< User Guide > Prospecting and Direct Marketing

• Introduction to iMapp prospecting techniques and tips
• Search options
  • Search by subdivision
  • Expired listing prospecting search strategy
  • Tax Data search strategy
    • Taxes Are Delinquent
    • Sale Deed Type
  • Foreclosure Data search strategy
    • Lis Pendens
    • Judgement Sale Date
• Download search results option
• Create Mail Labels

Introduction to iMapp prospecting techniques and tips

Prospecting, or the process of initiating new business opportunities by targeting potential real estate clients, is one of the most important part of work for real estate professionals. It involves time and effort to build a sales pipeline, and iMapp is here to help you with it.

In this guide, you can find the techniques of how to use iMapp in real estate prospecting generation process: you can find descriptions of some example 1) search settings which can be used for finding prospects, to help you find opportunities to reach for, and how to 2) download the results with the list of properties to have them at hand or to import the list to your internal CRM, and also to 3) generate mail labels for prospecting postcards.

Search options

Search by subdivision

Very often agents can hear from clients that they want to check the available property in a particular subdivision or neighborhood, as they are interested in desirable buildings and amenities which are available in the area. Agents can also be interested in properties in a subdivision because you might have listings and experience there that would help you market yourself to other residents. The tricky thing with subdivision knowing it’s actual name and boundary: it’s has its own naming which is not connected with street name or area name or sometimes even how the community knows the area, so often it is challenge for an agent to find this data quickly in competing property information systems. You can use a few different options in iMapp to find the Subdivision Name quickly and then search for properties in that area.

Option A. Go to New Search → select MLS or Tax Search tab -> enter any information about the property that you know is located in this subdivision → click Start Search:

On search results page you’ll get the list of properties found according to your search parameters and the map where all these properties are displayed. Go to Properties list, select one property from the list and click on Listing number in property description → you’ll be taken to Property Details report. Check the Property details there to find Subdivision name:

Copy Subdivision name and go to New Search → MLS Search → in Search Field parameters select Subdivision → Search Type = Equal To → paste subdivision name Search Value text field → Click Start Search. As a results you’ll get a list of all MLS Listings for properties located in this Subdivision. You can do this search as well for a Tax Search to find even unlisted properties.

Option B. Even if you don’t know the exact name of the Subdivision, you can often find the name in iMapp by selecting the name from a list in alphabetical order. As long as you know the County Name and the letters the Subdivision name begins with, iMapp will give you a list of options to choose from.

To search by subdivision’s name, Go to New Search → select Tax Search tab -> click on Search Field parameter drop down and select Subdivision (select) → Equal to For Search Type → select starting letter in Search Value drop down. When iMapp suggests subdivisions that match, scroll through the list until you find what you’re looking for, and click Start Search:

Another alternative is to be able to insert free text or keywords and let iMapp suggest subdivisions according to your parameters, Go to New Search → select Tax Search tab -> click on Search Field parameter drop down and select Subdivision (input) → Contains For Search Type → enter keyword(s) in Search Value drop down. AS you type, iMapp suggests subdivisions that match. When you see the subdivision you want, click on it and then click Start Search:

It may take some trial and error, depending on exact spellings, abbreviations, etc, but you subdivision name should be in the system. After you find it, you can copy an exact Subdivision name from property’s details as described below and use it for the search in the future. Note: There are often different phases or subsections of developments as an area is built out over time. The Subdivision names for these sub areas may differ slightly within an area and based on how the data was entered at the time the parcels were created.

After you do the Subdivision Search, use right top menu options View on Map/ Map All Search Results if you prefer to have all properties to be displayed on the map. As further steps, you can modify the search to narrow the list of results (click Modify Criteria and choose additional parameters to create a more focused prospect list). The drop down Show 100 results/page has different results view options, choose the most convenient one between 10-25-50-100.

You can also save this search with your selected Subdivision parameter via Save Search (to allow you can process the search again when required, the search will be available in My Saved Searches on New Search page). Alternatively, if you are satisfied with the results and want to export them, click Download or Mail labels.

Expired listing prospecting search strategy

The main idea of this technique is to find the unsold properties with expired listings. Many agents desire to reach out to a property owner whose property listing recently expired to see if they can help them buy/sell in the future. Make sure that the details of your offer contain the explanation of the ways you could help them, as the owner of the property has experience working with some agency. It is helpful to have clear arguments why you can do this job better than other agents and why next time the property listing will sell successfully.

To find the properties with expired listings, go to New Search → select MLS Search tab → In search field drop downs find Property Type → in Search Type select Equal To → in Search Value choose Expired Not Relisted. “Expired Not Relisted” will limit your search to listings that have not been relisted after they expired:

After you have developed a list of expired properties, you can use iMapp to research them further and develop marketing and pricing strategies. Some techniques include looking at competing listings in the region, looking for number of listings in the region, and using the price and property details information to generate a market analysis report and understand the tendencies in prices for the properties in particular area and with the characteristics you’re interested in. Check out the Comparable Properties tool details which will help you with the market analysis.

Tax Data search strategy

Tax information on property is extremely important for real estate professional: some of the details in tax data can be used by realtor as a signal that a new prospect can be found and action is required. To find the properties where agent’s help is required, you can get the opposite approach and search by these signals.

Taxes Are Delinquent

Use the details on Taxes are delinquent to find out the properties where any issues with taxes payments were recorded: it can be a signal, that the owner of the property for some reasons cannot longer pay the taxes and might be interested in selling the property before it is taken away from them. Or, there is some issue with tax notifications reaching the owner, which can also indicate reasons the owner may be interested in agent’s help. To find these properties, go to New Search → click Tax Search tab → in Search Field for one of the parameters select Taxes Are Delinquent → Search Type is Equal To → and select Yes in Search Value → click Start Search:

When you get the results with properties list, check the details to make sure the results match your target. You may want to specify some additional parameters in the search to narrow the results list: click Modify Criteria to be able to do this.

Sale Deed Type

Sale Deed Type indicates ownership transfer of real property from a grantor (seller) to a grantee (buyer). Knowing the type of Deed can help find new prospects: due to some personal reason, the owner of the house may be interested in real estate agency, but you need to understand which deed type can be useful for you and can be a signal of potential interest (for example, Personal Representatives Deed, Probate Court Documents, Affidavit of Death of Joint Tenant, Intrafamily Transfer & Dissolution). A good example can be Intrafamily Transfer & Dissolution, which means that a piece of property was transferred from one family member to another family member via deed, not via sale. The life situations are different, and there is a chance a new owner would like to sell the property they’ve inherited from relatives or received via legal settlement. In other situations, a real estate agent can suggest helping with the rental of that house. iMapp gathers the information about Sale Deed type, making this data an additional asset for you sales pipeline generation: go to New Search → click Tax Search tab → in Search Field for one of the parameters select Sale Deed Type → Search Type is Equal To → select the deed type you’re interested in Search Value → click Start Search

And again, if the list of the results with properties list is too big, specify some additional parameters in the search to narrow the results list: click Modify Criteria. You’ll be taken to search page and will be able to specify the search details.

Foreclosure Data search strategy

Unfortunately, some property owner’s happen to be in situations where they are distressed financially and no longer able to pay their mortgage payments. The foreclosure process varies by state, but in general, lenders try to work with borrowers to allow them to be caught up on payments and avoid foreclosure. If that can’t happen, the court will eventually deem the property to be in foreclosure and it means that the property will be sold at auction or that ownership of the property switches from the homeowner to the bank or lender that provided the loan. Real estate agents can help the property owner to sell the house before it is taken by banks or any other lender: use iMapp Foreclosure Search in New Search to find this type of properties to your pipeline.

Lis Pendens

A lis pendens is an official notice to the public that a lawsuit involving a claim on a property has been filed. That’s a signal for the agent to check the property details and contact the owner: landlord may want to sell the house before it is forfeited and real estate professional can help with consultation (to see if it is possible to sell it) and with the selling process itself. To find the list of properties with Lis pendens status, go to iMapp New Search → click Foreclosure search tab → in Search Field for one of the parameters select Lis pendens → Search Type is Equal To → and select Yes in Search Value → click Start Search. If you know already additional information about the property in your target, you can change the parameters in Foreclosure Search to narrow the list of results.

Judgement Sale Date

Judgement Sale Date is an alternate parameter you can use to search for the prospects in Foreclosure data (this is property’s expected auction date after the process has progressed). Try to search for upcoming auctions, adding future dates to Judgement Sale Date search value:

Download search results option

When the list of property corresponds to all your parameters and targets, you can download that list to have it for further prospecting work: owner contacting, analysis, monitoring and status updates. If you’re using a CRM, iMapp’s Download option is also a good way to export the data and then import it directly to your CRM.

To check export options, on the property results page click Download on the right corner of the screen. Note that you can control what properties from the list will be included to the exported file: use check boxes to include/exclude the properties:

In the Download menu you can customize the exported file:

1 - Extract Source: choose the layout and content from suggested in Select Download Content list

2 - Field List: under Customize Download Content click Download all Fields radio button if you want the downloaded file to include all info; if you want the get only some selected data about the property, click Select Custom Download Fields. Use arrows to add/remove the fields from the exported file (removed fields will be in Unused box).

3 - File Format: decide what file format is convenient for your work: simple CSV file, Excel or DBF, choose corresponding radio button under Select File Format and click Start Download.

The file will be saved on your computer. You can try different formats and play with this option until you find the most effective layout and structure.

Create Mail Labels

When you get a promising list of prospects, you may consider differing techniques you are going to use in order to contact the owners: cold calls, mails or prospecting postcard. With iMapp, if this data is available, you may see email and telephone number info on property reports. Moreover, there is an easy and convenient way to generate mail labels with addresses to print them out and use for mailing prospecting postcards and letters via postal services. You can even forward these files to 3rd party mailing houses. To check the option, click Mail Labels in the top right menu

When Mail Labels button is clicked, you’ll be taken to the labels doc customization settings: select preferred option on each step and click Next Step to processes:

1 - Content: choose content template of the labels under Select Label Content and click Next Step

2 - File Format: the file with labels can be saved in 3 file formats: PDF, DOCX, CSV. Use radio buttons to select the format you need under Select File Format:

3 - Page Layout: choose the template with the layout settings which suits you under Label Layout. Check out margins, size, and layout numbers on the right. If for selected Layout barcodes are available, you’ll see an additional tab Barcodes to become active (5). Use this tab to get CASS Certification report or/and to change USPS service type (if required by your local postal facility)

4 - Customizations: options to add or remove some custom details to the labels. You can decide what will be the First line: change it to custom text or select the option which is suggested in the dropdown. Remove duplicate results using the checkbox (the dropdown is there to select the filtering by Unique Property Address, Unique Owner Address, Unique Parcel ID), or use for the labels doc only properties with valid zip codes (click on checkbox Only retrieve labels with valid zip codes).

In Customization section you can also select different text alignment settings (left justified or centered). Skip To Label checkbox allows to set up print layout an add spaces in the doc for printing. Fine Tune Page Positioning helps adjust the labels positions in the file: use vertical and horizontal tuning to change the labels display position in the file.

When all is ready, click Create Labels button. The file will be generated and saved on your computer.

Happy prospecting! :)