Transcription
I love inbound leads because this is the moment where the seller decides to reach out. Something happens in their life. Maybe they lost their job. Maybe a tenant stopped paying. Maybe the property needs expensive repairs. Maybe they inherited a house they simply don't want. Whatever the reason, motivation spikes. And that's the moment they pick up the phone.
Now, here's the problem. If that call goes to voicemail, the deal often dies right there. They hang up. They call the next investor or they simply disappear completely. Today, I want to show you why voicemail is one of the biggest hidden dealers in real estate investing. And I want to show you what happens when someone actually answers the phone 24/7.
What we're going to do today is listen to an inbound seller call handled by one of smartphones acquisitions intake agents. Now, full disclosure, this is me talking and the property I'm talking about is a property I lived in years and years ago. Uh, and as we go through it, I'm going to pause the call and point out what the agent is doing, right? And even some things that aren't what I want to see because this isn't just about answering a phone. This is about executing the acquisition's role. And when that role is done properly, momentum continues. But when nobody answers, momentum dies.
So before we listen to the call, let's talk about voicemail for a second. Most investors assume voicemails works. But think about your own behavior for a second. When was the last time you called a business and actually left a voicemail? Most people don't. They hang up. Sellers do the exact same thing. And that means your marketing can be working perfectly while your leads are disappearing.
Real estate investors simply cannot answer the phone 24 hours a day. You're driving. You're in appointments. You're talking to other sellers. You're running a business. And calls come in during meetings and during dinner, late at night, and when you're already on another call. So, the problem really isn't effort. The problem is coverage.
That's where acquisitions intake agents like ours come in because when a seller calls, someone needs to do the job. They need to understand why the seller is calling. They need to uncover motivation. They need to capture property details. They need to understand timeline. And they need to move the deal forward. That's the role we're listening to in this call. So, let's listen to the beginning.
>> Thanks for calling Practically Founded Properties. This is Linda.
>> Oh. Uh, I got um I got a a leaflet uh through my door uh today and I just thought I'd uh speak to you guys about maybe looking at what my property can uh go for.
>> Oh, that's great. Thanks so much for reaching out. Yeah, we do send those out. I'm glad it caught your attention. Just so you know, this call is being recorded for quality control and compliance purposes. We also use AI tools to help run and record some of our calls, so you're aware of that going in. So, it sounds like you're curious about what your property might be worth. That makes total sense. Before we dive into anything, I'd love to learn a bit more about your situation. What's got you thinking about potentially selling right now?
Okay, so that's the start of the car. Um, here's what I love about that. Uh, so first of all, um, she did a great job of establishing a certain amount of trust and compliance, right? So she identified, uh, the calls being recorded and that we use AI tools to run and manage calls. Um, she also acknowledged the leaflet situation, right? Oh yeah, we do send those out. Fantastic. It gives a little validation there. And then she moves directly into trying to establish the motivation. Like what's got you thinking about this? Not diving in uh hot and heavy, but simply asking the question, what's got you thinking right now?
>> Uh well, I mean, quite honestly, uh I lost my job a bit ago, and I think we need to look for a more cost-effective, uh housing situation.
>> Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. That's a tough spot to be in. I can understand why you'd be thinking about your options right now. So, it sounds like you're looking to make a move that makes more financial sense for you and your family. How long ago did that happen, if you don't mind me asking?
>> Uh, I lost my job about six months ago.
>> Yeah. Okay. So, you've been navigating this for a bit now. I appreciate you sharing that with me. It sounds like you're being pretty thoughtful about what comes next. So, when you think about selling your property, is there a time frame you're hoping to move on this? Like, are you looking to sell fairly soon or do you have a bit more flexibility?
So, before we go on, um, I love so much about that. Um, I love how she responds to the news with empathy, but also, you know, um, she engages in the discussion in a very natural way, like if you don't mind me asking, right, uh, how long, you know, and then recognizing, oh, you've been dealing with this for a while. Um, that must be a tough spot to be in. It's exactly how I would be responding uh to a situation like this. It's engaging without being uh really intrusive. It's showing empathy, without being sppy about it. Um and she then maneuvers the conversation towards a timeline. So, okay, now we know that you're dealing with this. Um what kind of timelines are we talking about? Let's continue.
>> Uh I mean pretty soon to be honest, but um you know, we sort of have to balance speed with money.
>> That makes complete sense. You want to move quickly, but you also want to make sure you're getting fair value for your place. That's a smart way to think about it. We actually specialize in quick close cash purchases, so that might align well with what you're looking for to help me understand your situation better. Could you tell me where the property is located?
>> Uh, so the address is 168 Federal Street uh in Fairfield, Connecticut.
>> One moment. Let me just confirm I have the the address right. That's 168 Federal Street in Fairfield, Connecticut. What's the zip code for that property?
>> 06825.
>> One moment. Perfect. Okay, I've got the listing pulled up. So, it's a three-bedroom, three bath place in the Somerset neighborhood.
I'm going to pause right there. A couple things happened there that are really important to point out. first of all um did a great job of qualifying the address right and making sure she got the address right uh was able you know when she got the initial address started to search uh uh using an API started to actually search for the property needed to qualify that she had the right address so she then followed up got the zip code what you heard there when she said one moment was actually smart agents our smart agent in the background reaching out via an API and grabbing the property the listing data from publicly available data so that she now has the information on the property and can speak knowledgeably about it. And this comes into play in this conversation um later on and I'll pull that out when we uh when we get to that point.
>> Sounds like a solid property. Now that I have a bit of the details, I'd love to learn more about your specific situation. Is anyone currently living in the property or is it vacant right now?
>> Yeah, we're currently uh living in the property right now.
>> Got it. So, you're living there with your family. That makes sense. And when you think about the condition of the place, how's it holding up these days? Any major issues or repairs that have been on your mind?
>> Um, I mean, we've had some problems with the HVAC and that probably needs to be dealt with. Um, quite honestly, the roof hasn't been touched. Um, I don't think the roof's been touched since the build, you know, the house was built. Uh, I can't remember what year the house was built in, though.
>> Okay. Yeah, HVAC and roof work can definitely add up. The house was built in 1996. So, yeah, if the roof hasn't been touched since then, that's something that would need attention. I hear you on that. So, it sounds like you're weighing whether to put money into those repairs yourself or if selling asis might make more sense given your situation right now. Is that fair to say?
Right. How many good things happened there? Um, so first of all, you notice the call back to that data. Um, I can't remember. I think I like I can't remember when the house was built. I knew exactly when the house was built, but um, a lot of sellers don't. and she used the information she gathered to let me know, oh yeah, it was built in 1996. Um, also just that open-ending question to gather the details about the property and then referencing um the, you know, this is very common stuff. And then notice it sounds, you know, using the motivation. She knows that I'd lost my job and then so it sounds like I'm weighing up. Do I want to make these repairs, spend money to get it to market or not? Right. That's a really normal conversation. It's a really normal driver for for people that we see all the time. And she's hitting those notes really well.
>> Uh yeah. I mean, the honest truth is without an income or without my old income, I think we have to look at selling. I just my problem is to get the most money out of a a normal sale, I need to put a lot of money into the property, whereas it maybe with a cash sale for you guys, I can get what I need.
>> That's a really smart way to think about it. Honestly, you're looking at the math and trying to figure out what actually works best for your situation. And that's exactly what we're built for. We buy properties as is without needing you to put money into repairs first. So, you wouldn't have to sink cash into that HVAC or roof work before selling. You'd get a fair offer and we handle the closing quickly with cash. Now, I want to be clear. I can't give you a specific number on what we'd offer. That's something my colleagues handle and they need to look at all the details of your property, but that's definitely the next step if you want to explore this further. Before we talk about next steps, I do have a couple more questions. Is it just you making decisions about selling or is there someone else involved like a spouse or partner who we should loop in?
So, uh, I love a lot of things I love about that. Um, this agent, she's not allowed to make offers. She's bounded by that. And so, she's just getting setting clear that, you know, I'm not able to make it, but this is a good what you're she's basically saying, the way you're thinking is right. We're going to be able to make you a cash offer. I can't do it, but we're going to be able to do that as a company. I love that. And um and how well she kind of threads in the business model with my problem as a seller. And then she's moving into well, who are the decision makers here, right? She's trying to gather that information.
>> Uh yeah, my my wife is uh obviously going to need to be involved.
>> That makes total sense. She's definitely part of this decision. Would it be helpful to have her on a call with us or would you want to talk to her first and then we can set something up?
>> Uh, I think I need to speak with her and then maybe if we if we set up a second call, we'd invite her as well.
Now, people will argue whether they uh she ran that wrong. Some people want you to try and get them on the phone right there and then. We can argue that all you want. Personally, I think either way, what they're doing is pushing this conversation forward.
>> Perfect. That's a smart approach. You two can talk it through. Talk it through first and then we'll get her involved when you're both ready. So, let me ask you this. What would help you guys feel ready to have that next conversation with us? Is there anything else you'd like to know about how we work? Or would you just like to set up a time for a follow-up call?
>> I mean, do you guys uh buy properties regardless of the kind of situation or like what do you kind of how do you guys normally work?
>> Great question. So, we specialize in buying single family homes, land, and storage facilities throughout Texas and most of the US. We buy properties as is, which means we don't require you to fix anything up and we do quick close cash purchases, so the timeline is really fast compared to traditional sales. We're a community of software founders who built this company, and we focus on making the process straightforward and hassle-free for sellers like you. Your property definitely fits what we work with, so that's good. The next step would be to have a call with our founder, Greg Head. He'd walk through everything with you and your wife, answer any questions you have, and give you a real offer based on your property. Does that sound like something you want us to explore?
Right. Before we move on, uh you'll notice at the start there, she had a little double glitch. Um that happens sometimes. Um but honestly, most people would just play that off as a problem with the phone line. Like genuinely, most of the time people don't mind little glitches like that. um because this conversation is moving forward, right? And notice how well she was able to answer my question. Like, well, tell me a bit more about how you guys work. And she did a great job doing it. It's about to get even better.
>> Uh yeah. And let me ask one more question. Um does a cash offer mean that I don't have to worry about putting like listing it with an agent? You just buy it outright?
>> Exactly. Yeah, we buy it outright. You don't need to list it with an agent. You don't need to do open houses. You don't need to stage the place. We handle everything. It's just a direct purchase from us to you. So, it's a lot simpler and faster than the traditional route. That's really the whole point of what we do.
>> Okay. Well, listen. Um, I think I'm ready to schedule a call.
I mean, I would be, right? Um, boy was that a great answer, right? Um, you don't have to stage it. You don't have, you know, list it. it, you know, the conversation. She was able to allay my fears. She was able to answer questions. She's able to guide me towards thinking this is the best option for me. Now, we're going to go in to a bit of a scheduling point right now where we're trying to schedule a follow-up meeting. I may cut us out because we kind of have to look at dates because my schedule didn't fit, but um I'll play a bit of it so you hear it.
>> That's awesome. I'm glad we're moving forward. So, let me get some information from you first and then we'll get that scheduled. What's your first name?
>> My first name is Jordan.
>> Jordan. Great. And what's your last name?
>> Fleming.
>> Perfect. Jordan Fleming. And what's the best phone number to reach you on for the follow-up call?
>> Uh, it's the one that I'm calling you on right now. Can you see that number?
>> Yeah, absolutely. I've got that. So, we'll call you back on the same number you're calling from. Now, when would be a good time for you to have that call with Greg? Do you have any availability coming up that works well for you?
>> Uh, yeah, I'm pretty good. Tomorrow morning.
>> Tomorrow morning works great. Let me check the calendar to get you an exact time. What time tomorrow morning would be best for you?
>> Maybe 11.
>> Let me check the calendar to make sure that works.
>> Perfect. So, that's Wednesday, March 11th at 11:00 a.m. Does that work for you?
All right, I'm going to stop there because um we go through a bit of a scheduling bit because I couldn't make it and then they couldn't make it and we found a bit about but um so much great stuff in that call. So, let's review everything uh that's happened. The goal of acquisition's intake is not to close the deal. The goal is to move the conversation forward, schedule the next step. And that's exactly what happens here. Uh the seller called in, motivation was uncovered, property details were captured, a follow-up call was scheduled, and the momentum continues.
Now, imagine something. What if this seller had called and hit a voicemail? That deal could disappear. The motivation disappears. Instead, someone answered and now the business has a qualified lead and a scheduled conversation. This is exactly the role of our smart agents. Um, and that's what they're designed to do 24/7. They answer calls instantly. They qualify motivation. They capture property details. They understand timeline. They schedule meetings. They can even transfer calls live to acquisitions managers. And they work 24 hours a day.
But here's the important part. They don't replace your team. Inside smartphone call flows. Your live team still gets the first chance to answer if you want. Calls can go to your acquisitions team first. But if nobody answers, make sure the call automatically rolls to the smart agent, which means no seller ever hits voicemail.
If you're running marketing right now, ask yourself one question. How many deals have died in your voicemail? Because every missed call is a moment of motivation that disappears.