How’s Your Ground Game?

How to Dominate a Slower Real Estate Market

When the market softens, fear tends to creep in. Fix and flip investors often start to second-guess deals, hesitate on offers, or step back altogether. But the investors who succeed in these markets aren’t the ones who sit on the sidelines. They’re the ones who double down on discipline and execution. They rely on their ground game.

So, what is a ground game in real estate investing?

The daily, gritty, consistent actions keep deals flowing, even when the market gets tight. It’s not flashy or glamorous, but it has proven to work for years in all economic cycles.

Choose a Strategy: Active vs Passive

Before you can build and execute your ground game, you need to decide what kind of investor you want to be. There are two main approaches: active and passive. Both can be effective, but each requires different levels of time, effort, money, and risk.

If you choose an active approach:

You’re in the driver’s seat. You’re not waiting for deals to come to you—you’re hunting them down.  The more active you are, the better deals you are likely to find.  The effort is often what separates average investors from wealthy investors.  

Here’s how to build your active marketing playbook:
A mentor once told me you need five to thrive.  He was referring to five different ways to find motivated sellers.  I think five is probably ideal, but three will work, e. Especially if you are new. Any more than that, though, and your effort is going to be spread too thin, and you won’t get the results. 

Here are five examples of ways to find motivated sellers if you are willing to put in the work.

1. Online Networking – Get into investor forums, Facebook groups, and real estate subreddits where motivated sellers or off-market opportunities might pop up.  Be sure to add value and let people know what you do.
2. Direct Mail Campaigns – Consistently send letters or postcards to distressed property owners or absentee landlords.  If you are consistent with this, it will work.  Yes, motivated sellers still get mail. 
3. Knocking on Doors: Target homeowners in foreclosure or pre-foreclosure. It’s bold, but it works.
4. Cold Calling – Reach out to FSBO listings, Craigslist posts, or even expired listings.  Picking up the phone and learning about their situation will separate you from other investors.
5. Flyers with a Cause – Partner with Boy Scouts, youth sports teams, or nonprofits to distribute door hangers or other flyers that will promote your home buying business.

The key to success with active marketing is consistency. Pick your channels, schedule your time, and execute.

Here is a link to a webinar I did eight years ago that is still relevant today.  This is exactly what I mean when I say we need to get back to our ground game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_ApOtZ3RZE&t=2611s

If you choose a passive approach:

This approach leans more on relationships and timing than direct outreach. Consider these tactics if you don’t have the time or energy to maintain a consistent marketing campaign:

1. Build Relationships with Wholesalers – Wholesalers are investors that find real estate opportunities, but they do not want to do the fix.  They find deals, mark them up for their profit, and sell them to real estate fix and flippers.  Get on all of their email lists, and they will send you opportunities to evaluate.  You can find wholesalers at local REIAs, meetups, or social media groups.
2. Work with Investor-Friendly Agents- Inform agents that you are looking for deals and what you are looking for, and ask them to send you listings from the MLS. If you prove you will close deals, they may start to send you deals before they are made public.  The key for this to work is to have and communicate a specific buy box.  With recent changes in regulations, you may need to sign a buyer agreement, but be sure to only sign that for deals they bring you and not a blanket, all-inclusive agreement that will prevent you from buying deals without them.  Good agents will understand this and are a great way to locate deals.
3. Attend Foreclosure Auctions – If you have cash and guts, you can pick up deals directly at trustee sales or county auctions.  This is a little tougher because you need the cash to close, and it is a lot riskier because you will not have an inspection period, and often cannot see the house before you buy it.

There are other ways to find deals, strategies to screen sellers, and tips on how to negotiate deals on our YouTube channel.  Search past videos to learn how to improve your ground game! https://www.youtube.com/@pinefinancial

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