Driving for Dollars Route Planner
A systematic structure for planning and tracking driving-for-dollars routes. The discipline isn't in the driving — it's in the consistent route coverage, signal logging, and follow-up that converts photos into contracts.
- Pre-route planning checklist (neighborhood selection, route mapping)
- In-route signal-logging template (10 distress signals to look for)
- Post-route follow-up workflow (skip-trace, mail, call cadence)
- Weekly metrics-tracking format
- Fill out the Pre-Route section BEFORE driving — pick area, expected duration, target signal count
- Use the in-route log for each property identified (or use DealMachine app instead)
- Within 48 hours of driving, run the post-route workflow on every logged property
- Track weekly metrics — improvement only comes from measurement
Copy below, or download.
DRIVING FOR DOLLARS — ROUTE LOG
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PRE-ROUTE PLANNING
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Date: ______________
Driver: ______________
Target neighborhood: ______________________________
Year built range: ____________
Median home value: $____________
Why this neighborhood: ____________________________
Route boundaries:
Start address: ______________________________
End address: ______________________________
Estimated mileage: ______ mi
Estimated duration: ______ minutes
Target signals to capture: ______ properties
Equipment check:
[ ] DealMachine app loaded / phone charged
[ ] Paper backup log (in case of app issues)
[ ] Camera ready
[ ] Water + snacks for longer routes
[ ] Backup driver / passenger if 2+ hours
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IN-ROUTE SIGNAL CHECKLIST
For each property identified:
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PROPERTY ADDRESS: ______________________________________________
Photo taken: [ ]
Approximate year built: ____
Approximate sqft: ____
Stories: 1 2 3+
SIGNALS PRESENT (check all):
[ ] Roof damage / sagging gutters
[ ] Boarded windows / doors
[ ] Overgrown grass + landscaping
[ ] Junk in yard (furniture / appliances / non-running cars)
[ ] Newspapers / mail piled up
[ ] Tarp on roof
[ ] Foundation cracks visible
[ ] Multiple "for sale" signs (failed marketing)
[ ] Code violation notice posted
[ ] Vacant appearance (no lights / no recent activity signs)
Estimated condition tier:
[ ] Cosmetic-only repair needed
[ ] Mid-rehab (mechanicals + finishes)
[ ] Gut rehab
[ ] Tear-down candidate
Notes: ___________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
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POST-ROUTE WORKFLOW
Within 48 hours of driving:
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For each logged property:
STEP 1: Owner lookup (county tax records / PropStream / etc.)
Owner name: ______________________________
Owner mailing address: ______________________________
Mailing ≠ property: [ y / n ] (if y, ABSENTEE)
STEP 2: Skip-trace
Phone 1: ______________________________
Phone 2: ______________________________
Email: ______________________________
STEP 3: Initial outreach
Mail letter 1 sent: Date ____________
Cold call attempt 1: Date ____________ Result: ____
Cold call attempt 2: Date ____________ Result: ____
STEP 4: Follow-up cadence
Letter 2 (day 14-21): Date ____________
Letter 3 (day 45-60): Date ____________
Phone follow-up: Date ____________ Result: ____
STEP 5: Outcome
[ ] No response after 4 touches — archive
[ ] Owner contacted, not interested — note + revisit in 6 months
[ ] Owner interested — schedule property walkthrough
[ ] Property under contract
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WEEKLY METRICS
============================
Routes driven this week: ____
Total properties logged: ____
Average signals per property: ____
Conversion funnel:
Properties skip-traced: ____
Letters mailed: ____
Outbound calls: ____
Live conversations: ____
Qualified inbound responses: ____
Contracts written: ____
Contracts assigned: ____
Cost (this week):
Mileage / gas / vehicle: $______
Skip-trace credits: $______
Direct mail: $______
TOTAL THIS WEEK: $______
Cost per contract: $______ - Without follow-up, driving for dollars produces zero deals. The driving is 20% of the work; outreach + follow-up is 80%.
- Drive the same neighborhoods on a rotation — properties that didn't signal distress this month may show signals in 3-6 months.
- Respect HOA + gated-community restrictions on solicitation. Some jurisdictions require explicit signage observation rules; check local ordinances.
Deeper context.
Terms referenced in this template.
Direct mail is the practice of sending physical mail (postcards, letters, yellow letters) to property owners to generate inbound calls about selling. Despite the rise of digital channels, direct mail remains the dominant lead-generation channel for residential wholesalers in 2026.
Skip tracing is the process of finding a property owner's current phone numbers, email addresses, and alternate addresses — typically by querying a third-party data service that aggregates public records, credit headers, and proprietary databases.
A distressed property is one whose owner is in financial, legal, or physical distress that motivates a below-market sale — pre-foreclosure, divorce, inheritance, code violations, hoarder conditions, or major deferred maintenance. The core inventory pool for wholesalers and value-add investors.
Sourcing is the discipline of generating motivated-seller leads — direct mail, cold calling, driving for dollars, pre-foreclosure lists, probate filings. Every wholesale and BRRRR business is fundamentally a sourcing operation; the rest is execution.
REI utility library.
A starting-point assignment of contract for transferring your purchase rights to an end buyer. Three-party agreement between the wholesaler (assignor), end buyer (assignee), and reference to the original seller in the underlying contract.
brrrr rentalsA one-page deal-analysis structure for BRRRR underwriting. Plug in the inputs, compute the five numbers a BRRRR has to clear: all-in cost ≤ 75% ARV, refi appraisal supported, refi proceeds ≥ all-in, monthly cash flow ≥ $200/door, DSCR ≥ 1.20.
flippingA line-item rehab budget format covering all standard trades. Designed for both flip-grade (retail buyer expectations) and BRRRR-grade (durable tenant finishes) scope. Use as the basis for contractor bidding — same template, multiple contractor inputs, side-by-side comparison.
sourcingA starting-point yellow-letter style template for direct-mail outreach to absentee owners, free-and-clear owners, or pre-foreclosure lists. Designed to feel personal and low-pressure — high-pressure mailers produce angry responses and policy complaints, not deals.
wholesalingA structured format for building and maintaining a vetted cash buyers list. The wholesaler's most valuable asset — segmented properly, this list determines how fast you can move deals.
creative financeA starting-point disclosure document for subject-to transactions, where the seller signs an explicit acknowledgment that they understand the structure, the risks, and their continued exposure on the underlying mortgage. Critical for legal protection and good ethics.
wholesalingA standard addendum to a purchase agreement granting the buyer (typically the wholesaler) a defined inspection period during which the contract can be canceled and earnest money returned. The wholesaler's primary risk-management tool.
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