Episode 100: How to Hunt for Real Estate Deals from Scratch

Shownotes:

Many people want to get into real estate investing… but they don't know where to start.

Maybe you don't have a lot of money.
Maybe you've been watching deals online but nothing seems to work.
Maybe you're wondering: Where do real estate investors actually find deals?

In this episode, seasoned investor John Crutchfield pulls back the curtain on how investors truly hunt for real estate opportunities. Instead of waiting for deals to appear, successful investors actively search for them by identifying distress, connecting with sellers, and building relationships in the market.

John shares the exact mindset and strategies he would use if he had to start over from scratch today. He explains how to identify profitable deals, how to use platforms like Zillow to find opportunities, and why the most successful investors are the ones consistently “hunting” instead of waiting.

If you're trying to break into real estate or struggling to find deals in today's market, this episode will show you the practical steps you can start using immediately.

Episode Timeline:

00:00 How To Hunt Deals

00:32 What Counts As A Deal

01:16 Real Estate Profit Engines

02:10 Starting With No Money

02:55 Define Your Target

04:00 Hunt With Active Investors

08:31 What Worked Recently

08:50 Deals Working Now

10:38 Distress Signals To Spot

11:09 Zillow Hunting Setup

14:03 Call One Seller Live

15:44 Debrief The Call

18:03 Call Two Seller Live

20:59 Follow Up And Prospecting

23:45 Outwork The Competition

25:20 Consistency Wins

25:56 Final Hunt Mindset

Powerful Quotes:

“If you don't know what you're hunting for, everything will distract you.”
“Find people that are hunting and find out what they killed last.”
“Right now, the people who are hunting are getting the deals.”
“The deals you don't shoot for are the deals you'll never get.”

Key Takeaways:

1. Define your criteria before searching.
Know exactly what type of deal you want so you don't waste time chasing every opportunity.

2. Learn from active investors.
Find people currently closing deals and study how they're finding opportunities in today's market.

3. Look for distress.
The best deals usually come from property distress or seller distress.

4. Be consistent with your outreach.
Calling sellers, networking, and prospecting daily dramatically increases your chances of finding deals.

Conclusion:

Finding great real estate deals isn't about luck—it's about consistent action and clear strategy. Investors who define their criteria, study the market, and actively search for opportunities will always have an advantage. Whether you're calling sellers, analyzing listings, or building relationships with other investors, the key is simple: keep hunting.

The more consistently you look for deals, the more likely you are to find the opportunity that changes your investing journey.