Directionals Move Properties

One of the most effective and frequently overlooked methods of filling or selling a property is the use of directional arrow signs. I'm guilty of it myself, although usually I'm merely lazy instead of overlooking this great marketing technique. Being lazy usually costs me in terms of holding costs, especially if you happen to be in a buyer's market as I currently am. Even if you're in a hot market where everything is moving quickly, directionals will move your property that much quicker.

Yes, there are numerous other methods you can use such as: flyers in the neighborhood and large stores and shopping malls, ads in the large and small papers, listings on the internet, listing with a real estate agent, calling real estate agents to inform them, mailouts to apartment complexes, yard signs with flyer boxes, open houses, calling loan officers, emailing your buyer list, etc., etc. (I have one friend use advertises her properties on the cable preview channel and she says it works great. Unfortunately, that option isn't available in my area.)

Why Do Directionals Work So Well?

Directional arrow signs work well for a number of reasons. First, they are targeted to the neighborhood where the property is located so the folks who will actually see them are the buyers or tenants who are already driving the neighborhood looking for properties. The second group of people who will see the signs are the residents who already live there. Many times the nearby residents will have family or friends who want to move into the neighborhood.

Flyers delivered to the neighborhood will also accomplish the notification aspect that there's an available property, but what flyers don't do is lead the prospect or prospect's friend straight to the front door.

Why Not Just Use Typical Bandit Signs?

For those that don't know, bandit signs are the road-side signs that many people utilize to advertise their business, favorite politician, and/or properties for sale or lease. The signs come in many colors and sizes, some professionally done and some hand-written. The nickname bandit signs stems from the fact that many municipalities have sign ordinances that prohibit their use or restrict use in the public domain or right of way.

The primary weakness of typical bandit signs for marketing a property for sale or lease is that the sign provides a little information (often impossible to read while driving by) and a phone number. If I'm out looking for properties today, I don't want to leave a message or turn around to go see what the sign said. I want to drive by NOW, not tomorrow, not later today, right now.

How is a Directional Arrow Sign Different?

Who said anything about one directional sign? I'm talking an entire series of signs that leads the prospect from the main thoroughfare all the way through the neighborhood to the driveway of your property. There's no thinking, major squinting, turning around, or phone calls involved here. "Oh, honey, turn there quick." Then it's "look, there's another sign, turn there." etc., all the way to the property. Then, of course, there's more information including contact numbers available at the property.

Okay, So How Do I Implement This Technique?

Here's the way I do it and you should tweak it and improve to suit you. When a property becomes available, I study the neighborhood and determine the "best" ways to lead prospects to my property. By "best", I take into consideration ease of navigation, neighborhood amenities like parks and schools, and surrounding properties. If there's a back way into the subdivision or location, I map out both paths.

My target locations are every single corner that my prospects will need to turn in order to get to the property. If there's a really long stretch without a turn, then I might need a directional arrow in the middle of that stretch to keep them coming. My experience has been that I will have to replace signs within the neighborhood only a few times, but I have to monitor the signs on the major roads and replace them fairly frequently. However, these signs tend to stay put much longer than a traditional bandit sign.

Then I simply go door-knocking and ask people if I can place a small directional sign in their yard. I intentionally do this during the day to miss folks because I'd rather not get involved in lengthy discussions about the property and I've got many doors to get to. Once I'm sure no one's home, I leave a letter in the screen door or someplace where it will be easily seen. I drop this letter at all four houses on each corner on the route.

What Does the Letter Say?

I've found it's important to NOT come across as a real estate investor or a company. I use an informal style and simply ask for help in finding someone to buy or lease my property. Points that I include in the letter are:

• It's just a small directional arrow sign

• I'll put it right by the corner and not really in their yard

• I'll make sure I don't damage any sprinkler systems

• They get a $20 gift certificate once the process is done

• They get to choose the store, restaurant, etc.

• Please call me to replace the sign if it gets removed

• The first person who calls me wins

• This technique has never failed. Frequently, I'll have two or more people from each corner call me, but I've always had at least one person call to agree to the arrangement. Some of them have even taken serious offense to do-gooder neighbors who remove the signs as the property owner is concerned they might not get their gift certificate. I'll describe the signs in more detail below, but I started adding "Placed With Permission of Owner" on the top of the signs and this reduced my losses.

The end result of this effort is that perhaps I pay out $160 to $200 in referral fees, but I have to run my $50 to $150 worth of weekly newspaper ads many, many fewer weeks. It definitely pays off from a monetary standpoint. The other benefit is that I now have a list of folks near each property (whom I've never even met) who think I'm great. Every single person will call me back after receiving their gift to thank me and the large majority volunteer that I'm more than welcome to do this anytime I need.

What Do the Signs Look Like?

The signs I use are basically the standard bandit signs cut in half. A normal size bandit sign is 18" x 24" and I use 9" x 12" signs for my directional arrows. I have a red directional arrow that takes up about 5 inches of the sign, leaving the bottom 4 inches blank. Within the red arrow I ask the sign company to put my message which could be "Owner Finance" or "Lease Purchase" or whatever you prefer. The message is easy to read.

In the blank space I use a large marker to write the property address. It's important to leave enough blank space below the arrow to write the address in large numbers and letters. Also, as I mentioned above, I include the "owner permission" tag line on top of the arrow. I buy 36" wooden stakes from Home Depot and attach an arrow sign to each side of the stake so the information can be seen coming and going.

If you don't have a source for these signs, please contact BanditSigns.com to get some. They're inexpensive and well worth the cost.

I hope you'll add this tool to your marketing techniques and discover the same success I've had in using it. You may find that you abandon many other advertising tools you've been using in the past.

Sincerely,

Tim Randle
http://TexasRealEstateClub.com

(c) Copyright 2003, All Rights Reserved.

About The Author

Tim Randle is a full-time real estate investor in the Austin, Texas area. For more information, please visit his web site at http://TexasRealEstateClub.com

info@texasrealestateclub.com

---

Dont Just GET THE DEED - The Infamous Kitchen Table Closing

Q: Hi Lou, I have a property under contract that... Read More

Big Discounts With Property Investment Clubs?

A stagnant stock market, low interest rates and booming property... Read More

Cashing Out of Preforeclosures - Exit Strategies for Maximum Profit

One of the quickest ways to real estate profits is... Read More

How Can the Average Person Build Wealth in Real Estate?

Books on real estate are a dime a dozen-and most... Read More

San Diego Real Estate, Million Dollar Homes

San Diego county has always been known for its Luxury... Read More

Investing In Real Estate Investors

With the never-ending changes in our Real Estate Markets real... Read More

What is a Predatory Lender?

Several months ago, the 3,000-member California Association of Mortgage Brokers... Read More

Closing Costs When Buying A Home

Closing costs are often the last thing a person thinks... Read More

Flat Fee MLS Listings - Is This The Future Of Real Estate

Realtors are all a buzz about this new form of... Read More

Commercial Real Estate Industry - Is the Condo Craze Over, or Just Gaining Steam

Over the last two years there has been so much... Read More

Property Investing Secrets 3

Property Investing Secrets: When you Make Property Easy to Buy... Read More

New Homes in Ridgefield

Location:Frequent travelers will absolutely delight in this town! As part... Read More

What is Tax-Deferred Exchange?

Under Section 1031 of the Internal Revenue Code, owners of... Read More

Buying Rental Property - Avoid Sellers Tricks

Be careful when buying rental property. We stayed at a... Read More

Kings Bay Georgia Real Estate - An Amusing Tale About a Real Estate Agent

This story is true and not meant to hurt anyone,... Read More

Legal Information About the Real Estate Contract

The conclusion of final agreement between a seller and a... Read More

How to Get the Best Price for Your House

The best price to sell your home is always determined... Read More

Safe, Scenic & Secure Sussex County Delaware

As I write this, there is a considerable concern about... Read More

Buy or Sell First?

When it comes to home buying, the ideal situation would... Read More

Greed Can Cost You Your Shirt!

The proper action when things are going well is to... Read More

The Value of Building Home Equity

There are numerous advantages to owning a home. One of... Read More

Why Real Estate Investment?

Why should you invest in real estate? Well, investing in... Read More

Estate Planning

Estate planning can enable you to control your property while... Read More

Find Bucks in Yucks! 20-Year-Old Woman Turns Doghouses into Dollars!

Do you dream of making money in real estate? Do... Read More

NAR® Broker Will Swear It ? Real Pro? Agents Share It ? FSBO Truth

For posting the "Truth" on your website, some FSBO's will... Read More

Location, Location, Location

Location, location, location - known as the 3 most important... Read More

Cape Coral Realtor

As the second largest city geographically in Florida, this beautiful... Read More

Investment Real Estate Secret: Buy a House Today, With No Money Down

If you've read my article "Purchasing Property With No Money... Read More

Transforming Doghouses into Dollhouses

Successful real estate investing depends largely on a correct assessment... Read More

An Estate Planning Primer

An estate plan can be designed by clients and their... Read More

Secrets of Making Money from Real Estate - Part 5

Where to from here:One property is great, but It wont... Read More

Want A $10,000 House?

How do you find a house for ten or twenty... Read More

Buyers Closing Cost

Buyers, borrower, closing costs can be divided into two categories.... Read More