Door Knocking Etiquette 101: How to Introduce Yourself to an Owner Who’s Home is Scheduled for Auction

If a property is scheduled for auction in less than a week, you can definitely knock on their door, introduce yourself, and see if they are open to discussing possible solutions.  Just keep in mind that if the auction is in less than a week, that really doesn’t give you much time to do the due diligence you need to do. Hopefully when you contact them they will be motivated enough that they will take immediate action, because you still need a few days to do a title search, get with the lender, get with the trustee, find out everything that is going on with the property, how much it’s going to cost to reinstate the loan, find out what kind of condition the property is in, and so forth.

This is your due diligence and you can’t overlook anything.  That’s why Marko always advises to make sure the final marketing piece you send someone is at least a week before the auction date. You really do need that time.  You can’t just swoop in at the 11th hour without any knowledge of the situation.

So yes, you can absolutely go knock on somebody’s door, but just know you need a few days to really properly do your due diligence. And how would you approach them? Just a quick side note here, you never want to go up to them and say, “Gee, I noticed you’re in foreclosure”, that’s the WRONG way.

Here’s the right way: Just knock on the door and just say, “Hey, I noticed that the house is maybe having some issues. I saw it on public record – and maybe you’ve already got everything taken care of with the bank – but if not, maybe there’s something I can do to help you.” See if they’re open and receptive, if they are, take it from there. You may just have a sweet deal on your hands.