10 Ways To Find Investment Properties

By admin | March 13, 2010

If you really want the best deals in investment properties, you have to increase your odds by finding more deals. Who is more likely to get a cheap apartment building, an investor that looks through the MLS listings and calls it a day, or the one that uses ten resources? Here are the ten:

 1. Talk. Let people know you are looking and sometimes the properties will come to you. There are a lot of owners out there who want to sell, but haven’t yet listed their property.

 2. Use the internet. Go to a search engine and enter the type of real estate you are looking for, along with the city you want to invest in. You never know what you might find.

 3. Drive around looking for “For Sale By Owner” signs. Owners often don’t want to pay to keep the ad in the paper every week, so you won’t see all properties there.

 4. Find abandoned properties. That’s a pretty clear sign that the owner doesn’t want to deal with the property. He might sell cheap.

 5. Find old “For Rent” ads. Call if they are a few weeks old. Landlords are often ready to sell, especially if the haven’t yet rented the units out.

 6. Talk to bankers. You might get a foreclosed-on investment property cheaper if you buy it before they list it with a real estate agent.

 7. Offer someone a finder’s fee. There are people that always seem to hear about the good deals. Have such people coming to you.

 8. Eviction notices. If your local papers publish eviction notices, or if you can get the information at the courthouse, it can be useful. A landlord who just went through the procees of evicting tenants is a likely seller.

 9. Old FSBO ads. If you call on two-month-old “For sale By Owner” ads, and they haven’t sold, they may be ready to deal. Owners often give up the effort, but still would love to sell. Help them out!

 10. Put an ad in the paper. “Looking for investment properties to buy,” might be sufficient to generate a few calls.

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Calling a Lawyer Should Be a Private Home Sellers First Move

By admin | February 19, 2010

You are selling your own home because you think you’re up to the task, that it can’t be that difficult? You’re right of course; however you want to make sure you abide by some basic common sense guidelines to help ensure your success. It’s not all about putting a sign on the lawn and an advert in the paper.

Your first step should be calling a lawyer. If you don’t have one you will need to find one. A good bet is to get a referral from friends or family. A lawyer at this stage of your sale will give you all the legal information you need to enter into the sale with a confidence that would be lacking otherwise. Your lawyer can do a title search on your home to make sure it’s free of encumbrances that may only turn up on closing i.e. an encroachment. Do you have an up to date survey? These can be deal killers at the last minute you want to avoid. You’ll need a search done anyway to close your sale.

Lawyers can also advise you on any new by-laws or regulations you should be aware of for your home and area. Every jurisdiction seems to have rules that need to be followed when preparing an offer to purchase form. A lawyer can make sure these special clauses are written into your offer to purchase form. Have your lawyer provide you with copies of the offer to purchase in hard copy format and also on disk so you can print them off your home PC when needed. Ask your lawyer how he would prefer to see your offer set up.

Ask your lawyer to give you any information you will need to make the closing of your sale timely and without any surprises. If there is anything that will hold up or quash your deal you want advance notice so you can take care of the problem now. Count on being charged for your lawyers’ services but it’s the old adage pay me now or pay me later.

Ask your lawyer to give you some insight into your mortgage situation. He can give you details and options based on your current loan that perhaps will help your sale. At the very least the lawyer can give you questions to ask at your lending institution i.e. is your mortgage assumable? If the interest rate and terms are attractive the purchaser may want to assume your current mortgage. All good stuff to know in advance of your sale. Likewise your mortgage may need to be removed so the purchaser can arrange their own financing. What are the ramifications with this, will it be expensive to remove?

When you recruit a real estate agent to help you sell your home, the good ones know all this information in advance. Any information they don’t have that can create problems generally surfaces at closing thanks to the lawyers. Your agent acts in your best interests along with your lawyer to sort out these problems at closing and many issues are usually dealt with to either parties’ satisfaction one way or another.

Not having an agent working for you means your chances of having a problem sometime during the process of trading your real estate is a real probability. The best way to mitigate your chances of potential headaches is to spend the money up front for a legal professional to sort through the landmines before you step on one and your deal disintegrates at the worst possible time. You’ll be investing a great deal of time selling your home. Make sure you are prepared. It is fairly simple to sell your own home. Closing that sale cleanly is another matter entirely.

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What Is The Definition Of Cap Rate, And Why Does It Matter?

By admin | February 5, 2010

In commercial real estate, cap rate, or capitalization rate, is used to determine the values of income producing properties such as apartments of five units or more, office buildings, strip malls and other such properties. The cap rate can represent extremely different things to different people in respect to their interests in commercial real estate. Before we investigate why cap rate matters, and what it means to specific people, let’s look at the actual equation and see how it works.

Cap rate has two main components which area: net operating income (NOI) and price or estimated value of the property. NOI is found by subtracting all expenses from the gross income of the property. When the NOI is divided by the price or value of a property, you are left with the cap rate.

You can move the components of cap rate around in order to determine each of the variables in the equation. The different equations used to determine any of the three variables are below:

                   NOI
Cap rate = ——–
                   Price

               NOI
Price=  ———-
           Cap Rate

NOI = Value x Cap Rate

As you can see, depending on the information you have regarding the property, you can determine any of the three variables.

That’s great, you say, I can determine these three variables! But how does it affect my commercial real estate endeavors?

To show the main differences between cap rates, I am going to divide investments into three major categories:

Safe investment: Cap rate of 5%
Average investment: Cap rate of 10%
Risky investment: Cap rate of 20%

What the buyer wants out of the property determines what a buyer is looking for.

For example, property being sold at a 5% cap rate is often characterized by low vacancy percentages (less than 5%-10%), beautiful property grounds, good management, up to date amenities, and rents or leases priced at market rate. There is a positive and strong cash flow every month because the property is operating at its full potential.

This property’s value is greater when operating at peak performance, so a higher price is asked by the seller, making the cap rate lower. Those who buy at low cap rates are often looking for retail, already performing property that brings in a steady cash flow every month. A buyer such as this is often part of a REIT, or real estate investment trust, or a professional, such as a doctor or lawyer, who wishes only to deal with good properties and watch the cash flow in.

A property being sold at a 10% cap rate is often characterized by higher vacancies (around 10%-20%), average grounds, an average management team and average amenities. There is definitely some room for improvement with these properties. A buyer who picks up a property like this is looking to make those improvements by increasing rates, renovating and fixing up the property, as well as employing a well operating management team.

The sole purpose of this type of buyer is to create value in the property where it is lacking. It does take some work, and is more risky than the 5% cap rate property, so the asking price is less. Hundreds of thousands of dollars can be created in this difference between an average and good operating property.

A property being sold at a 20% cap rate, or more, is usually considered a very distressed property with vacancies of 20% and more, rundown grounds, old buildings that are falling apart, a poor management team and even a problem owner. Because of the risk, low operating income and problems with the property, a person who is willing to undertake such a property must not be afraid of a little (or much) work and the risk involved in attempting to turn a property of this type around.

However, there are hundreds of thousands, sometimes millions of dollars to be made in these properties! It takes a keen eye and some varied and creative scenarios to determine if the property will perform as you expect it will.

As you can see, the cap rate can be great for one person, and horrible for another, depending on the type of investor the buyer is!

As a seller, the seller wants to sell the property at the lowest cap rate possible because that means it is being offered at the highest price possible. It definitely depends on the condition of the property, operating income, expenses, vacancies and management team to determine what the seller can get for the property. The market will dictate what the right price is for a property.

Cap rates are considered the best way to determine the value of a property. Remember that a bank, or other type of lender, will be looking at the NOI of a property compared to the debt in order to determine if it is a safe investment for the lender. To a lender, the debt coverage is more important than the cap rate. However, if you can get the cap rate higher by getting a lower purchase price, then you can get a smaller loan, and possibly be able to cover the loan with the current NOI. It is a matter of working the numbers to see if a deal is feasible.

When you investigate commercial properties, use the cap rate to determine if the subject property fits your specific criteria. Always create future scenarios and manipulate the property’s income and expense sheets to determine if you can get the money out of the property that you hope to get.

Gold mines can be found in higher cap properties, so check it out and see what you can discover in your own community.

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Build Relationships and Leads Will Follow

By admin | January 30, 2010

Starting out in the real estate business (or any business for that matter) can be a little anxiety inspiring. The initial stage of getting off the ground is always a challenge. There are plenty of ideas out there on how to get new business, but one of the best ways to build your business is by building on the relationships with your current clients. If you offer outstanding service and do the job right, you will get the referrals. Word of mouth is still one of the best marketing tools a business can ask for.

Always keep your seller in the loop – give them information and updates as to how their home is being marketed, provide prompt feedback from buyers who have seen the property. Make sure your buyers have the new listings as soon as possible.

When your clients seal the deal send a gift card or a bottle of wine. Give a gift for possession. It shows your client that you recognize this milestone in their life, and the personal touch makes all the difference. “When we moved into the new house there was a lovely gift basket filled with fancy preserves, crackers, chocolates and champagne from our realtor,” says one new homeowner. “We had a little celebration picnic in our new home.”

Consider implementing a customer satisfaction survey – after your business is done, give your client an opportunity to provide feedback. Set your ego aside and consider this an opportunity. Take the time to really learn from what they say – and find ways to improve in areas that might not be your traditional strengths.

Even after a deal is done, remembering your clients will show them that you think they are important, that you appreciate their business. Depending on the client you may want to offer personalized notes, email messages, website links and newsletters.

Not only is this good interpersonal relationship building, it will also build your reputation as a caring professional earning you well deserved referrals and repeat business. For repeat clients you might consider lowering your commission slightly, as a thank you for the continued business.

As much as you might want to, resist from asking clients to refer you. It’s cheesy – by providing great service you will naturally come to mind in conversation, which is far more genuine. Continue to offer services that will ensure your name is easily recalled in the community.

One way to do this is by being active in the community – sponsor fundraising events for local causes, family events, etc. Go farther by becoming a community resource – after all this is your market, you should know it well. You want to be the person people think of when they need local info – like where to go for the best Chinese food in town or what family friendly activities are being offered in the neighborhood. Be a wealth of information for new comers and established residents alike. Also develop other sources for referrals: HR departments for corporations in the area and relocation companies are a good place to start.

When you do get referrals, regardless of where it came from, remember to send a thank you note to the person who referred you.

By establishing your reputation as a thoughtful business person who is active in the community and willing to go the extra mile to provide exceptional service, you will find your business grows on its own and your reputation in the community will grow with it.

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Create a Commercial Real Estate Empire by Specializing in One of These Commercial Properties

By admin | December 20, 2009

There are many types of commercial properties available to those who work in the commercial real estate industry. Many people like to work in a specific area by working with only one or two types of commercial properties. They do this because they have expertise with that specific type of property.

Commercial properties differ more than in just their appearance and use. How you purchase, sell, operate, manage, evaluate, and price each property can be very different. Although there are some similarities, being an expert in one or two properties can greatly increase your ability to analyze good deals and maximize your profit potential. When you know the inside and out of the processes that take place with a certain type of property, know what hidden things to look for, and what mistakes to avoid, you are less likely to run into problems, and will generate positive, long lasting results.

Let’s look at the main commercial properties that you may already be involved with, or are thinking about moving into.

The first are office buildings, or office parks. The term office can be used to refer to floors, parts of floors, an entire building, or an entire office park with multiple buildings positioned in a community type setting. Office space is used for a variety of reasons. It can be used for actual offices for companies, or it can be used for places of business operations, or to meet a tenant’s specific functional and technical needs. An example of this would be an office building for medical purposes.

Office buildings can be segmented into three basic levels. The first is low rise, which has fewer than 7 stories above ground. A mid-rise has between 7 and 25 stories above ground. A high-rise has more than 25 stories above ground. These buildings are often rented by the square foot according to the total useable square feet available to the tenant.

The next type of commercial property is retail property. These are places of business where products and services are provided. There are many types of retail properties which include big boxes, outlet centers, strip centers, regional centers and power centers. Each of these has distinct characteristics that differentiate one from another. Business owners can better choose where they want to lease by identifying their product position, where the best location is, and the type of retail center that will best sell their products and services.

A big box is a large, free-standing building that is often much like a huge warehouse. They can often be found near major shopping centers and along major corridors. Companies such as Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Target are all example of big boxes.

Outlet centers are usually located in tourist or rural locations, and the businesses there offer their products and services at a discount. Strip centers are consecutive narrow parcels that have a variety of stores. They are often found along main roads and commercial corridors.

Regional centers are characterized by an enclosed, inward orientation of the stores. A walkway or common area connects the stores that offer a variety of products and services. There is usually a large, common parking lot found along the perimeter of the regional center.

Power centers are areas of business where large retailers, including large discount centers lease out the buildings. Category killers can also be found here. These are companies that offer a large selection at low prices. Ross, Mervyns, and Kohl’s can all be found in power centers. Think of the one stop place to shop retail center, and you have a power center.

Any of these types of retail centers can be chosen areas of specialization for an investor, developer or builder. This gives them a competitive advantage in the commercial real estate industry because it is the only thing in which they concentrate their efforts. You can bet there is not one thing that can pass by these people when it comes to retail centers, and they know exactly how to maximize their resources.

Industrial and warehouse properties are the next category of commercial property where you will find freestanding properties, research and development, large manufacturing, as well as industrial park properties.

Freestanding industrial properties can vary greatly in construction type, design, and overall function. They stand alone, and are usually occupied by an end user, so the building is specific to a special purpose.

A research and development property is characterized by having office space and manufacturing on the premises. You can find them most often near universities, and close to other locations of professionals.

Industrial parks are large, planned developments that can be used for special scientific and technological use, or sophisticated communications uses. They have many buildings for mixed-purpose or a single purpose that are scattered in an often functional way.

Industrial buildings and warehouses are crucial to a city’s economic development, and cities often provide tax incentives when jobs are provided and new companies are brought to a city, especially to one experiencing rapid growth.

Multi-family property is another type of commercial property in which you can specialize. They offer huge opportunities to create value. A multi-family property is not considered a commercial property unless it is greater than 5 units. Duplexes and fourplexes are not considered commercial properties, though they can be a great investment. The larger the apartment complex, for example more than 100 units, the more money you will be able to return on investment. These multi-family units have living space, appliances and amenities. Multi-family units can range from low-end to luxury type units.

The last type of commercial property is raw land. Raw land is characterized by untouched land with no improvements such as utilities and roads. It can be the most difficult property to involve yourself with; however, it can return the greatest results.

Whichever property you decide to specialize in, only begin a new project in a new area with a person who has lots of experience. You can learn a lot from someone by using this strategy. It will give you a solid foundation to do the next project on your own. This partner or associate will help you to gain the experience and insight that may otherwise take you years to learn.

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Advantages In Joining A MLS Real Estate Listing

By admin | December 17, 2009

When you choose to sell your home on your own, you want all the help you can get. Though you can save thousands by skipping the commissions of a realtor, you put yourself at a marketing disadvantage. That is why you need to get your property listed on the multiple listing service (MLS) for realtors. There are many advantages in joining a MLS real estate listing. A look at them will show you that paying a flat fee to get a “for sale by owner” listing on MLS is well worth the money and effort.

The first of many advantages in joining a MLS real estate listing is that it is the key to sales success. Did you know that about four of every five home buyers get to the property they want through the MLS? By being listed on MLS, you will have most every real estate sales person in the region working for you. Most flat fee MLS listing services will keep you on for as long as 6 months, but in most cases you wont need that long with exposure to so many realtors, brokers, and customers.

The second of the advantages of joining a MLS real estate listing is that you are saving as much as 2% to 3% on yrou sale. Though that does not sound like a lot, it is actually $2000 per thousand you sell meaning you could end up saving as much as $20,000 or $30,000 on the sale if you skip the realtor and pay the flat fee to list on MLS.

Thirdly, one of the advantages in joining a MLS real estate listing is that you will be seen. If you are selling as a for sale by owner, then you have to hope someone “accidentally” drives by your home or sees it in the newspaper by chance. Also, even if a realtor drives by, they will likely not show a home that is not MLS listed. If you are on MLS, though, you will come up in searches and have your house shown with much more frequency. It works much better when luck is taken out of the equation.

Finally, it is just good sales and business sense to list on MLS. Far and away, MLS is the best way to sell your property fast and for a price you like. Since the internet is considered the second best value and power versus reasonable cost for property, listing on MLS gives you the exposure you need.

There are many many advantages in joining a MLS real estate listing service. You will find that your home is better marketed, that you don’t have to rely on the luck of a drive by, that you save a great deal of money, and that you are linked in with thousands of realtors who essentially end up working for you. So if you are going to sell your home yourself, you should find a flat fee or free MLS listing service so that you have the best possible chance of selling your home quickly and at a price you want.

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Buying Foreclosure Homes – You Win by Offering the Homeowner Options

By admin | December 2, 2009

In teaching workshops on how to buy foreclosure homes (often listed on a foreclosure auctions report), I often write on the markerboard in big bold letters, “Gain They’re Trust to Close More Deals”.

The principle of gaining the trust of the homeowner threatened with foreclosure is a deal-maker. If they trust you, they are more likely to accept your offer. Besides that, if you have earned their trust by explaining their options to them, then if they choose to let the home go to auction where it will likely end up on a foreclosure auctions report (and you win it) they are much more likely to vacate the property without a fight.

1. Work with their Current Lender

Forbearance: An agreement between the lender and the borrower that reinstates the delinquent loan because the homeowner will put up an initial lump sum of the total delinquency and pay the rest over a period of time.

Loan Modification: A change in any of the terms of the original note. This includes decreasing the interest rate, re-amortizing the remaining balance, extending the term of the note.

2. Work with a New Lender

Refinance: Where a new lender loan the borrower monies to pay off existing debt. This option is generally open to borrowers that face a temporary setback in their financial situation and can prove that they can afford the new mortgage payment. Most financial institutions will not loan to people unless they have the above mentioned criteria and at least 20% equity in the residence.

Junior Mortgage: Where a new lender will offer a second loan or junior lien in order to make up any back payments, late fees and other charges necessary to reinstate the loan. Rates are typically 12%-18% and terms are 5 to 10 years.

3. File Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is a way for people who owe more money than they can pay right now, to either work out a plan to repay the secure creditors over time in Chapter 13 filings, or wipe out (discharge) most of their bill in a Chapter 7 filing. While the debtor is working out a plan, or the trustee is gathering the available assets to sell, the Bankruptcy Code provides that creditors must stop all collection efforts against the debtor. What happens to your bills, debts and house will be controlled by the Bankruptcy Code and the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy(the owner will NO longer have control over any of their assets). Bankruptcy will have a serious impact on the credit lives for the next 10 years.

4. Sell Their Home

List with a Realtor on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service)- Due to the short foreclosure period in Texas, listing their home with an real estate broker and being able to close within 21 days is a very unrealistic task due to the new buyers financing. The process of lenders approving the buyers credit, appraising the house, completing underwriting, reviewing title, getting a new survey, getting payoff demands and drawing documents–can take 3-4 weeks to complete (assuming no problems pop up). Just because the property is under contract and scheduled to close will NOT stop the auction.

Sell to an Investor- Selling their house to an investor who offers ” cash at closing”; no new loan contingencies; no repairs to be made (AS IS); fast escrow; a for sure sale providing a fresh start with reputation and integrity intact would be their best option. Although the investor’s price is less, the investor can salvage the seller’s credit, bring loans current, rebuild seller’s credit by paying the sellers debt on time every month. This is a much BETTER solution than doing nothing and losing everything at the foreclosure auction.

5.Giving Up and Letting it Go:

Deed-in-Lieu: Borrower voluntary conveys the title (property) back to lender in lieu of the lender foreclosing. Most lenders would rather go through with the auction and clean title by extinguishing inferior liens.

Let it Go to Auction: Obviously, nothing good can come from this, the owner loses their home with no money, credit problems, hard to find new housing due to past history and the lender can sue for any deficiency.

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10 Marketing Tips For Entrepreneurs

By admin | November 20, 2009

Nothing happens in business until a sale is made. Marketing is simply about getting new customers and keeping them. If you’re not doing something everyday to market and promote your business, your competitors are. Here are ten easy-to-implement tips to effectively market and grow your business:

1. Partner with large email database list owners and offer to cross promote each oher. The list owner will advertise your event, product, or service to their email database and you’ll offer to do the same to your list.

2. Create your own blog which is an online journal with frequently updated posts to entertain and excite existing and potential customers. It’s more personal and immediate then a website and keeps people engaged and hopefully coming back for more. You can even create one for free at http://www.blogger.com.

3. If you want to increase word-of-mouth fast, do something beyond normal industry expectations. For example, Mr. Lube offers fast and affordable tune-up service to customers right on the spot, without having to leave the car, while offering coffee, cappuccino, and a fresh newspaper.

4. Always ask happy clients for endorsements or testimonials and put them on your website and other marketing collateral. They’re worth their weight in gold. Try to get some recognizable names in your community for additional cachet.

5. Put a special offer or product advertorial on every invoice and statement you send out. Likewise, you can also negotiate a deal with another company to advertise your product or service on all their invoices for a percentage of revenues from placed orders.

6. Make your business cards stand out and be natural keepers. Offer important information on the back such as emergency phone numbers, a map, or special dates to remember. Have a slogan that offers a powerful benefit statement to your prospective customer.

7. Offer special bonus packages with your product or service offering. Get corporate sponsors to give away products as part of the bonus package in exchange for free exposure.

8. Align your business with a cause or charity. Give back to your community. Customers appreciate doing business with companies that are bettering their communities and the environment and being good corporate citizens.

9. Find an angle that makes your work controversial. The banning of Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, reviewed as “trashy and vicious,” was a blessing in disguise. Twain made a poster advertising the ban, which significantly increased sales.

10. Post frequently in online message boards/forums relevant to your business or expertise. Include your signature and offer tips and valuable advice. Eventually you will begin gaining word-of-mouth exposure as a leader in your field. Posting messages with your company information also helps to increase your search engine rankings and drive traffic to your site.

[Excerpted from Sharif Khan’s new ebooklet: "101 Ways to Market Your Business," http://tinyurl.com/m2nsf ].

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Which Is A Better Real Estate Investing Strategy, Wholesaling (Flipping) Or Rehabbing

By admin | November 17, 2009

This topic has been one of heated debate for quite some time now. You have the “Die Hard” Wholesalers, your Rehabbers, and Landlords that all feel that their strategy is the best.

Probably the best way to describe where everything fits in, it’s best to think of a triangle. If you look at Real Estate like a triangle you’ll see that on one side we have Rehabs, on another side we have Rental Property and on the last side of the triangle we have wholesaling.

I consider wholesaling to be the bottom side of the triangle, the foundation. Wholesaling is the foundation that quickly injects large chunks of capital into your home buying business. This is the capital that you’ll be using to grow your business and purchase long term wealth vehicles like Rental Properties. I personally wouldn’t recommend trying to do any of the other real estate investing strategies until you’ve had a few wholesale deals under your belt.

Wholesaling, or “Flipping” properties is by far the easiest way for a new real estate investor to go from zero to $20,000 in 30 – 45 days. It won’t take you long to get to the point where you’re making $10,000 to $20,000 checks each and every month only working a few hours a week. That’s probably one of the greatest benefits that you’ll find when wholesaling Real Estate.

Who wants to worry about fixing junk properties..or unclogging toilets? This is a strategy that you can put on auto pilot if you put the appropriate systems in place. If done properly, you should only need to show up to Close The Deal & then to pick up your check at the title company. Remember that time is your most valuable asset!

Once you’ve created your investor list (which we will discuss) it won’t be hard for you to move these deals in a short amount of time, normally within 10 to 15 days. Your buyers will be paying with All Cash and financing is not an issue.

This is much easier than selling to an “End Buyer”. In a slower Real Estate Market, it may literally take two to three months for you to find a qualified buyer who wants to buy the property. Remember that the keyword here is “QUALIFIED BUYER”. When you’re dealing with other investors you know that they either have cash or hard money, and financing isn’t a big issue. When you’re dealing with “Joe Q. Public” you’re going to get interested buyers with various financing issues and you’re the one that has to worry about getting the deal closed. Once you find a buyer, you’ve got to get their loan approved, then you’ve got to get the loan taken care of, get the appraisal and all the other things that come with a regular retail buyer, and so it may take anywhere between three months to eight months to close a deal on a rehab, going from purchase – rehab – resale.

That brings me to another reason why I prefer wholesaling real estate over rehabbing. When you buy, fix and resell real estate, you’re committed to the property. Once you close on that baby it’s your’s…The Good And The Bad! If some unforeseen problem arises (It always does), you’re going to be the one that carries the expense. If you’re rehabbing a property, you’ve got to start by hiring a contractor or handyman. You’ve got to get him to do all the repairs to the property, market the property, go through the process with the end buyer. All of this may take a long time, and you are the one carrying the costs. Every day that this property remains in your possession, money is pouring out of your wallet.

In a wholesale deal, all that you are really doing is getting control of the property. You would simply take the same property that you would normally buy and rehab, and get it under contract. Then, you’re taking that contract, marketing it and selling it to other investors that want to take on the project. There are investors out there that prefer doing rehabs. These are investors who have the cash to pay and who don’t mind waiting six months to do a rehab. There are also investors that want to do a deal, but are horrible at talking to sellers and would not be able to secure the pricing that you can. These Rehabbers have no problem paying you an “assignment fee” (the amount that you pocket when you sell your contract) because they understand that it is a cost of doing business for them.

The Rehabber will generally net more than a wholesaler, but look back at all of the risk and time associated with doing a rehab. The average, depending upon your location is between $25,000.00 to $40,000.00. and at times even more. But most wholesale deals are going to net you anywhere between $10,000.00 and $20,000.00. Usually about half of what the average Rehabber makes per deal. However, unlike the rehabber, as a wholesaler, you have more control of the amount of money you earn. The best part of wholesaling is that your pay is directly proportionate to your ability to put deals together and not how much time or physical labor you have in a deal. As you get better at negotiating, you’ll be getting properties under contract for less and less, allowing you to sell the contract for more and more.

I would personally rather do four wholesales and spend less time than to wait six to eight months for a single rehab to cash out. Even if you’re in a position to wait that long, is it really worth the risk? That’s the question that you need to ask your self when deciding which real estate investment strategy you want to take on. Exactly how much risk are you willing to accept?

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Real Estate Investing: Tips In Marketing Properties And Deals

By admin | October 29, 2009

Real estate investing is a job that requires a significant amount of work and commitment to succeed in it. The earning potential in this business is truly big. However, it all depends upon how you manage it and make it work.

For an investor, finding the most phenomenal real estate deal is the key to make a great deal of money in the real estate investing business.  That is why as a real estate agent, you should be able to come up with the best marketing strategies so that you will get to attract a lot of investors to make use of your services.

Common Mistakes Of Real Estate Agents

The common mistake of many agents in real estate investing is that they simply do what every other agent does. As an agent, you should be able to set yourself apart from the rest. The business of real estate investing belongs to a very competitive marketplace so if you are more innovative in your marketing strategies and other services, chances are you will be the choice to do business with.

Another mistake that most real estate agents make is that they do not clearly express the benefits that the buyers will get out of transacting business with them. Potential clients want to immediately know the benefits that they will be getting out of this venture. A great deal of real estate marketing nowadays revolves around the promotion of the agent instead of the properties and the benefits that one will get out of using the services of the agent. By making a simple distinction, you will see a great difference in the results that you will get.

Marketing Techniques

Newspaper ads, billboard advertising and leaflets are a great way to promote deals and properties. Although they cost quite a considerable amount of money, getting at least one deal for the period of the ad will make you more money than what you actually paid for that advertisement.

Many agents do not consider these options because of the amount that they will be spending for using these marketing techniques, but what they do not really know is that these are effective marketing strategies for most businesses and the real estate investing business is no different.

If you think newspaper ads and the like are not that effective, you might want to consider promoting your properties and deals online. Majority of buyers look out for properties and great deals over the Internet so where else would be the best way to advertise but online. However, when posting properties online keep the photos of your listings and other contents of the post as good as possible. Who would want to buy homes that are cluttered in the first place?

Of course, you have to evaluate the results that you are getting out of these marketing techniques. If you think that you are not getting actual business out of a particular advertising strategy then its time to move on to a more effective one. Above all, see to it that when you employ these marketing techniques, they must focus on the services that you offer and the needs of your prospective clients.

Real Estate Investing Courses

It pays to get educated. A lot of agents who are attending educational courses in real estate investing tend to earn higher amounts of income. By attending these courses, you get to learn more about the business of real estate investing as well as all of the fundamentals in terms of promoting properties and deals to your potential customers. You will be able to improve your skills as an agent and eventually turn out to be a high earner in the field of real estate investing.

Real estate investing as a business is a risk. However, if you dedicate a really good amount of commitment in it coupled with hard work, it would not be a difficult task to close deals and earn high profits in this type of business. The bottom line is that it still depends on how you work things out that makes this venture successful.

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A New Approach to Real Estate Lead Management

By admin | October 2, 2009

The Internet helped many real estate agents change the way they market their services. Now the same agents are changing the way they approach other aspects of the business – in particular, the process of capturing, filtering, and contacting leads. Web marketing helps attract more leads, but it’s becoming clear that agents might not be the right people to deal with them anymore. As the job shifts elsewhere, the role of agents is being redefined.

Many real estate agents likely saw the change coming thanks to the difference between web leads and non-web leads. It can generally be boiled down to a difference in commitment: non-web leads are often solid referrals from other professionals who already know the client, while web leads can represent anyone with ten seconds to fill out an online form. Many Realtors with an online home search require people to fill out a contact form in order to view full details on a particular listing, and this tactic has had positive and negative results – mostly negative. People will readily supply their email address in order to view listing pictures, but that doesn’t mean they want to buy a home – in many cases, they’re simply spam-bots posting fake email addresses. These leads are less than ideal, but Realtors can’t afford to disregard them entirely – that’s why their role is being re-defined.

If Realtors are to keep their new web marketing model, they must also find a new lead management process. As it turns out, they might not have to look far; brokers might be in the best position to deal with agents’ web leads. With their broader range of professional contacts, and generally superior office technology, brokers can filter more emails and follow up on more leads that look like they might go somewhere. The shift is also natural because most brokers function mainly to provide support to Realtors where necessary, and don’t have a high web presence themselves.

An agent-broker partnership would bring real estate in line with other industries where leads and sales are handled by separate bodies. In the mortgage industry, for example, more than 70 per cent of leads are filtered and supplied by real estate agents. The model proposed here works slightly differently because here Realtors supply the leads, but brokers filter them.

A smoother lead management process would also enable Realtors to focus on sales and client service, the two most basic aspects of their profession.

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Affordable Homes: Real Estate in Nation’s 10 Most Cheap & Livable Metro Areas

By admin | October 3, 2009

The 10 most livable and most affordable real estate metro areas in the United States have a number of other favorable characteristics in common, according to a new HouseHunt “Current Real Estate Market Conditions” survey conducted by HouseHunt, Inc., a consumer-oriented Internet firm that provides free information to thousands of homeowners, home buyers and home sellers across the nation. The survey shows median home prices range from $130,100 to $194,400 for existing homes for sale and also found:
• The majority of the 10 metro areas report balanced, good-to-active housing markets with sellers usually getting 95% or more of their asking prices. Inventories of unsold homes are mostly limited.

• The majority of the 10 metro areas are experiencing strong job and population growth and good economic news. They offer quality lifestyles, good schools and solid family recreation along with other amenities. Sales data shows that many recent home buyers are relocating from other, often more costly areas.

• All 10 metro markets are attracting both first-time and move-up buyers because of affordable prices, low mortgage interest rates and multiple financing options.

• Median real estate prices for existing single-family homes in the 10 metro areas range between $130,100 and $194,400, compared to the national median real estate price of $188,800. Four of the 10 areas reported double-digit price appreciation in the past 12 months.

• All 10 metro areas have major universities located there.

• Five of the 10 metro areas are popular tourism destinations. Nine of the 10 metro areas are located in warm to moderate climates.

The 10 most livable and most affordable metro areas as determined by criteria developed by “Places Rated Almanac” (David Savageau) and the latest quarterly median sales prices compiled by the National Association of Realtors are:

1. Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT $157,000

2. Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $172,800

3. Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $175,600

4. Houston, TX $138,100

5. Phoenix, AZ $193,800

6. Cincinnati OH, $139,600

7. Louisville, KY $130,100

8. Austin-San Marcos, TX $154,100

9. Orlando, FL $194,400

10.Nashville,TN $152,100.

Four of the 10 metro areas – Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, Nashville and Austin-San Marcos – are also listed in the latest edition of Lee and Saralee Rosenberg’s “50 Fabulous Places To Raise Your Family” (Melissa Giovagnoli). Like Savageau, the authors give high marks for schools, jobs and business opportunities, family fun, housing affordability, living costs, climate, health care, transportation and quality of life.

“With all the negative news about spiking home prices and the widening affordability gap, it’s refreshing to find highly desirable metro areas where most buyers can find affordable homes,” said Michael Bearden, president and CEO of HouseHunt, Inc. “Our quarterly ‘Current Market Conditions’ reports are accessible on many of our HouseHunt.com agent websites across the country. For recent home sales in their neighborhoods, homeowners and home sellers can also find this information easily and immediately on HouseHunt’s new moveUp.com website.”

Mark Jenkins of Realty Executives, exclusive HouseHunt member agent for Salt Lake City, described housing activity in his metro area as “improving” from a depressed buyers market.” He said many buyers are relocating from out-of-state to take advantage of the lifestyle and lower home prices. A median price of $157,000 would probably buy a 2,000 square foot home with three bedrooms, two baths and a two-car garage on a one-third or one-four acre lot in a good location. Highest home price appreciation is occurring near the University of Utah. Another hot spot is Park City, a popular ski resort in the nearby mountains where Lee Merryweather of World Class Realty is the exclusive HouseHunt member agent.

An active housing market is reported in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater metro area by Linda Ippolito of Keller Williams Realty, exclusive HouseHunt member agent for Bayshore, Westshore-South Tampa, and Davis Island-South Tampa. She said the whole area is exploding with growth and new industries. Available housing is in limited supply. Although the median price home is $172,800 for the entire metro area, median home prices are closer to $400,000 in South Tampa. Waterfront properties are also priced higher. Average price appreciation is 15.7% in the past year. A slower-paced but high quality lifestyle is reported in the Raleigh – Durham – Chapel Hill metro area by Ray Lenahan of Robert Gray Realtors, exclusive HouseHunt member agent with Robert Gray for Wake Forest, Rolesville and Youngsville.

“The big attraction is our Research Triangle, three major universities, excellent quality of life, and moderate weather,” Lenahan said – He said the median home price of $175,600 in the metro area is probably closer to $190,000 in his market area. “That will buy a new home with 2,000 square feet with three bedrooms, two baths on a half-acre lot. Either that, or, it would buy an older home in a more established neighborhood,” he added.

Houston, with its “can do” entrepreneurial spirit and liberal-to-zero zoning restrictions, is attracting people from both the East and West Coasts to relocate and to invest in rental properties, according to Kathi Frank of RE/MAX The Woodlands, exclusive HouseHunt member agent for The Woodlands and Woodland Springs. The Woodlands is a 27,000-acre planned community located 27 miles north of downtown Houston. “Median price home for the entire metro area is $138,100,” she said. “That will buy a new, 1,400 square foot home from a production builder in North Houston or Woodland Springs.” She added: “Estate properties are priced from the low $200,000s to more than $3 million.”

Reva Schafer of West USA Realty, exclusive HouseHunt member agent for Scottsdale and Northeast Phoenix, reported a limited inventory and a very active seller’s market, with sellers usually getting 100% or more of their asking prices. The median price for the metro area is $193,800 “but hard to find anything under $300,000 in my area,” Schafer said. “It’s more like $350,000 to $400,000 as a median price in Scottsdale.. Lots are jumping in price. So are houses.” Year-to-year appreciation is 24.4%! She cited tremendous growth in the suburbs of Peoria and Chandler. “A year ago, investors were buying from builders and flipping (re-selling) the properties. No more. Now, a buyer must live in the property for at least one year to qualify.”

Good job growth, corporate relocations and an improving local economy is fueling the housing market in the Cincinnati metro market, according to Saralou Durham of RE/MAX Preferred Group and exclusive HouseHunt member agent for suburban Montgomery and Hyde Park in Hamilton County, OH. “We have fabulous cultural and recreational facilities and a good quality lifestyle,” she said..”A median home price of $139,600 seems a bit low, depending on the area. That amount of money will probably buy a small two bedroom, one bath home needing some repair or remodeling in one of our small suburban communities.”

In Louisville, Charlotte Wright and Michael McConnell of Evergreen Realty are exclusive HouseHunt member agents for suburban Jeffersontown. “Louisville is now the 16th largest metro area in the nation,” Wright said. “We’re a hub for UPS and have two Ford plants located here. Military personnel stationed as nearby Ft. Knox and their families are also relocating here, she said. “The median price of $130,100 is probably low – $150,000 would be more accurate. The latter will buy a three bedroom, two bath 1,200 square foot house with a garage in a good area.”

Ann Parr of RE/MAX Austin Advantage and exclusive HouseHunt member agent for Westlake & Lake Travis said well-priced listings are attracting multiple, full-price offers in a very active seller’s market. Average time on the market is 60-90 days. “We have younger professionals who want to live close to downtown but the primary place to live is by the lakes,” she said. Prices range from $150,000 to $6 million. “Nice homes can be purchased for $250,000 to $350,000. The median price home is $154,100 in Austin. That would probably buy a starter home in the Round Rock area or a home needing remodeling in Central Austin. Patio homes for retired people near Lake Austin sell for $200,000.”

One of the hottest of the 10 metro markets on the list is Orlando, according to Steve Farah of the Royal Realty Group. Farah is exclusive HouseHunt member agent for Alafaya & Waterford Lakes and Kissimmee: “We’re experiencing unbelievable growth and home appreciation,” he said. “Our seller’s market is so active that listings sometimes last only hours, not days. Buyers frequently must act immediately or the property will be gone!” He feels that the median price of $194,400 is probably low because of high demand and the low inventory. “A median price of $250,000 would be more realistic and would buy a three –bedroom, two bath home with 1,700 to 2,000 square feet.” Since the first quarter of 2004, the median price home has appreciated 28.7%.

Nashville, the 10th ranked metro area on the list, offers a relaxed, friendly lifestyle and affordable home prices to newcomers, according to Mary Barbee of Coldwell Banker Andrews and Associates. Plus, there is no state income tax. Barbee is the exclusive HouseHunt member agent for South East Nashville. “The median price of $152,100 seems low – it’s more like $170,000, depending on location. That amount of money would probably buy a three-bedroom, two-bath new home with 1,200-1,500 square feet in the suburban communities of Madison and Smyrna,” she said. The median home price is up 11.3% in the past year in the Nashville metro area.

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Become A Commercial Real Estate Negotiation Expert

By admin | October 5, 2009

In commercial real estate you are constantly going to be using negotiation skills. Your negotiations skills will be put to use, not only in the process of creating an offer and working to get it accepted, but also with your contacts, brokers, buyers, sellers, engineers, and lenders. In any situation where there are more than two interests, you can rest assured that negotiations must take place in order to satisfy everyone’s goals.

Many people are afraid of negotiation, usually due to lack of experience. Once you begin practicing your skills, it will get easier for you, and may even become fun! Negotiation is filled with tactics and problem solving that are used to yield the best results for each party. Being a good negotiator is very important to this business.

There are different negotiating styles that work for some people, and not others. For example, some find success with a very strong, even intimidating approach in negotiation. I prefer to use a straight forward approach. I am prepared, informed and persuasive. I am confident, as I have anticipated the questions and concerns the other party may have, and will answer them, as needed. This helps me to clearly and confidently negotiate terms. As a result, closing deals is often easy and fun. It is true that different styles should be used in different situations, so study others who negotiate and develop a style that works best for you!

In commercial real estate, as in most businesses, it is best to yield to an agreement that is win-win, meaning both parties are satisfied with the results at some level. If the strongest concerns of each party are addressed and a solution results, the agreement is of mutual benefit to both parties.

If you are not familiar with negotiation, I suggest that you take a class, purchase a book, or find a seminar that covers the basics of negotiation. There are many generic tips and tactics that will sharpen your negotiation abilities, and make it easier for you to get what it is that you want out of an opportunity.

In commercial real estate, there are specific negotiation tactics that can be written into contracts. Many of these tactics require some creativity and are specific to certain situations. Don’t be afraid to get creative; after all, this is where commercial real estate gets really fun! You’ll be surprised how you don’t have to have everything figured out when you put a property under contract!

In commercial real estate, it is always a good idea to write a letter of intent before actually purchasing a property. In residential real estate, a letter of intent is usually not necessary, but in commercial real estate, I consider it a necessity.

The letter of intent should be clear, concise and not in legal format. It should appeal to the owner as a direct, personal letter, explaining your purchasing intentions with the property. Many people put in terms, closing dates, length of due diligence, and so on in the letter of intent. Negotiation can take place here, without any money being permanently spent by the buyer, or a deal completed. It can open a dialogue between you and the buyer, and start negotiations early in the game without anything being set in stone.

Another tactic that can be written into the letter of intent is known as an option contract. This option contract is a good way to investigate the property; you then have time to begin putting together a deal to make sure it is feasible. You can offer a certain amount of money to tie up the property in order to do some initial research, and not even mention closing a deal yet. This is a great option that can allow you to decide to move on with a property and begin negotiating, or simply move on to the next opportunity in a short amount of time. The option can be as simple as 15 days to do some preliminary work with $15,000 at risk. At the end of the 15 days, you may option for a full due diligence period and continue with the purchasing process.

When negotiating an offer, and you still have some questions left unanswered that will be unveiled during the due diligence, you can always write an item subject to or contingent upon the ability for you to do to the property what you intend. For example, if you are purchasing raw land zoned R-1, single family housing, and the broker mentions that the city would be supportive of rezoning the property commercial, which would greatly increase the return on investment, then you could write in the contract that you will purchase the property if you can get the property rezoned to commercial. This is done often, and works with many different variables that could affect the use of the property.

Writing in contingency clauses can be a great way to protect your interest and make sure that you end up with a property set up properly with a favorable exit strategy.

As we all recognize, seller’s have specific needs that need to be met. A buyer may really want to take the opportunity that the property would provide, but realizes that he or she may not be able to satisfy all the needs of the seller up front. A negotiating tactic that would work here would be for the buyer to satisfy the seller’s needs in two or more parts.

The buyer could set up two dates to pay the seller- with money in the beginning, and then money at the end of a certain period. This would allow the buyer to take the profit that he made from the property, and give the seller his money. As long as you satisfy the basic, up front needs of the seller, he or she may be willing to accept these terms, and you are on your way to fulfilling another opportunity!

As there are many other negotiating tactics that you will create to satisfy the requirements to make a solid deal, there is a really great tactic that allows you to continue to invest money into commercial real estate without paying taxes on capital gains! This option was made possible through the Internal Revenue Service tax section 10-31, better known as the 10-31 Exchange. This allows for sellers to use the profit from the sale and reinvest it in another commercial property without paying one cent in taxes! Can’t get much better than this for investors!

There are investors who are strictly involved in 10-31 exchanges, and it is a great way to keep the cash flow moving from one property to another with the benefit of full profits and no taxes. Sometime this tactic is a great choice and should be added to the contract when it can be optimized.

As you can see, the negotiation tactics in commercial real estate are there to protect your interests and maximize results. Be creative with these negotiations, and always be confident when walking into a deal. Be prepared, informed and persuasive. It is also necessary for you to keep your emotions at bay and your ego out of negotiations. You have to be prepared to walk away from any deal that cannot be made to fit your needs.

Always make an effort to sharpen your negotiating skills, and finely tune the tactics you use to increase your bargaining power. Having a few extra “tricks” up your sleeve will enable you to make a deal in your favor and get the results you want.

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Flipping Houses: Make $30,000 a Month Flipping Real Estate

By admin | October 12, 2009

Okay, you know the drill: purchase a house below the current market rate, make some repairs and improvements to it, and then turn around and sell [flip] the house to generate big profits.

While the concept of flipping houses is nice, the reality is that so much more is involved in flipping real estate. Without the proper knowledge on how the process works, you could end up being saddled with a house you really do not want to own or end up taking a big loss on the sale of your property.

The real estate market has the potential to create huge profit windfalls for the savvy buyer. Here are a couple of tips to help increase your profit margin when flipping houses:

Buy low and sell high. How do you find homes to buy below the market?

1. Create a free brochure titled “3 ways to avoid foreclosure and get cash NOW for your equity”. Then, distribute your brochure to people who are currently in the foreclosure process and homeowners who are currently 90 to 120 days behind on their mortgage payments.

By the way, one of the helpful tips in your brochure should be to call you for a quick sale.

You can obtain foreclosure information from your local court house. For a list of homeowners who are currently behind on their mortgage payments you will need to contact a credit agency – Experian.com, Equifax.com, or TransUnion.com.

2. Contact divorce attorneys in your area. Offer your home buying service as a resource to help clients liquidate their homes quickly at a fair price.

Now, before you get into house flipping there are five main points you must take into consideration prior to closing on your deal:

Acquisition Costs – Every home will cost you money before the deal is even finalized. Plan on writing out checks to your attorney, to the title company, government agencies – such as recording fees, and an application fee for a mortgage [unless you are paying cash], and other closing costs.

Look into getting an option arm mortgage loan with a 1% minimum payment. This type of loan program can increase your cash flow by cutting your monthly payment in half!

These loans will also allow you to take a small piece of your equity and turn it into a tax deduction by creating deferred mortgage interest.

Management Costs – During the period you own the home you can expect to shell out cash for property taxes, utilities, lawn maintenance, homeowners insurance, mortgage payments, and more. The longer you keep the home, the more expenses you will incur.

Home Improvement Costs – Are you ripping out the kitchen? Laying new flooring? Putting in a new garden? Whatever repairs and improvements you make, are you certain that you can recoup these costs when you flip the house? Will the value of the house increase enough to cover your expenses?

Selling Costs – Once you are ready to sell the home, will you be selling it privately or through a realtor? Real estate commissions running as high as 6% can eat up your profits very quickly. In addition, you will need to pay an attorney to represent your interests and pay any other related expenses.

Capital Gains – A “good problem” to have is to make so much money off of flipping houses that you have to worry about paying capital gains taxes. You may avoid federal taxes, but your state or local government may assess a tax on you. Count on it especially if you live in a high tax area!

The “deal” you thought you made with the purchase of a house can quickly evaporate if the market turns cold or your expenses run too high. Carefully consider all five points before taking action and know your local real estate market inside and out.

Yes, people do make tidy profits by flipping houses, while others lose out. Do your homework before jumping in to make certain that you understand everything before buying a house that you plan on flipping later.

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Buying a home with a lease option program

By admin | October 14, 2009

Have you dreamed of owning your own home, but just don’t know how you can manage it? You might have bad credit, little money for a down payment or no credit history at all. Even so, homeownership is within your grasp by using a lease option program.

What is lease option?

Lease option is when you enter an agreement with a landlord that states in the future you have the option to buy that house. You agree on a price when you begin the lease, and if you opt to purchase the house, then you get a mortgage and end renting. If you opt to not buy the house, you move on or continue to rent.

Why is lease option popular?

Lease option will get you into your house fast! You sign a lease like the one you would any other apartment, stating what the rent is, how many pets you can have, etc. With a lease option, you also sign an agreement that says you have a right to buy the home and for what price. The agreement will also state the terms such as how long you have to decide on buying and what the expenses will be for both you and the seller.
The pros of lease option programs

• You can get in to a house immediately. Sign the lease agreements, move in and then work on getting your mortgage.

• Work on repairing or building credit while you rent your home. Pay off some bills or establish credit in order to get a better rate on a mortgage.

• You can put equity into the house before you even buy it! Even though you are renting, you know the house will belong to you. You can finish off the basement, paint the walls, add landscaping or whatever else you choose. It’s going to be your house!

• Save some money. While you are renting, you can set aside money for a down payment for when you do apply for a mortgage. The larger the down payment you have, the less the mortgage amount will be, saving you even more money in the long term.

• Investigate the market while you rent. If you are in a seller’s market, you can see if the prices go up or down while you are renting. If they go down, you can opt to not purchase and find another house that may be less. If prices go up, you don’t have to worry because you are locked in at an already determined price.

• Know you have options. If while you are renting and a job transfer comes up, know you aren’t obligated to buy the house. You can end your lease, move to another city, and begin another lease option program that can benefit you where you will be living.

Lease option is becoming more popular every year and more people are turning to it because they wouldn’t be able to get into a house as quickly otherwise. Some people who use lease option didn’t even know they could own a home so quickly. Lease option may be a solution for you!

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Buying Bank Owned Properties (REO)

By admin | October 21, 2009

Where do most investors turn to when they seek preforeclosure opportunities? Sure, they take a look at free foreclosure listings or even sources of foreclosure listings that they pay for. While these sources may lead to productive and profitable deals, they also require extensive marketing and business promotion in order for an investor to tap into these preforeclosure opportunities.

To Get a Free Foreclosure and short sale Course including how to buy REO Properties, Go here Reo Properties

What other options do investors have? Well, in today’s market, more and more realtors are marketing properties as short sales in the MLS. While these do represent preforeclosure opportunities, I also think that this can be risky for the investor because many real estate agents are pretty new to the foreclosure world (and thus may just be learning what is a short sale) and you are taking a chance that the agent in charge of the deal actually knows what they are doing. Plus, you still have the emotional aspect of the sale, a natural by-product of foreclosures that can complicate deals in some cases.

A significant but often overlooked option available to investors concerns bank foreclosures. This umbrella term includes REO properties and HUD homes but it all ties in with the REO process, the phase of foreclosure that follows the auction and where a lender must then sell the foreclosures in their inventory.

Many investors shy away from REO properties or HUD homes because they feel they have less negotiating power or simply lack the capital to make aggressive offers and play along with the rules that REO lenders stipulate. While I favor preforeclosure and short sales myself, I also have a system in place that allows the machine to run on autopilot, a system that I can also teach you.

My efforts here are to assure you that there are indeed deals to be found within the realm of REO properties. The offer process in many ways is less complicated, there is little to no emotion on the part of the seller (the REO lender), and deals can be completed much more quickly. If that appeals to you, and capital is your primary limitation, then you owe it to yourself to check out my Preforeclosure Cash Flow System and the module within it that covers how to obtain unlimited amounts of capital for your foreclosure business.

In closing, the entirety of the foreclosure process is ripe with deals that are there for the picking. As rigid as REO properties or HUD homes may seem, the REO process is as much as part of foreclosures as the preforeclosure side of the business. Don’t limit your scope, learn from what I have to offer you, and I wish you the very best in success in real estate investing.

To Get a Free Foreclosure and short sale Course including how to buy REO Properties, Go here REO Properties,

Dedicated to Multiplying Your Income,

D.C. Fawcett

The Business Building Coach to the Foreclosure Industry

www.realestateforeclosuresinvesting.com

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Understanding REOs

By admin |

If you are getting involved with real estate you may have heard the term REO without really knowing what it refers to and how it could play a part in your current or future investments. REO is actually just an acronym that stands for real estate owned by the bank. REOs aren’t all that common because the bank doesn’t want them, but they do happen and you can really cash in as a result.

How a Property Becomes an REO

When a bank forecloses on a home or property owner, it is requires by law to hold a public foreclosure auction. Sometimes, because of lack of publicity or other reasons the home will not get any bidders at the auction, and the bank will end up owning the property. When the bank ends up owning the property it is then known as real estate owned by the bank, or an REO. An REO isn’t something that the bank wants, but many investors consider them gold mines.

Why the Home Wasn’t Bid On

There are a variety of reasons that a piece of property will become an REO. The mot common reason is that the property had very little equity in it. Many investors will not bid on a property that has less than 30% equity. In fact, statistics show that banks end up with most houses that do not have at least 30% equity. Many homes become REO when the property was simply in terrible condition. Most investors or individuals won’t invest in a home that is in poor condition because they see it as too risky. When a home that is in poor condition becomes an REO they are often gold mines waiting for the right investor to come along. Another reason that homes are not bid on at an auction is because there are IRS liens attached to the property. The problem with IRS liens is that there is a 120 period after the purchase of the home that the IRS has the right to take the property and refund the money that you have paid for it, but not the money you have put into the house updating it. For some investors, this 120 day redemption period is just too risky.

Why the Bank Wants To Get Rid Of REO’s

Banks do not want to own property, which is not what they are set up for. Basically, an REO is the sign of a bad loan that was given by the bank and the REO is a liability, not an asset. Every month that a bank owns a piece of property means they are losing money.

One of the biggest reasons that a bank does not want an REO is that their insurer will make them pay a full or partial settlement on the property. The bank is also aware that it doesn’t matter how much they sell the home for at an auction, they will probably suffer a loss. Banks are actually penalized for having too many REOs by the federal government, as they have to borrow funds from the government to stay in business. The federal government views the REO as a bad loan, and has a vested interest in making sure that a bank does not make too many bad loans. The bank will also have costs that are associated with the property such as taxes, insurance, sewer, water, and electricity bills, as well as homeowner association dues. The property must also be maintained and winterized, all of this costing the bank money.
Another problem for the bank is that it is not used to having to deal with the fixing and selling of property. Banks don’t have contractors and such on hand to do the repairs, so they are at the mercy of contractors that may charge them too much for the services due. It also takes time to make a house marketable, and all of this time they are paying the costs to upkeep the home, when they aren’t used to doing so. The bank will usually hand the big task of managing and selling an REO to someone that has another job, a more important job, and this will actually end up stressing out bank personnel until the home sells.

The bank will also pay to hire a real estate agent to sell the property once it has been repaired. While this may not seem like a big deal to most people, it can add up when the bank is expected to pay at least 6% of the sales price to a real estate agent for every REO! These costs really add up over time, so it’s plain to see why the bank simply does not want an REO.

Why Investors Are Attracted to REO’s

Most investors know that homes that need some work done to them usually are the biggest gold mines. Because of this, REOs are generally a very attractive business deal for these investors. The banks are willing to do just about anything to get rid of their owned property, which means that businesses or individuals can get the bank to make them a really nice deal so that they can buy the home, do the necessary repairs, and then sell the home if they choose, and still be able to make some money for themselves. For those that know how to do it right, there is a lot of money to be made in REOs.

REOs aren’t hard to find because banks want to get rid of them as quickly as possible, and advertise them to the best of their ability. Investors simply need to inspect the property to be sure it is something that they can repair and still profit from if they want to. Many homes become REOs because they are not in a desirable part of town, so the investor that is looking into an REO must be sure that the home is in a desirable part of town if they hope to get their money out of it.

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Real Estate Investing: Wholesaling Homes Is The Foundation

By admin | October 23, 2009

Without a doubt getting into real estate investing is sure to prove to be a very profitable exercise because people that have entered into this line of business have made tons of money. However, there is more to real estate investing than simply making money because you should also derive pleasure from your pursuit of investing in real estate. The truth of the fact is that wholesaling homes is a way of investing that lays the foundation for all other types of real estate investments and it is also a means whereby you can earn some quick cash.

Little Capital Required

In fact, it is quite common to earn as much as ten to fifteen thousand dollars per month from wholesaling homes and all it takes is to work as little as twenty hours in the week and without having to work over the weekends. If you are thinking about real estate investing you should also consider wholesaling homes because it is a great business that does not require much capital and there is also little need to get credit and, best of all, it is quite simple to learn the ropes. All you would need is having an investor list or two and within a short span of time you could be making good money.

As far as wholesaling homes and real estate investing go, it requires nothing more than to get control of properties, which are then marketed and sold to the investors that have enough cash. It is also a lot better way of making money than say, rehabbing properties in which you would need to wait six to eight months before you realize any serious money.

Essentially, wholesaling homes require that you locate lucrative looking deals and it also means having to market these homes mainly to those who are involved in rehabbing as well as retailing properties. The fact of the matter is that first buyers are always on the lookout to make a small though quick profit and will generally pass over the bigger profits to those who are indulging in real estate investing because they do not have the time, money and patience to repair properties that they have bought. And they also don’t wish or cannot afford to wait for months until the property can be sold after it has been properly rehabbed.

Thus, if you were considering real estate investing and more particularly wholesaling homes, you would want to buy the property and resell it as soon as possible and maybe make one or two quick deals each month. Such types of deals do not require that you have much money or credit and there are also no bosses to answer to. What it really involves is being able to locate a good deal and having someone to buy a property from you.

Actually, finding bargain buyers is not very difficult and the entire wholesaling of homes can be completed in just three weeks from start to completion of the deal. However, remember that in this form of real estate investing you need to ensure that you do not pay more than is necessary for a property and also ensure that you allow for enough scope for making a profit when selling to bargain hunters. Also, try to close the deal as soon as you can and for cash only and try to avoid buyers who want to buy through bank guarantees because that would mean delays in getting loans sanctioned and that is not good when wholesaling homes.

The bottom line is that wholesaling homes is a simple form of real estate investing and it does not require any great learning to get into this form of business. With a little luck and plenty of perseverance and hard work you can easily turn ten deals each month and thus make a tidy profit as well.

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