If someone put a gun to my head and told me that I had 30 days to do a deal or I would die, I would spend the next month door knocking. This is the quickest, cheapest and easiest way to find deals. It is also the method investors use least. Before I tell you how to properly door knock, let me dispel any fears you may have.

In all the times I have been door knocking, I have never had a gun pulled on me, been screamed at, or been threatened in any manner. The worst thing that has ever happened to me was that people were rude to me. They told me to leave, or not come by again and that's it. So right now, get rid of any notion that something bad may happen. Actually, because of the method I use when knocking on doors, the opposite happens. Most people are very friendly. People love to talk and will tell you all types of information about their neighbors such as who has a house to sell, who's going through a divorce and who is facing foreclosure. Many times the problem becomes spending too much time at one house and having the person talk your ear off. Here is how to properly door knock:

• Pick your target market. Make sure you are knocking on bread and butter houses, typically 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.
• Dress business casual. Do not overdress and look like some slick salesperson.
• Go knocking during the week between the hours of 5-7pm.
• If you are a male, try and take a female with you. People are less intimidated by women than men. If a man shows up at the door they immediately put up their guard. If a woman is with you, however, they are more relaxed and friendly.
• Knock on the door and then take a step back, so that you are not crowding the person when they answer the door.
• Say this magic phrase, every time "Hi, we are looking to buy some houses in this area and are wondering if you know of anybody in your neighborhood that was looking to sell their house"
• Use good judgment when people invite you into the house. If you feel uncomfortable at all, don't go in the house.
• Be consistent. Make sure that you speak to at least 15 people every time that you set out door knocking. You will most likely have to knock on between 30-50 doors. Do not go home until you have hit the 15 people mark.
• Don't get offended if people are rude to you. Never argue, just leave. Kill them with kindness and always be polite.
• Be prepared for when people invite you in, or want to sell the house. Carry a notepad and a pen with you and that's it. I prefer carrying a yellow legal pad.

I know that most of you are going to read this and do nothing. Ninety-nine percent of

investors do not go door knocking and that is why there is so little competition for deals.

Most people are not willing to do the hard work that it takes to become successful in this

business.

Since people feel more comfortable in pairs, I recommend finding a door knocking partner. At one of the TBREIA monthly meetings start networking and find a partner with whom to go knocking. There are plenty of people who are afraid to go alone and would love to have a partner.

If you have not done your first deal, or if you have not closed a deal in a while, then go door knocking consistently and get a deal in the next 30 days.

In today's market, there are numerous ways to get deals done. There are a lot of techniques to buy property. I prefer to control property... More on that in another article.

However in real estate the cliche you make your profit when you buy is true. All of that is meaningless if you don't have a steady stream of leads coming in.

That's right, you need a pipeline of sellers calling you to sell their house.

How you get them to call is the focus of this article. One cost effective, way is to use those "tacky" yellow and black signs,

that's right BANDIT SIGNS. Hands down bandit signs are the quickest way to get your phone ringing with people interested

in selling their home.

However there's a method to the madness. There have been times when I put up 50 bandit signs and didn't get any calls, and there have also been times when I only had up a few

and got a good amount of calls. What's the difference between the two scenarios?

* Location- Place your signs on wood stakes in high traffic areas near intersections. Look for stoplights, and place them in the median area.

Check with your local ordinances regarding putting them on light poles. In most places that's illegal

*Readability- Do not clutter up your sign. Keep the message simple and to the point. Cars may be driving by at 40 mph and drivers aren't able to lock in on a crowded,

cluttered sign at that speed.

* Clarity - Keep it simple. Make Sure your number's as big as possible. Also go for a number that's easy to remember.

* Repetition- Studies show that the more people see an ad the more familiar they are with it, the more likely they'll respond to it. Hit your target area well and get good coverage.

The basic message I like to use is "We Buy Houses" Fast or Cash along with my number underneath.

I'm currently testing to see if it pulls better with my website on it or not. What I'm noticing is that people will remember one or the other, hardly both.

To make your time worthwhile put up at least 50 signs per week. By doing this you ensure your message is always out there and your phone should ring steadily.

Be prepared to take down their information and process the leads as they come in so you can buy/control deals according to your preferred method.