Episode 127: How I Get Free Real Estate Leads
Author: Johnoson Crutchfield
September 7, 2026
Duration: 3:08
Shownotes:
What if you don't need an expensive lead-generation system to find motivated real estate sellers?
In this mini episode, Johnoson breaks down his three favorite lead-generation strategies: social media, pay-per-lead, and cold calling. He explains why social media is his favorite because it costs nothing to post consistently and keeps real estate investing top-of-mind with his audience.
He also explains when paying for leads makes sense, why cold calling is still a powerful option when you're starting with little money, and how virtual assistants can help scale outbound calls.
Most importantly, Johnoson challenges the idea that you need to find the "perfect" list. The real priority is making the calls and targeting the right types of prospects, including absentee owners, high-equity homeowners, and people showing signs of motivation
Episode Timeline:
0:00 – 0:35 — Social Media: The #1 Free Lead Source0:35 – 1:20 — Turning Posts into Free Leads1:20 – 2:05 — Pay-Per-Lead: Scaling with a Budget2:05 – 2:40 — Cold Calling & VAs on Your Lists2:40 – 2:58 — Picking Better Lists (Motivation & Criteria)
Quotes:
“It is more important that you're making the calls than it is that you get the list from a certain place.”
Key Takeaways:
Use social media as free marketing. Consistently talking about real estate can keep you top-of-mind when someone eventually needs to sell.
Pay for leads when you have the budget. Paid leads can be more responsive because the seller has already expressed an interest in selling.
Cold calling is still an effective starting point. It costs less money but requires more time and effort.
Use VAs to scale your calls. Once you have a system, virtual assistants can help work through your prospect lists.
Don't obsess over where your list comes from. Making the calls is more important than finding one supposedly perfect list.
Prioritize motivated prospects. Recent pre-foreclosures can be more motivated than older foreclosure records.
Target absentee and high-equity owners. These criteria can help you build stronger lists of people worth contacting.
Conclusion:
The key lesson is that you don't need an expensive lead-generation system to find real estate deals. You need a strategy you can consistently execute.
Start with free social media marketing if money is tight. Add paid leads when you have the budget and want sellers who are more likely to answer. Use cold calling when you're willing to trade money for time, and eventually use VAs to help scale the process.
Most importantly, don't waste time searching for the "perfect" list. Pick a solid list, target motivated sellers, and make the calls. Your ability to consistently create conversations matters more than where the list came from.
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