Real estate investment is more popular, and more widely practiced, than at any point in the recent past. House flipping is at a 20-year high, and more people are getting in on the action every day. While this trend points to the ongoing value of the real estate market, it also means that profitable deals are becoming harder to find as more people fight for them. 

 The fact is, with each deal there can be only one winner — and that’s often the investor that finds it first. Smart investors are turning to technology to give them an edge over the competition. These tools help the savvy entrepreneur identify profitable projects quicker, and find distressed sellers more readily, ensuring that your prospecting is more successful than ever before. 

 Give these six tools a try. They’ll expand your market and get your foot in the door more effectively than ever before.

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HANDWRITTEN DIRECT MAIL

Prospecting is one of the most challenging parts of a real estate investor’s life. You need a reliable stream of new properties and motivated sellers to keep your pipeline full. The problem the most common prospecting tactics — standard direct mail, yellow letters, email, and social — are saturated. There are simply too many people using them in an increasingly dense market such that many deals are snapped up before you ever even see them. 

 Handwritten direct mail has a few things going for it that make it a better option. For one, prospects find it considerably more personable, engaging, and trustworthy than standard printed direct mail and the rest of the pack. Handwriting connects the investor with motivated sellers much more intimately. It’s the difference between getting a generic, pre-printed mailer and an authentic, hand-penned card or letter. 

 At Simply Noted, we make handwritten direct mail accessible, affordable, and scalable. You can send tens, hundreds, or even thousands of handwritten introductions as easily as email, and the campaigns are just as simple to set up. We offer unlimited personalization, CRM support, and the most convincing automated handwriting machines in the business. Your prospects will never know that you didn’t handwrite your prospecting letters yourself.

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DealMachine

If you want the deals, you’ve got to do the legwork, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you or your team spend a lot of time driving for dollars, you need DealMachine.  Take a picture of any house with the app, and you’ll have instant access to detailed information about the property, including owner contact information. 

 Additionally, you can use the tool to generate focused, profitable mailing lists, perfect for use with your handwritten direct mail. DealMachine makes it easier to find deals before anyone else. Get in faster to increase deal percentages and purchase properties for less with DealMachine.

BiggerPockets

BiggerPockets is a must-have tool, whether you’re an aspiring investor trying to learn the ropes or you’re already established in the industry. 

 Newcomers will find the service’s educational resources indispensable. You’ll have access to weekly expert-led webinars, five compelling podcasts, dozens of books, and a real estate and money blog — everything the budding real estate investor needs to hit the pavement quickly.   

 Seasoned investors will find plenty of value, too. You can locate agents and analyze properties in minutes. Whether you’re looking to rehab, rent, flip, or wholesale, you’ll get access to listings, tools, calculators, and more, all designed to scale your business quickly and efficiently. 

 Want encouragement, support, and answers from others in the industry? BiggerPockets offers one of the largest online investor communities, with forums covering every topic you can imagine. Learn to hone your craft while making valuable contacts.

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HANDWRITTEN NOTES

We talked about handwritten notes and their usefulness for landing new prospects, but did you know that investors can use the power of handwritten notes to nurture existing relationships as well? 

 Consider who you normally send handwritten notes to — family members, friends, and other loved ones. There’s an expectation of warmth and familiarity when someone receives a handwritten card in the mail. You can use this association to cultivate stronger, more resilient relationships with prospects, associates, professional contacts, and ever other investors. 

 You never know where your next big deal might come from. Building quality relationships with all of your contacts ensures that when they’re ready to move, or when they find a deal you might be interested in, they think of you first.

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REIPro

A CRM or a customer relationship management tool is essential for any business looking to keep their pulse on critical relationships. They help you stay connected to your prospects and existing connections while streamlining processes and improving profitability. Their utility spans the entire customer journey, including marketing, sales, and customer service. 

 But not all CRMs are made equal. REIPro is built with real estate investors in mind, making it the perfect CRM tool to help scale your business. Easily manage your contacts, buyers, properties, and your marketing campaigns, all with integrated MLS access.  

 Use the service’s robust deal analyzer to approach your deals from every possible angle, ensuring you make the most of each opportunity. Look up mortgage amounts, comps, transaction histories, owner and tax information, and more. 

 All this plus a suite of educational resources to keep your head in the game — REIPro is the CRM for serious real estate investors.

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Roofstock

Roofstock is an essential tool for real estate investors looking to purchase rental properties that don’t have to be filled with tenants immediately. The service specializes in helping investors find single and multi-family properties occupied by tenants that aren’t looking to leave.  

 Subscribers get a suite of tools to help them find profitable deals around the corner or around the world. The service is ideal for investors who want to expand their empire to include out-of-state and even out-of-country properties. Every listing provides deep insights into the investment so that you can gauge profitability and risk. 

 It gets better. The Roofstock marketplace allows investors to purchase fractional shares as well as full properties, meaning you can diversify your portfolio and hedge against risk. Watch your money grow without the management hassles that come with full ownership.