Jonathan Greene
Jonathan Greene has been a guest on Collecting Keys, the real estate investing podcast hosted by Mike DeHaan, Dan Austin and Dylan Koch.
Maximizing Your Deal Flow On a Budget with Jonathan Greene
Veteran investor and agent Jonathan Greene joins Mike and Dan to explain how to generate deals without a big marketing budget, using what he calls micro marketing instead of spray-and-pray mail. He walks through three specific letter/dialogue templates (the Concerned Citizen, the I Wanna Be Just Like You, and the Caretaker), explains why off-market acquisition is about solving problems rather than price, and describes what he is and isn't buying in today's market.
Key takeaways
- Micro marketing beats spray-and-pray for beginners: work a small list in your own neighborhood, research every owner on social media and the tax rolls, and spend time instead of money.
- The 'Concerned Citizen' approach: photograph the worst-looking absentee-owned house on your walking route, call the owner (starting with the ones who live farthest away), tell them honestly what's wrong, and offer to text a fresh photo on the first of every month with no sales pitch.
- The 'I Wanna Be Just Like You' letter targets owners who show up in tax records with 5-10 properties: ask for a few minutes of advice rather than pitching, since most will happily talk and some will offer up their worst property.
- The 'Caretaker' letter is handwritten to long-time owners (30-40 years, likely in their 80s) who open their mail; it emphasizes preserving the character of the home and offering help, because they care more about the house than the price and won't sell to someone who will gut it.