Why Absentee Owners Are a Classic Direct Mail List

An absentee owner is someone who owns a property but does not live in it. The mailing address on the tax record is different from the property address. That simple difference is why absentee owners are one of the most common lists real estate investors start with.

Why absentee owners sell#

Owning a property you do not live in comes with work: tenants, repairs, vacancies and travel. Some owners enjoy it. Others inherited the house, moved for a job, or became landlords by accident. When the work starts to outweigh the benefit, a simple offer in the mailbox can arrive at exactly the right moment.

Common situations include:

• An owner who moved out of state and manages the property from far away
• A house that sits vacant between tenants for longer than expected
• An owner who is tired of repairs and would rather have cash than a rental
• Heirs who now share a property none of them wants to manage

Building the list#

Start with a clear area. A few ZIP codes you know well beat a whole county you have never driven through. Then narrow the list:

1. Out-of-state owners first. Distance makes management harder, so these owners are often the most open to an offer.
2. Property type. Decide whether you want single-family homes, small multifamily or both, and filter accordingly.
3. Equity. Owners with more equity have more room to accept an investor offer.
4. Length of ownership. Long-time owners have had more time for life to change.

Writing to an owner who is not there#

Remember that the letter goes to the owner's home, not to the property. Name the property address clearly so the owner knows exactly which house you mean. Keep the message short: who you are, what you would like to do, and how to reach you.

Mention the property address in the first sentence. Owners with several properties need to know right away which one you are writing about.

Keep going#

One mailer rarely does the job. Owners who are not ready today may be ready in a few months, so plan a follow-up sequence before the first drop goes out. Our post on building a follow-up sequence walks through it.