Comment from a Real Estate Broker re: Foreclosure Cleanup Businesses

Fellow Foreclosure Cleanup Business Owners,

Here's an interesting comment from a real estate broker from New Hampshire about foreclosure cleanup businesses who target him for work (verbatim post; typos simply corrected).

The banter from the responding party is from Yuwanda Black, publisher of Foreclosure Cleanup Business News.

By Scott Godzyk, Tue May 18 2010, 06:38

Your number 1 tip is a good one, not a day goes by where I am not bombarded with calls or people who drop in that want to clean my foreclosure listings. I always ask for a business card and a resume. 90% don't have a card and no one ever has a resume with them. So then I ask for a list of what they offer with any associated prices, again they are not prepared and lastly I ask are you insured, by then most of them are on their way out. I know that is tough and cold but it is my name on the sign and I am responsible for anything that goes wrong for the properties I sell and manage for the banks. I have had people come back though and be prepared and they are not doing a great job for me. So my keys are be a legitimate business, be insured and be prepared, have business cards, a resume and literature of what you do.

By Yuwanda Black, Foreclosure Business News Editor, Tue May 18 2010, 06:44

Scott:
Thanks for chiming in and ESPECIALLY for letting biz owners know that they must be licensed and insured. It's something we stress a lot at Foreclosure Cleanup, but many who want to be in this biz still operate like simple "man with a van" operations. NOT that there's anything wrong with that, but when someone's butt (ie, the person responsible for a listing) is on the line, they're going to cover it all they can. This means foreclosure cleanup biz owners must be licensed and insured.

Again, thanks for the "straight from the horse's mouth" (so to speak) insight. END OF COMMENT

Doesn't Take Much To Stand Out

This is an interesting peek at what is going on out there on the front lines as new foreclosure cleanup companies target real estate professionals. The bottom line is it doesn't take much to stand out from the competition. Whoever is pitching this broker is screwing it up. Get your ducks in a row (your literature, contracts, license and insurance), come up with a script and strategic marketing process, and get out there and make some money  with your business.

They Will Send You Work Over and Over Again

Real estate professionals need solid foreclosure cleanup companies, but you must be set up formally to compete. Once you get in good with a realtor or broker, and you do a good job, they will use you over and over again.

Hard to Find Good Contractors

As a licensed realtor, landlord and investor, I know first hand it is sssssoooooo hard to come across good contractors. Once real estate professionals know you will be there for them and that you will do what you say you're going to do, when you say you're going to do it, and you do a good job, you will be on their roster for years. And you will have more business than you know what to do with.

I've included a link out to the full post and article to which the broker was responding (if you click on the link out, scroll down the page to the Comments section)...

Good luck to you targeting real estate professionals in your area with your foreclosure cleanup services!