Social media for deal sourcing — LinkedIn vs Instagram vs Facebook groups?

Ingrid, I've tested all three over the past 2 years. Here's what I found: LinkedIn: Best for B2B relationships (other brokers, lenders, attorneys, CPAs). Not great for direct investor sourcing but excellent for referral partner development. Instagram: Good for brand building and showing your expertise, but the ROI is slow. Takes 12+ months to see deal flow from it. Facebook groups: Best for direct investor access, especially local real estate investor groups. I've gotten 6 deals from Facebook groups in the past year. The key is being genuinely helpful in the group, not just posting "I'm a broker, DM me." My recommendation: LinkedIn for relationships, Facebook groups for deals.

facebook groups are UNDERRATED. i joined 4 local rei groups and just answer questions. i get 2-3 DMs a week from investors who want to talk. zero cold calling required

Priya and Zach — this is exactly what I needed. Going to focus on LinkedIn for lender relationships and Facebook groups for investors. Thank you!!

Don't sleep on YouTube either. Long-form content builds trust faster than any other platform.

Great discussion everyone. From my 5+ years in the space, I've found a multi-platform approach works best, but with clear objectives for each. LinkedIn is invaluable for connecting with institutional LPs, family offices, and other brokers for co-brokerage opportunities on larger deals – think $10M+ multifamily or industrial. I use it to share market insights and case studies, like a recent 2-year bridge-to-perm on a repositioned retail center. For direct investor access on smaller to mid-sized deals ($1M-$5M bridge or perm debt), Zach is spot on with Facebook groups. I’ve sourced several 1-4 unit investor loans and even a small commercial acquisition loan by consistently answering questions and offering quick, no-obligation underwriting snapshots. It builds trust quickly. Instagram is more for general brand awareness, showing our team's expertise and closing wins, but less direct sourcing for me. Focus on where your target client spends their time.

Leon Watts here, Watts Bridge Capital. For deal sourcing, frankly, I'm not spending a ton of time scrolling. Our bread and butter is speed and asset value, so we focus on channels that bring us direct, actionable leads for asset-based deals. LinkedIn is solid for connecting with brokers who understand our niche – fix-and-flip, commercial bridge, land development. We're talking 70-75% LTV, 12-18 month terms, 10-12% rates, 2-3 points. We close in 7-10 days, sometimes faster. We educate brokers on what a 'hard money' deal *really* means: it's not about credit, it's about the collateral. Facebook groups can work for direct investors, but it's often a lot of noise to sift through. My best leads still come from direct broker relationships and referrals who know we can fund when conventional banks can't or won't. Focus on educating your referral network on your specific product, not just casting a wide net.

Great question. For us at Russo Mortgage Advisors, LinkedIn is unequivocally the most effective for deal sourcing, especially for larger CRE and multifamily projects. We've closed several bridge loans, ranging from $5M to $20M, directly from connections made or nurtured there. I focus on sharing detailed case studies – for instance, a recent 12-unit multifamily acquisition loan where we secured 80% LTC at a 9% rate for a value-add sponsor. This demonstrates our capability and attracts similar opportunities. I also actively engage in relevant groups, offering insights on underwriting trends or specific market conditions. Facebook groups can yield smaller, local investor deals, but the quality and scale are generally lower. Instagram is more for brand visibility than direct sourcing in my experience. My advice: pick one platform, master it with specific content, and then expand.

Great question! When I was solo, I definitely tried to be everywhere, which was exhausting and not very effective. Now that we're scaling, my approach has shifted dramatically towards systems and delegation. For deal sourcing, LinkedIn is hands down our most productive channel for B2B referrals, especially for commercial and larger residential projects. We've built out a process where my junior loan officers are responsible for engaging with real estate agents, financial planners, and CPAs there. We track these interactions in our CRM, and it's led to a consistent flow of 3-5 new referral partners monthly, generating about 15-20 qualified leads. Instagram is more for brand awareness and attracting first-time homebuyers, which we delegate to our marketing assistant. Facebook groups can work for specific niches, but the ROI for us hasn't justified the time investment compared to LinkedIn's structured networking.

Miles Underwood, Underwood Lending here. For us, it’s less about the platform and more about who you’re connecting with and what they need. We’re hard money, so our clients typically need speed and are asset-focused, not credit-score driven. LinkedIn is solid for connecting with brokers, title agents, and real estate attorneys – the people who see deals before they hit the market. I've sourced several fix-and-flip loans, even a couple of commercial bridge deals up to $2M, directly from broker referrals I cultivated there. Facebook groups can work for finding active investors, but it's often more noise. Instagram? Not really for our niche. Focus on where the professionals are who understand asset-based lending and can send you deals that need a 7-10 day close, not a 60-day conventional process.

This is a great question. I've been in the game a few years now, mostly residential bridge, fix & flip, and DSCR, and I've tried to hit all these platforms. Honestly, for me, Facebook groups have been surprisingly effective, but it's about finding the right ones. I'm talking local investor groups, real estate meet-up pages, and even some national fix & flip communities. I've sourced a few solid DSCR deals, like a 10-door portfolio in Phoenix, directly from a Facebook group post where an investor was asking for financing options. You just have to be consistent, offer value, and not just spam your services. LinkedIn is good for connecting with other brokers or referral partners, but direct investor leads for my niche? Less so. Instagram is more for general branding, not direct deal flow in my experience. What kind of deals are you primarily chasing?

This is a super relevant thread. I'm only about a year and a half in, and I've been wrestling with this exact thing. I started strong on LinkedIn, connecting with commercial real estate brokers and developers. It's gotten me a few good leads for multifamily bridge loans, like a 12-unit deal last month, but it feels a bit slow burn. I tried Instagram for a bit, mostly just posting market updates and some lifestyle stuff, but it didn't really translate to direct deal flow for me. I'm curious about Facebook groups, Hector. Are you finding actual borrowers there, or more referral partners? I dipped my toe in a few local investor groups, but it felt like a lot of noise and not many serious inquiries. Any tips on how to filter or which types of groups are most effective? I'm trying to figure out where to focus my limited marketing budget and time.

Great discussion. Robert Huang from Pacific Bridge Capital here. For deal sourcing, I've found a multi-pronged approach works best, but with a clear focus on where your ideal client spends their time. LinkedIn is invaluable for connecting with established CRE brokers, developers, and institutional investors. I've sourced several multifamily bridge deals, 10M+ range, directly from LinkedIn connections who needed a quick close or flexible terms beyond traditional bank offerings. It's about consistent engagement and sharing relevant insights, not just cold outreach. We recently closed a $12.5M acquisition loan for a 150-unit asset in Dallas, which originated from a LinkedIn message exchange with a developer I'd been following for months. Facebook groups are better for direct investor access, especially for smaller balance bridge or DSCR loans, say under $5M. I use them more for market intelligence and identifying emerging sponsors. Instagram, for me, is more for brand reinforcement and showing market presence rather than direct lead generation. My advice: pick one or two platforms where your target audience truly lives, and go deep there with valuable content and genuine engagement.