Has anyone used the real estate MLS to solicit business?

[jeff48356]

If an electrician is close friends with a realtor (or happens to have a RE license himself), one could use the MLS to search periodically for all houses sold in his neighborhood (or within a mile or two) and send letters to each new homeowner offering electrical services for updates. These may include service panels, recessed lighting, ceiling fans, appliance circuits, etc. A way to be selective would be to look at the pictures of each listing to make sure the house looks dated. Don't bother sending letters to the ones that appear to be recently updated.

 

[Sea Nile]

Interesting idea, also maybe become friends with home inspectors. Most people get a house inspected before buying. If you can become close friends with home inspectors, maybe they can recommend you if something needs fixed.

 

[jaggedben]

Can't you do this about as effectively using Redfin or Zillow or [etc.]?

Being friends with a realtor might get business in other ways, like fixing things called out by buyer's inspectors. Moreso if you're in a buyers market.

 

[James L]

If it's public information, it's fair game. These newly purchased home lists are already used by lawn care providers, pest control companies, and many others.

I think the thing to do would be to search for homes newly on the market, and contact the seller's agent to try to get the repair work that's almost inevitable.

Then you already have the address for when there's a new buyer/resident.

 

[hbiss]

I thought of this many years ago and wrote a letter to the board of realtors about it. The reply was that it would be unethical for realtors or their agents to recommend or suggest contractors to provide work on properties they are representing. So, it's not done.

Nothing prevents you from going through the MLS listings but who are you going to contact? I suppose you could leave a "door hanger" when the property is sold.

Good luck.

-Hal

 

[jeff48356]

A similar approach is to visit open houses and estate sales in the electrician's neighborhood. I do just that whenever I see an Open House or Estate Sale sign. I'm not interested in the house or the stuff being sold within, but I am interested in the potential electrical upgrades. As soon as I enter such a property, I head right for the basement to look at the electrical panel. If I feel that it needs to be upgraded, I will place a magnet on the panel with my business name and number.

 

[Little Bill]

Don't want any dealings with realtors! All they are after is to get the house sold. They will promise you the moon if you fix something then inform you that you won't be paid unless the house sells, then only at closing. I tell them if they want something fixed, either they pay me now or the seller or buyer has to, not waiting on closing!
I once had to wait several months and had to bill multiple people to get it.

 

[mtnelect]

Don't want any dealings with realtors! All they are after is to get the house sold. They will promise you the moon if you fix something then inform you that you won't be paid unless the house sells, then only at closing. I tell them if they want something fixed, either they pay me now or the seller or buyer has to, not waiting on closing!
I once had to wait several months and had to bill multiple people to get it.

Did an inspection were the listing relator needed to have the furnace replaced, so she volunteered her husband a HVAC contractor to replace it without charge and no permit. The furnace was not a high efficiency low nox, and could not be operated in the Southcoast AQMD.

 

[Garfields]

1 in 5-10 will be a job the rest are just numbers to negotiate the house sale price. We charge for the estimate if a house is in the process of selling then if the job comes through give a credit for the amount of the estimate.

 

[PaulMmn]

Interesting idea, also maybe become friends with home inspectors. Most people get a house inspected before buying. If you can become close friends with home inspectors, maybe they can recommend you if something needs fixed.

I'd prefer home inspectors NOT be sales people for tradespeople! I want the inspectors to come in, poke around, identify problems, give me a report, and leave. Handing out flyers, I'd be suspicious if the 'problems' found just happened to be curable by the company in the flyer.
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Likewise, 'recommendations' for a company with services I might need, coming from a home inspector, make me suspicious as well!
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Mailing to the address in the MLS ads is different-- no conflict of interest with the inspection process.

 

[jim dungar]

If I feel that it needs to be upgraded, I will place a magnet on the panel with my business name and number.

When I bought my house there were several electrical issues that needed to be addressed. Based on the quality of the electrical repairs I did see, there was no way I was going to contact the EC with their name on the panel.

 

[jmellc]

I had friends who were a realtor couple. They referred a couple of customers to me for decent jobs & I hired the husband to help me on a couple of other jobs. Then I heard nothing from them. Stuff comes and goes. Early on, they invited me to a business breakfast kind of thing. I got a couple of jobs from that with another realtor.

If I were starting out again now, I would for sure get a website. Huge mistake that I didn't do it before. I did have a faux website on Dex Knows if anyone remembers that. Sort of a forum where I had a page. I would updateit once a week or so with issues I was seeing out there. But only a few people used the site. Don't know if they are still around or not. I would either mail flyers to neighborhoods close by or deliver them door to door.

One thing I saw a mechanic shop in Raleigh do on radio was that their owner would come on a show about car repairs. People would call in and discuss issues. I wondered if such might work for an EC.

 

[Joethemechanic]

I hate people who send me mail or knock on my door.