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Real Estate Articles
32 total articles
By Dennis Henson
There are more new investors getting into the real estate market today than ever before. Most are unaware of the pitfalls that await them at every turn. But by learning to avoid the killer mistakes your real estate investing business can become a very profitable endeavor...
By Dennis Henson
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Most of the time success in business is the result of what you know. In every industry there are key elements—secrets—that if known will help to insure success but if not known will certainly lead to failure. Real Estate investing is no different. Success begins with knowledge. What are some of the critical lessons that every real estate investor should know Here are ten of them for starters…
By Peter Vekselman
Whether you’re just getting started down the road towards fulfilling your real estate investing dreams or you’re a little more experienced, a good mentor can get you closer to the realization of your goals by showing you some of the tips, tricks, and other shortcuts that have fueled their success.
By Omar Johnson
The author has permitted the reprinting and redistribution of this article.
Investment property comes in all shapes and sizes, but what happens when it comes within an HOA community HOA communities are neighborhoods regulated by a Home Owners Association. The organization is run by members of the community who enforce the neighborhoods rules.
By: Charles And Kim Petty
When you buy and sell properties, you not only become an active member of the real estate market, but you also contribute to the community as a whole. Your actions are an important link in the chain that binds the entire community together and also lays the foundation stone for future generations.
By Omar Johnson
There are numerous ways to invest in real estate. You can rent, flip, or fix. There are condos, homes, apartments, land, and buildings to invest in. The options are limitless.
There is, however, a great divide some investors have a hard time deciding on, residential versus commercial investing.
By Omar Johnson
First of all, if you are coordinating your own closings it is either because you are new and still learning (which is good, keep at it), because you truly enjoy that part of the business (which is understandable, it's the most rewarding), or because you are unaware of the existence of virtual closing coordinators (you are now cured).
By Jason Hanson
Many of you know the importance of dressing for success. What many of you may not understand, however, is that there are two reasons we do it. The first reason we do it, is for ourselves. Being successful in real estate requires a great deal of confidence and when you look good, you feel good. If you want to be the very best in this field, you need to dress like the very best. If you are walking around in a brand new classy outfit and you feel like a million bucks, then you are worth a million bucks, because “we are what we think we are”. Our outside appearance has a strong affect on how we think and feel on the inside. Instead of going out and purchasing many new items of clothing, buy quality versus quantity. Purchase only a few of the best items, because they will last you twice as long as cheap clothing.
By: Gretchen Faber
Real estate purchases can entail hours searching online for possible homes, days in the car with your real estate broker looking at those homes. Discovering that sometimes the pictures don’t exactly match up with the reality, and then finally pulling the trigger and preparing an offer.
By Omar Johnson
A common source of leads for the quick-turn real estate investor that exists practically everywhere is abandoned properties. There are several advantages to pursuing these types of properties that are known to investors. One is that if a property is abandoned there is a good chance that the owner is disinterested in the property and might be willing to sell it.
By Omar Johnson
To find motivated sellers you have to look for them in the right places. It's sort of like fishing you want to go where the fish are biting and once you have discovered where they are biting you want to have the right bait on your line so that you can hook them and reel them in.
By Jason Hanson
Often when I am reviewing deal evaluation forms for other people, they
fax me forms with questions that have been left blank. When you are on
the phone with a seller get ALL of the information filled out so you
can properly evaluate the deal. You don’t want to have to end
up calling back the seller asking more questions because it will make
you seem amateurish (remember we are the pros, that is why we dominate
our competition). One of the most common questions that people
don’t like to answer is “What is your mortgage
balance” People will tell you it’s none of your
business or that they don’t feel comfortable giving you that
information.
By David Cole
Were you aware you can legally combine your IRA with your Spouse’s IRA and have 100% check book control
Wouldn’t that open up more real estate opportunities for you
Today’s economy may be all doom and gloom on the evening news but for real estate investors it’s a rare golden opportunity.
By Omar Johnson
In recent years a term has arisen for a new mode of operation of the real estate entrepreneur. This term is virtual real estate. As the digital revolution has changed whole industries and allowed for unprecedented freedom for those who engage in business activities, real estate has been affected by the development of new technologies and new methods of doing business.
By: Denton Ward
Did you know the wealthiest 1% of families owns roughly 34% of the nation's net worth?
Do you find this astonishing? How about incredible? However you look at it, its certainly true; and for good reason.
The wealthy and most successful people in the United States don't follow crowds or media headlines. These wealthy individuals purchase investments when everyone is selling, and sell those same investments when everyone else begins to buy. They are not conformists, they are pioneers. How do you make your investment decisions?
By Alan Brymer
Money and time have a few things in common. Both are required to be successful in real estate, but everyone’s personal supply of both has its limits. Fortunately, you can use OPT (Other People’s Time) in real estate just as you can use OPM (Other People’s Money) in order to do more deals and avoid being a slave to your business.
How To Keep Them Long Term
By Michel Lautensack
Finding a Private Money Lender is an essential part of any real estate investor’s business. In the old days (pre 2006) you could easily get a mortgage or even hard money loan simply by showing up in the lenders office and filling out an application. If you could walk and talk you qualified for a loan.
By Matt Gerchow
Change of Use
Change-of-use is a term that is referred to in a sense of zoning as well as a term used in construction plan review by code enforcement.
A change-of-use in terms of zoning does not automatically mean that there has been a physical change to the structure, such as a church being able to house a daycare facility. A little creativity and knowledge of existing codes can increase the value of a property that will attract tenants and prospective purchasers to your project.
By Omar Johnson
If you are new and are just starting out in the quick turn real estate investing game there are two concepts you will inevitably come across and have questions about. These concepts are selling financing and subject to. Here is a quick review of both of these real estate investing strategies.
By Omar Johnson
A trust is one of the most potent tools available to the real estate investor. But if you're like most people you only have a vague notion of what a trust is and how it is used.
A trust is a legal entity whose sole purpose is to hold assets. Trusts can hold any type of asset, including real estate. A land trust is a trust designed for the purpose of holding real estate.
By Jason Hanson
There are four stages to a real estate investor’s career. If you make it to stage four, you’ll be rewarded with a life spent on your own terms, where you control your own destiny.
By Nick Johnson
To truly understand the Due-on-Sale clause you have to know it’s origin and reasoning. Also understanding court rulings in the matter brings clarity to the Clause and its use from and by lending institutions that have and currently still lend to Americans wishing to own a piece of the American dream.
By Omar Johnson
Need to spruce up a recent real estate investment, but don't want to spend a lot of time or money doing it Here are several quick and easy (and inexpensive) ways improve your fixer-upper.
By Omar Johnson
One of the surest pathways to wealth through real estate has always been the acquisition of cash flowing rental properties. However, as with any business, for every successful, happy landlord there are eight or nine others who are either struggling, sitting on the sidelines, or completely washed out. Despite this fact, the principles and practices involved in running such a business successfully are quite straightforward and easy enough to follow with just a little bit of quality advice and common sense. Let’s examine where you can go right and where you can go wrong in acquiring rental properties.
By Jason Hanson
The road to real estate investing success is one long test. As they say “success is not a sprint, it is a marathon” (or some quote along that line). I am a firm believer that there are certain “rites of passage” that everyone must go through before they can become a millionaire real estate investor, so I am going to list a few of those rites
By Omar Johnson
One of the most valuable abilities you can have at your disposal as a quick turn real estate investor is the ability to raise cash from private sources to meet any funding need. If you become an expert at raising private money you will have developed a skill that is highly valuable to you as well as to those you work with.
By Jason Hanson
Everyone has stumbling blocks to success. If not overcome, these blocks ultimately lead to failure, which is why you need to identify your blocks quickly and figure out a way to eliminate them. For some people it’s time management. Many folks go to bed at night without accomplishing any important real estate tasks throughout the day. As most people know, I am a “crazy” person when it comes to time management. Every night before I go to bed, I fill out my “to do” list for the next day. And probably the most important time management technique that I use is time blocking. I block out certain times throughout the day, specifically for my marketing, phone calls, and other tasks. For example, everyday from 600 am - 630 am you could stuff envelopes, or search craigslist for properties (BE DISCIPLINED and keep the same “time blocks” every day. I am never going to stop harping about this).
By Jason Hanson
You’re sitting at the kitchen table with the seller and everything is going great. You have been on your “A” game, the seller seems very motivated, and he says that he is ready to sign the paperwork. You pull out the paperwork and start filling in all of the blanks. Inside you are screaming for joy, because you’re about to get a great subject-to deal and this puppy will cash flow $700.00 a month. You’re explaining all of the paperwork to the seller and he is nodding his head in approval as you show him document after document.
By Jason Hanson
In theory, this business is easy. Just do some marketing, buy some houses, and make millions before you know it. Of course, we all know theory is a bunch of B.S. This business is tough and there is plenty of evidence to prove it. Few people achieve millionaire status or even survive the first 12 months. So how do you survive the first 12 months Well, I am going to give you the “magic” pill (that’s not really magic at all).
By Peter Vekselman
If you’re in the process of overseeing your first property renovation you’re in for a real treat as you get a crash course in working with contractors. While most are professionals who are dedicated to doing the best possible job for you, there are some prima donnas out there waiting to take advantage of your naiveté. Here are some steps you can take before you hire a contractor to ensure that your first contractor experience is a positive one.
Real Estate Business
By Omar Johnson
While there are some successful single member real estate businesses, partnering is a common method used by real estate investors to maximize their leverage and their effectiveness. Understanding some basic principles can help you be smart about how and when you work with partners.
By David Cole
The GOOD
Yes, it’s true you can use your IRA to invest into all types of real estate. All the real estate profits are realized by your tax deferred IRA.
There are no time limits to contend with like you would have in a 1031 exchange. Once you sell a property you can just park the bucks in a money market account or some other type of safe instrument and take your time to find the next deal.
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