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I read this in the Red Deer Express on the 30th of December. I thought some of you investing in the Red Deer Area might find it interesting.
Dean
Real estate investor defends business
Dec 30, 2009 06:00 am | By Erin Fawcett | Red Deer Express
A man sending letters to homeowners interested in buying their properties says his practice is legitimate and he’s only trying to do business in Central Alberta.
Gary Workman and his wife Marnie are owners of Sunrise Real Estate Investments Inc. near Sylvan Lake.
The letter Workman has been sending addresses the homeowner directly and continues to say: “Hi, my name is Gary. My wife Marnie and I would like to buy your house at (homeowner’s address is included). If you are interested in selling, please call us at 403-774-9533.” The letter is signed “Thanks, Gary.”
“A guy from the States named Ron Legrand came up and taught a bunch of us a course regarding real estate,” said Workman. “Sending out these letters is a technique that he uses and it works for him, so I thought we should give it a try.”
Workman is a member of Real Estate Investment Network. It is a group that meets monthly and this course teaching Workman of the letter technique was held earlier this year.
He’s been sending the letters to homeowners for about the last four months.
“I have had some realtors call me with mixed reactions since these letters have gone out,” he said. “Some want to help and I’ve actually bought homes through them. Others aren’t so kind.”
Workman said once he purchases a home he will sometimes renovate and then sell them, rent them out to monthly renters, or rent-to-own.
“I have found the letters to be very successful,” said Workman. “I’m just trying to help people who are having troubles selling their homes, or can’t get a mortgage because they haven’t been in their job for a year or more. I feel like I offer a service.”
The letters have had some realtors and residents in Central Alberta concerned.
Susan Rochefort, co-owner of Lime Green Realty Inc. in Red Deer said she began getting calls from her clients who had received a letter about two weeks ago and is concerned about the legitimacy of it.
“It really starts to put up some alarm bells,” she said. “I get concerned about people’s desperation especially in this type of economy. You don’t want people to be signing over their house without even realizing what is happening.”
Letters have been reported in many neighbourhoods around the City as well as in other areas in Central Alberta including Sylvan Lake and Red Deer County.
When the phone number at the bottom of the letter obtained by the Express was called, a woman answered and said “Thank you for calling, are you interested in selling your house?”
When probed as to whether or not Gary or Marnie were interested in buying homes in the area the woman who answered then proceeded to say that the pair are private real estate investors that are looking for people who are interested in selling their property and are sending out letters in order to obtain that information.
Workman said he has hired an answering service in the United States to look after his calls because it’s the only service he could find that was not overly expensive.
The RCMP fraud unit has been investigating the letters and others like Workman’s.
Workman said RCMP members have been in contact with him.
“This is a legitimate practice and I answer questions they may have,” he said. “I have nothing to hide.”
Dean
Real estate investor defends business
Dec 30, 2009 06:00 am | By Erin Fawcett | Red Deer Express
A man sending letters to homeowners interested in buying their properties says his practice is legitimate and he’s only trying to do business in Central Alberta.
Gary Workman and his wife Marnie are owners of Sunrise Real Estate Investments Inc. near Sylvan Lake.
The letter Workman has been sending addresses the homeowner directly and continues to say: “Hi, my name is Gary. My wife Marnie and I would like to buy your house at (homeowner’s address is included). If you are interested in selling, please call us at 403-774-9533.” The letter is signed “Thanks, Gary.”
“A guy from the States named Ron Legrand came up and taught a bunch of us a course regarding real estate,” said Workman. “Sending out these letters is a technique that he uses and it works for him, so I thought we should give it a try.”
Workman is a member of Real Estate Investment Network. It is a group that meets monthly and this course teaching Workman of the letter technique was held earlier this year.
He’s been sending the letters to homeowners for about the last four months.
“I have had some realtors call me with mixed reactions since these letters have gone out,” he said. “Some want to help and I’ve actually bought homes through them. Others aren’t so kind.”
Workman said once he purchases a home he will sometimes renovate and then sell them, rent them out to monthly renters, or rent-to-own.
“I have found the letters to be very successful,” said Workman. “I’m just trying to help people who are having troubles selling their homes, or can’t get a mortgage because they haven’t been in their job for a year or more. I feel like I offer a service.”
The letters have had some realtors and residents in Central Alberta concerned.
Susan Rochefort, co-owner of Lime Green Realty Inc. in Red Deer said she began getting calls from her clients who had received a letter about two weeks ago and is concerned about the legitimacy of it.
“It really starts to put up some alarm bells,” she said. “I get concerned about people’s desperation especially in this type of economy. You don’t want people to be signing over their house without even realizing what is happening.”
Letters have been reported in many neighbourhoods around the City as well as in other areas in Central Alberta including Sylvan Lake and Red Deer County.
When the phone number at the bottom of the letter obtained by the Express was called, a woman answered and said “Thank you for calling, are you interested in selling your house?”
When probed as to whether or not Gary or Marnie were interested in buying homes in the area the woman who answered then proceeded to say that the pair are private real estate investors that are looking for people who are interested in selling their property and are sending out letters in order to obtain that information.
Workman said he has hired an answering service in the United States to look after his calls because it’s the only service he could find that was not overly expensive.
The RCMP fraud unit has been investigating the letters and others like Workman’s.
Workman said RCMP members have been in contact with him.
“This is a legitimate practice and I answer questions they may have,” he said. “I have nothing to hide.”
