Why the Best Real Estate Investments Aren't Found in Obvious Places
4 insider secrets to spotting off-market deals
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COVID shook the real estate market to its core, and we’re all still feeling the aftershocks. Prices are up. Interest rates are up. And while everyone’s feeling the pinch, new investors are getting burned the most.
"How the hell do I get my first deal done with 7% interest rates and prices through the roof?"
I started investing in real estate in 2008 — when nobody was buying or selling during the Great Recession.
To find profitable deals in a chaotic market…you have two choices.
1. Do Nothing
You could sit tight for the next 12+ months, waiting for prices and rates to come down. Inflation and taxes will slowly eat away at your capital, but at least you’re “safe” right?
Most buyers are pumping the brakes right now…but that’s when I put my foot on the gas trying to look at 100 deals to find the one profitable deal.
Like Buffett said:
"Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful."
The truth is, now is as good of a time as any to start building your portfolio—you just need to be smart about it.
Which brings us to option #2: Off-Market Deals.
Why Off-Market Deals?
Here’s why off-market deals are your best bet right now. The market’s nuts—everyone’s competing, and prices are high.
But off-market deals? They give you a chance to:
Dodge bidding wars
Deal directly with sellers—no middleman nonsense
Get ahead of the competition
Snag better prices
These deals aren’t advertised. They’re under the radar, but that’s what makes them gold.
Maybe you’ll find a seller desperate for a quick sale due to a divorce, or a landlord who’s fed up with their tenants. These situations can lead to killer deals if you know how to sniff them out.
Here’s how:
1. Find motivated sellers
One of the most effective ways to score off-market deals is through targeted paid ads. My wholesale company uses Facebook, Instagram, and Google to reach motivated sellers.
Wholesalers target sellers who are under pressure. Finding motivated sellers will give you the upper hand in negotiations.
How to identify motivated sellers:
Target urgency: Focus on sellers who need to move fast—whether it's for a job relocation, divorce, or financial squeeze.
Be picky: Don’t go after everything. Zero in on a specific type of property—whether it’s fix-and-flip homes, small apartments, or storage units.
Know your audience: Tailor your ads to speak directly to your target property owners. If you're after apartments, talk to apartment owners. If you're looking for fixer-uppers, address homeowners who can’t afford repairs.
By dialing in on your ideal deal, you’ll lock in the right properties—and either flip or hold onto the best ones for yourself.
2. Phone Contacts
Don’t sleep on your phone contacts. When I started as a contractor more than a decade ago, all I had was contacts.
Here’s how to turn your contacts into deals:
Ask around: Go through your contacts and let everyone know you’re looking for off-market deals. A quick text or call can open doors.
Be specific: Tell them exactly what you're after—whether it’s fixer-uppers, small apartments, or storage units.
Offer a finder’s fee: Even a small incentive can motivate people to keep an eye out for you.
You’ll be amazed at what your contacts know. Someone might just have inherited a property, or a friend of a friend is looking to unload some units. You never know unless you ask.
3. Personal branding on social media
Social media is a goldmine for off-market deals.
I post on LinkedIn about luxury storage, development, construction, and investing in different property types—and it’s paid off more times than I can count.
Here’s how to make social media work for you:
Post regularly: Consistency is everything. Don’t be that person who posts once and disappears—show up daily.
Be clear about your goals: Let people know what you’re hunting for.
Respond quickly: When someone reaches out, don’t leave them hanging—get back to them fast.
Use all the tools: Regular posts are great, but don’t sleep on using a CRM to build and nurture a list of investors, developers, and brokers.
If you keep showing up and talking real estate, you’ll be the first person people think of when they hear about a property for sale.
4. Build a Community
This one’s a bit underrated, but it ties into strategies #2 and #3.
By posting on social media and making real connections, you start to build a community of investors, developers, and other real estate professionals.
Every week, I get a dozen DMs like,
“Hey Marc, I found this property. What do you think?”
“How can we partner to build luxury storage in my state?”
All of these deals come to me from building on LinkedIn.
Here’s why building a community is game-changing:
Market intel: Your community becomes your eyes and ears in the market.
Partnerships: Team up with people who find deals but lack the capital or know-how to execute them.
Insider tips: Your community will help you grow your portfolio with market-specific knowledge.
Building a community takes effort, but it’s worth every second. The best way to start? Help others. Share your knowledge, answer questions, and contribute to the conversation.
It’s a lot of work, but the more you put into it, the bigger the payoff down the line.
Hope this is helpful!
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See you next week!