuff lol!!

Nicole

Try the ad, but I would remove the $3K down and $525/month and replace it with ARV=$150K(do not know the market in that state) and Cash Flow=$200/month.

If you feel weird or dishonest putting up an ad for a property you don't have under contract, simply find a deal another investor has for sale, and ask him if you can market it for him.

If he's not totally goofy he'll say yes.

Add $2k, market it yourself, and add something to the ad saying "also get on our list for other great deals in the future".

Nick

Thanks Nicole!

@bspencer: I appreciate your input! When I market to other investors I'll be sure to use the ARV and monthly cash flow. This ad was meant for your average joe.

That is a great idea Nick, I'll look into that as well!

What are some other sites besides cl that I can place ghost adds

Nick that is a great idea! I should try that out. You are being honest and you probably get the same desired effect of a ghost ad. What has your experience been doing this?

Just hope that the original ad is not a ghost ad though.

I've done it and it works... just make sure to get an option to purchase it so it's legal for you to market it. (unless you're a Realtor)

As far as other sites, Backpage.com and ebayclassifieds.com work too.

Nick

www.rei-tv.com

Hi Brent:
I fully understand your hesitations about ghost ads so I can make this suggestion:
Say something like:

Cash buyers needed for (your town) houses. Houses offered at 30%, 40%, 50% below FMV
Call now! (xxx)xxx-xxxx
Email now! yourname@xxx.com

If you get no response, you'll need to bump up the specifics. If you use a house address, use a friend's address or someone you know (with their permission obviously) along with the specifics of the house and deeply discount the price. Then when contacted, you can say that the seller had changed their mind about selling but I do get other houses similar to this one at tremendously discounted prices. Would you like me to contact you when I do? Please tell me exactly what you are looking for so I can contact you ASAP.

Hope this helps.

Andy Sager
DG's AndyS

run an ad saying you/your company finds the best wholesale/discount deals around on fixer uppers and handyman specials. Get on our list to be notified of our latest deals.

Hi I am new to this as well. I use ghost ads on CL as well. Like some of the others who responed to this thread I too am a little worried about being dishonest about having a property that I don't have. Despite this, I actually have gotten a few investors from these types of ads. Currently, I am up to about eight or so all from CL. Something else I do besides posting an ad is I respond to investors that are marketing their propeties. I emailing them telling them that "I am a local investor and I work with other investors in the area to help find great deals that are often 30-40% below FMV. I am looking to expand my buyers list and I would love to add them to this list. If this is ok, please email me your criteria of what you are looking for and I foward you the deals as soon as they come in. Thank-you for your time and I look foward to doing business with you soon." Sometimes I get a responce and sometime I don't but this is a way of being honest and still getting what you want.

When you get a potential cash buyer from CL who wants to see the property that you do not own do you have the buyer sign a non-disclosure agreement or an agreement so they do not go directly with the owner of the property? In essance, they do not steal the deal from you?

Do you also request proof of funds from the buyer before you give them the address of the property?

Thank you guys for all the great ideas. I'm new and have some fear of getting this started. I love all your input. I copy and paste them together and come up with my ads yet not to feel being dishonest and other obligation. Thank you DG family!

Very good information Nick and REinvestor42. I really like these honest approaches.

I'm thinking of adding a pic of my house before it was painted & rehabbed along with the ad.

All of the comments about ghost ads and feeling dishonest are very valid. You never want to be "lying" to market your business. However, ghost ads work. It's been proven time after time that ghost ads work. Fortune 500 companies use this technique or practice of ghost ads to draw in business. As far as wholesaling and using ghost ads to build your buyers list you first need to change your mindset. You are now an investor, you need to "think" like an investor. When you place a ghost ad, keep it simple. The purpose of a ghost ad is to draw in business. For example: "3/2 2500 sq ft $125,000 call today 888-xxx-xxxx". When you receive a call, engage in the conversation by explaining that "This is not a property that I have for sale, however, I am a RE investor and this is a "type" of property that can possibly get below market value. What area are you looking in?" Quickly turn the conversation and qualify them in regards to the criteria of what they are looking for.

Keep it simple, don't overthink it!

good luck!

It doesnt matter who uses ghost adds, it doesnt matter how great they work, thats not the POINT!!! A lie is a lie no matter how you try to talk your way around it... Its never a good to use a ghost add period, and its never good to conduct your buisness based on lying to get buyers, or to make $$$..

I had tried Google search for "I buy houses (my city)" and I got 3 buyers in 2 days.

Then I thought of posting an Ad on CL and I researched a lot and saw the video of Alex Waterloo about how to answer the callers back when they start calling.I was not feeling very confident about it because obviously I dint think it was the "right" thing to do. But I went ahead and posted the ad. Got only one caller on the day I posted it and Oh my god, I just dint know what to say. Couldn't even make a good conversation with him. (I have already talked to other buyers telling them truthfully that I don't have deals yet but will let them know when i have and they understand and I am confident doing that too but this one really got me).

Bottom Line - I lost one (potential) buyer

Nick mentions Co-Wholesaling

I've done it and it works... just make sure to get an option to purchase it so it's legal for you to market it. (unless you're a Realtor). Can you not advertise properties that you don't have locked up then?