Robert,

One of the things we did when there was no inventory is to create it, by going out and talking to various building owners, etc (commercial real estate).  We ended up with lists of who would sell if the price and terms were right.  We also had a list of people who could close in 30 days all cash...

We have a client that put that idea into practice.  She always has inventory that way. She has also has a signed agreement to be paid.  It can be done, and there are other ways also.  A

Pray Hard Vegas Bob.  We've been dealing with that in San Jose for some time now. Working with buyers is a real challenge. 

I have sent letters to homeowners in a particular area, or on a street. Sometimes you get someone who is willing to talk and consider selling depending on the value.

Keep getting the word out so when they are ready to sell or buy they will call you first.

Cry?

We work with buyers and sellers just outside our immediate area

Start building homes

Which came first the chicken or the egg? We fist have a stable of ready, willing, and able buyers. Know their needs and wants, then canvas the preferred neighborhoods to discover any interested parties. May potential sellers are wary of phishing efforts by agents, so if we discover a potential seller, we do secure a commission agreement to show the home to Mr. XYZ, and show up with them in tow.

Robert Vegas Bob Swetz You should always keep your pipe line full, but should it get low, it is time to start beating the bushes. Talk to your SOI, check out old expired listings that didn't sell, get more involved with the community, etc.

focus on the nearest town that has decent turnover....

That's been the story in Charlotte for three years now... all you can do is stay on top of new listings, get your clients into homes asap, and make the right offers.

We are experiencing this "thin" inventory in our Condo market and have tried, unsuccessfully, farming these areas. Sellers are not moving, and we have been placing buyers on our ALERT lists!

I've done what Ron and Alexandra Seigel did. You need solid buyers that are not bargain hunting for this to work.

Market harder for listings so I am top of mind when someone wants to sell. Mark

Maybe talk to owners about "moving up"? I just did, and now I am working 3 transaction sides to it on just 1 initial client.

Keep your ear to the ground and beat the streets for business!  It's there - you just have to dig deeper to find it now than in years past!

I wouldn't know.  Inventory has never been an issue in my market

You look for buyers who are willing to consider different areas where there is inventory.  I've gotten to know some interesting neighborhoods in Prince William County in Virginia, which is about a half hour south of DC - except in rush hour, of course!

Wish we had that problem! One thing you could do is research homes that have a good deal of equity in them and see if they are ready to "trade up".

The "would sell" list that Ron and Alexandra Seigel discuss and that Ben Kinney did a webinar on here are a good option.  Mailers and going door to door is another option.  See if you can get in with an investment company to buy those fixers and flip them.  They are the only ones that want those.

Do not give up.  People move all the time.

Welcome to a world many of us are experiencing.  

These are challenging times in many markets.  

Door knock, send mailers, beg, plead, promise.

Get back to bird dogging.  Looks for estate sales, city code violations, properties that look abandoned, etc., etc., etc.

More door knocking.  It is a tough market to crack.

Suicide is never the answer .....

I talk more about new construction

Answer: Do you want fries with that? Gotta make a living somehow

We go into property management and grow our own listings.

More prospecting, more networking!

Convince those would be sellers that now is the time to sell over waiting for the next bog season. Here in NH for instance spring is tops followed close by fall. Many dont want to list in summer or winter, many of those that do, get rewarded with a quick sale. 

I've tried networking and targeting certain streets and sometimes it works. Marketing to my are for so long I do get the calls to list homes.

not much!

Look for another area to farm.

Look for new home builders.  Create a "would sell list" as Ben Kinney has done (see Bob Stewart 's blog post and/or webinar about this, find a niche and specialize in this, try a new farm area, call past clients, network with estate and probate attorneys, real estate attorneys.  Create a list of homeowners with kids that recently graduated or about to graduate.  There are lots of ideas as many of have mentioned already. 

Sell what is available.

Robert Vegas Bob Swetz - of course announce it loudly!

However, I am listening to a CD from Joe Niego on how to create instant inventory -- 10 ways to do it!

Cover a larger geographic area.

but are there FSBOs if there is so little inventory? Maybe no one is really selling....