Contacting homeowners in Michigan: Do Not Call and telemarketing rules for investors
The short answer
Michigan telemarketing rules for real estate investors come from two layers: federal law (the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule, including the National Do Not Call Registry) and Michigan consumer protection law. Many attorneys advise investors to treat cold calls and texts to homeowners as covered, because the rules are broad and the penalties fall on the caller. Check your approach with a Michigan attorney, and when in doubt, choose letters or other low-pressure contact over unsolicited calls.
Do Michigan telemarketing rules apply to real estate investors?
A homeowner who has just lost a spouse or received a foreclosure notice can pick up the phone to a stranger offering to buy the house. That one call is where the law comes in. Michigan telemarketing rules for real estate investors are not a single statute, but a mix of federal and state consumer protection law.
The federal layer. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule set the baseline, including the National Do Not Call Registry, calling hours and limits on automated calls. The TCPA defines a telephone solicitation broadly, including calls that encourage the purchase of or investment in property.
Why investors should assume it covers them. Whether a call from a buyer, rather than a seller of goods, counts as telemarketing can be argued either way in some situations. Because the risk lands on you if you guess wrong, the careful approach is to follow the rules as if they apply. Michigan also has its own consumer protection law, which requires a telephone solicitor to give their name and organization at the start of the call, bars blocking caller ID and bars calling someone who asked not to be called (MCL 445.111b, 445.111c). Rules for brokers and wholesalers can change, so confirm the current picture with a Michigan attorney.
Contact methods and what to watch for
| Method | Main rules to consider | Risk level |
|---|---|---|
| Live phone call | Do Not Call Registry, own opt-out list, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. window, accurate caller ID | Moderate |
| Text message | Treated like marketing calls, consent questions, opt-out handling | Higher |
| Prerecorded or autodialed call | Consent generally required, especially for cell phones | Highest |
| Handwritten or mailed letter | Not covered by phone rules, but honest wording and opt-out requests still matter | Lower |
Rules vary by state. General information, not legal advice.
The core rules you need to follow when phoning homeowners
These are the basics that apply to telemarketing calls under federal rules. Your attorney can tell you which exemptions, if any, fit your business.
- Do Not Call Registry. Numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry cannot be called for telemarketing unless an exemption applies, such as consent or an established business relationship. Numbers should be checked against the registry regularly, and the federal rules set a 31-day window for how current that check must be.
- Your own do-not-call list. If someone says "don't call me again," you must honor it and keep a record. This applies even when the number is not on the registry.
- Calling hours. Telemarketing calls are limited to between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in the called person's local time.
- Caller ID. Your number and, where required, your name must be transmitted accurately. Spoofing is a problem.
- Honest identification. Say who you are, that you are an investor looking to buy, and why you are calling.
Texts, prerecorded messages and autodialers
Automation raises the stakes. Under the TCPA, prerecorded or artificial-voice calls to cell phones generally require prior express consent, and when the call is telemarketing, the consent must be prior express written consent, apart from narrow exceptions such as calls by tax-exempt nonprofits (47 C.F.R. 64.1200(a)(2)). Automatic dialing systems are also regulated. Michigan has its own provisions too: state law bars a telephone solicitation that consists in whole or in part of a recorded message (MCL 445.111a), so ask an attorney how they interact with the federal rules.
Texts count. Courts and regulators generally treat marketing text messages like calls. A mass text to a list of homeowners can create the same exposure as a call, multiplied by the size of the list.
Because the cost of an error scales with volume, many investors keep automation out of the picture. A person calling one homeowner at a time, at a reasonable hour, with honest framing, is in a different position than a blast.
Treating owners in hard situations with care
Owners facing probate, divorce, or missed payments are often stressed, grieving or embarrassed. Rules aside, pressure tactics tend to backfire. They also invite complaints, and a complaint is how most telemarketing problems begin.
Keep it low-pressure. Introduce yourself, explain that you buy houses, and offer to share information. Accept a no immediately and note it. Do not call repeatedly after someone declines, and do not imply you know more about their situation than you should.
Do not give legal advice. You can explain how you buy, but encourage owners to talk to their own attorney, a housing counselor or a tax professional. For foreclosure situations, a HUD-approved housing counselor can explain options neutrally.
A short, courteous letter is often a better first contact than a phone call. It gives the person time to think, and it carries none of the call-time restrictions. Keystone's court-filing leads arrive with the owner and property already matched, so your time goes to respectful outreach, not to digging. You can read more on the how it works page.
A practical compliance routine
Rules differ by situation, so this is a framework to bring to your attorney, not a substitute for advice.
- Decide in writing which contact methods you will use: letters, live calls, texts, or in person.
- Check numbers against the National Do Not Call Registry before calling, and keep your own do-not-call list.
- Call only within the allowed hours, using the homeowner's local time.
- Use a script that identifies you and your purpose honestly.
- Log every opt-out the same day and stop all outreach to that person.
- Have a Michigan attorney review your process, including your contracts and any wholesaling or brokerage questions.
For Michigan-specific lead information, see the Michigan page.
Questions investors ask
Does Michigan have its own Do Not Call list?
Michigan law makes the federal National Do Not Call Registry the state's do-not-call list for as long as the federal list is maintained, and bars telephone solicitations to residential numbers on it (MCL 445.111a). Michigan consumer protection law adds its own telephone solicitation rules on top. Rules can change, so confirm the current position with an attorney.
Can I call a homeowner if their number is not on the Do Not Call Registry?
Not being on the registry does not end your obligations. You still must honor direct requests to stop, respect calling hours and follow the rules on automated calls and texts.
Are text messages to homeowners allowed?
Marketing texts are generally regulated like calls, and consent rules can apply, particularly for automated messages. Many investors avoid mass texting for that reason. Ask an attorney before you send any.
What should I say if someone asks me to stop calling?
Say you will remove them, thank them and end the call. Record the request that day and make sure no one on your team contacts them again.
Is direct mail safer than calling?
Mail is not covered by the phone rules, so it avoids that category of risk. It is still subject to honesty and consumer protection standards, and you should respect any request to stop mailing.
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