How to Create a BuyBox (Updated + Training Additions)
The Buy Box is the core configuration that determines which properties best match an investor’s acquisition criteria. This guide walks you through the full setup—including new, more intuitive recommendations and reasoning based on real case training.
Important: Always click Next to save your changes between steps.
1. Access the BuyBox Setup
Go to your domain:
yourdomain.8020rei.com/buyboxClick New BuyBox
Select Market Reverse BuyBox (MRBB)
Name your BuyBox with a clear label
Example: “Houston – Residential – Q3”Click Save
2. County Selection
Goal: Group similar counties into the same BuyBox so results stay accurate and consistent.
Rules
Group counties whose median prices differ by <25%
If price differences exceed 25%, use separate BuyBoxes
Exceptions: For Land and Commercial, county price differences matter less
Reasoning (from training)
Splitting counties avoids mixing markets where deal potential and property types behave differently.
Median price differences reflect different investor behavior, risk, and product types.
How to choose counties
Look for clusters with similar median prices
Example:
$250k and $350k → same BuyBox
$500k → separate BuyBox
If unsure, check MAP and deal history for patterns
3. Property Type Selection
Always create separate BuyBoxes for:
Residential
Commercial
Land
Residential categories
SFH, Condo, Townhouse, Modular, Mobile, 2–9 Units
Commercial categories
Commercial, Multi-Family, Self-Storage, Mobile Park, Other
Land
Land (all)
Star guidance from the training
When reviewing which property types to prioritize:
Assign more stars to the investor’s primary deal type.
Example (from training scenario):
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Single-Family Homes
⭐⭐⭐ Condo / Townhouse
⭐ 2–9 Units (if the client has zero history here)
Remove property types that:
Have zero client deals
Have zero market deals
Have no strategic priority
This reduces noise and improves scoring relevance.
4. Property Weights (Scoring Influence)
Use suggested ranges unless Customer Success advises otherwise.
| Metric | Recommended Range |
|---|---|
| ZIP Code | 15–20% |
| Years Old | 20–25% |
| Years of Ownership | 20–25% |
| Total Value | 20–25% |
| LTV | Max 10% |
Tip from training: If the client only wants 1 property type (e.g., only SFH),
set all other property-type weights to 0% so the rest of the criteria redistribute automatically to total 100%.
5. ZIP Code Selection (Circles Review)
This is the most important part of the entire BuyBox.
What to analyze
Each ZIP Code has metrics such as:
Total Properties in that ZIP
Market Deals (how many deals happened in that ZIP)
Client Deals
Client Gross Profit
Leads, Appointments, Closings
% of total performance
How to prioritize ZIP Codes
Use this hierarchy (new from training):
1. Total Gross Profit % (strongest indicator)
Pick ZIPs contributing the highest % of total client profit.
Example:
ZIP 6550 has 12% of the client’s total profit → must be 5 stars.
2. Client Deals
If a ZIP has many deals but low profit, give fewer stars but still include.
3. Market Deals
If the client is NEW to a market:
Use Market Deals to guide future targeting
High market deals = high movement = good targeting ZIP
4. Total Properties
Avoid ZIPs with very few properties (<100) unless the client has an intentional niche focus.
Removing ZIP Codes (Training-Based Rules)
Remove ZIPs that:
Have no client deals
Have no market deals
Have negligible total properties AND low activity
Have stars assigned but absolutely no performance indicators (error)
Add ZIPs if:
They have leads or appointments even without closings
They are emerging market areas the client wants to explore
6. Owner Type Selection
Default recommendation:
Include both individuals and companies
Many absentee/LLCs own investment properties—excluding them reduces lead potential.
7. Years of Ownership
Rules
Exclude 0–4 years
Include 5+ years
Unknown = ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why include Unknown?
Unknown usually means older ownership records not digitized. These often correspond to:
inheritance properties
older landlords
long-term owners likely to sell
8. Property Age (Years Old)
Residential
Exclude properties newer than 15 years
In large markets, consider using 20–25 years as the minimum age
Commercial / Land
Select ALL (weight is 0% → age is irrelevant)
Training Adjustment
Create a star curve aligned to where deals historically cluster.
Example:
If most deals are 50–74 years old
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ → 50–74
⭐⭐⭐⭐ → 40–49 and 75–84
⭐⭐⭐ → next closest ranges
⭐⭐ → fringe ranges
⭐ → ranges with zero deals
❌ Remove unnecessary ranges
9. Loan-to-Value (LTV)
Recommended
Avoid LTV > 100%
Standard: <70% preferred
Use stars to prioritize lower LTVs
10. Estimated Market Value
Residential
Typical: $100K–$600K (client-specific range)
Commercial
Define based on distribution (often higher ranges)
Land
Typical: $10K–$500K
Best practice
Confirm with the client
Cross-check with MRBB distributions
Remove obvious outliers unless client specifically requests them
11. Living Area & Lot Size
Residential
Use standard recommendations
Adjust with client-specific criteria
Commercial & Land
Set ALL (weight = 0)
12. Final Step
Click Save to complete your BuyBox setup.
Additional Guidance from the Training
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assigning ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to too many ZIPs → weak scoring
Leaving property types with stars even if the client never buys them
Including ZIPs with:
zero deals
zero leads
very low property count
Not adjusting age or ownership curves to match the client’s deal distribution
Forgetting to split counties when median price varies significantly
Best Practices
Start with MRBB → refine with Client RBB
Use deal data to anchor decisions, not assumptions
Create multiple BuyBoxes if markets vary significantly
Use stars strategically: fewer ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ makes each one more meaningful
Revisit the BuyBox every 90 days or when client strategy changes
Need Help?
If you need assistance configuring a BuyBox or want expert recommendations based on your market history, contact your Customer Success Manager or email:
