Wednesday, August 5, 2009

How to obtain unlicensed access

I had a few emails asking me to explain how I did it. *****results may vary*****

So, excuse the non-perfect punctuation. Sometimes I just get typing and forget things like punctuation and capitalization. Just don't red pen me :) I am not like JP, I don't write perfect copy. :)

I think first off, you have to have confidence, assertiveness and sincerity at the same time because confidence and assertiveness can sometimes look a lot like arrogance. Without the confidence you look wishy washy and needy. You have to know up front what you are offering the Agent in return for this precious MLS access. I like having my own unlimited access and paying for it, than using someone elses with limited access.

It is so simple! I had 2 different approaches. It takes some work, but you can do it! If I can do it, you can do it!
The Craigslist ad was really Craig Fuhr's idea that I gleaned off of the last call with JP from REItips dot com. He was targeting Indiana fresh.
My ads, 2 of them , placed in Real Estate and Real Estate services
***************************
$1 RE Agent Wanted
California Cash investor working in 'insert city here' with single family homes seeks investor friendly agent to work with. Please call me now.
Call XXX XXX XXXX
*****************************
My other approach:
First, you call realtors from Keller Williams (because they are the most investor friendly.) Explain your strategy and tell them you value their time and would like to do your own homework upfront which takes about 40 to 80 hours. (The majority of my responses were something like, "I don't have a problem doing the homework and sending it to you.") So then ask them for a list of all of the 'solds' in the last 60 days for the county, or the biggest area of the town or city of research. From there identify the hotbeds or areas of the most activity.

Meanwhile, on your own, without telling the Agent, contact the Association of Realtors or whoever controls the MLS. Ask to speak to the commercial department or the administrator for the MLS. Tell them that you have been working with "insert agent's name here' and you both talked about obtaining MLS access as an unlicensed assistant. Ask for an email of the form for him to sign to begin or if it is located online. Ask what the log on requirements are. Is it just username and password or little key fob deal that changes numbers every 60 seconds like California? Ask what the fees are and how they are billed, ie, quarterly, yearly, through the broker or can they be made online through the mls website via your credit card. Ask them to email you the rules as well. If you have the keyfob thing, you need to go into the MLS office and show your id and they hand you and only you the keyfob. Ask who to contact when returning the information, if it is email then ask them to include phone and fax. Now you have the MLS contact person information.

After you do your homework using the list of solds, speak to the agent about your findings. (I have identified _____ zipcode as an area I would like to pursue, about what price are your clean REOs in that area?) Then state that there is another at least 60 hours of similar research but you need to use the map function and other things that would just kill trees if they printed it out for you and YOU would rather spend the time on the research and have them spend the time on submitting offers and listing your properties. Then explain that you have spoken to "insert MLS administrator here" and you have the form for your own unlicensed assistant access and it would save you both so much time once you get that started. BE ASSERTIVE, don't say, "if I had my own access" say, "once I get this access.". Tell them, "I need your signature and I am good to go. It can be revoked at any time, so if for any reason you are not comfortable with this in the future, you can cancel it." There will be no charge to the Agent or Broker. The Broker might have to sign on the form also.


Once you have your access, go buy either a $20.00 Jamba Juice gift card or a Starbucks gift card and a Silver sharpie pen. Write on the gift card with the silver sharpie pen, Thanks SO much 'agent's name' !! then your name, so the 3 or 4 times they use it, they see your name and smile. Go to their office and have receptionist place in their in box or mail it to the agent.


I think for me, before I had a solid strategy, it was very difficult to build rapport. Now after KISS Flipping and speaking with Bob Norton face to face, I totally know my strategies inside and out and have total confidence!! Without a doubt!! In the course are the steps to take to find private money AND instantly find buyers. I'm not an affiliate, I should be, but if you could swing it, you should, it's the best money I have ever spent! GO GET 'EM!!
Let me know how it turns out!

I'm on my way to get an alignment before my trip next week and to sling mud on 4 more old listings.

Chyzle! (translation= see ya)

6 comments:

Scott Costello said...

I'm gonna practice my confidence and assertiveness...I'm gonna use this post as an article on my site. :)

This was a great post and I'm serious about wanting to use it as an article.

I'd also like to talk to you about Kiss Flipping..shoot me an email when you get the chance.

Kelly said...

Go get 'em! :)

I shot you an email just now.

The link for the call info...well it's a webinar with video

http://reitips.com/special/webinar-x/

sign up first.

Thanks Scott!

~Kelly

Shae said...

Kelly, this is a GREAT and timely post for me :-) I'm getting my unlicensed MLS access this week! I used to have it but my friend cancelled it after she stopped doing business. I WILL get it again :-) Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Hey Kelly,

Thanks for your input and this post...

There's no doupt your right on about confidence and assertiveness... Though I believe alot of that also comes from experience and know how...

I do know that I can be pretty confident and assertive when I know what I'm talking about...

You have put out a pretty good step by step plan here though and I'm looking forward to see how this works... Thanks again!

Kelly said...

I agree that knowledge is needed for confidence.

Practice by calling different realtor associations or whoever controls the mls. The more you talk to them, the more you will know what questions YOUR local mls service might ask you.

please let me know how it turns out.

Thank you,
Kelly

jp moses said...

Hey, great post! I want to republish it also. Me too, me too!

...jp