Real Estate Investing Education

People like to invest in real estate as the return on the investment is usually high and if adequate precaution is taken, guaranteed to be highly profitable business. When investors take the time to enroll in real estate investing education classes they are sure to learn how to deal with problems better, learn innovative techniques to make profits and know about the various areas of real estate investing where the returns are high such as tax certificates and using notes to buy property etc.

Advantages of Real Estate Investing Education: The institutes that offer education in real estate investing help students who enroll learn what techniques to use to improve in their chosen area of real estate investing. These schools teach the students to recognize what they desire to achieve, help them plan and set goals, teach them what procedures to use in order to achieve their goals. These schools would teach the students to ensure all the deals they make are reviewed by experienced staff, who will point out the mistakes made and guide them as to what would have been the best strategy in the given situation. These courses are usually short term lasting for 3 to 6 months.

The student investor on successful completion of the course will have the confidence to meet any challenges that may come his way. The schools will also help the students get to know reliable bankers, attorneys, lenders, builders, etc. who will help the student investor build his investing career successfully.

Specialized Schools: There are specialized schools for different sectors of real estate such as schools for commercial real estate investing, making it possible for investors to attend and improve their skills in specific areas of real estate. The commercial real estate education institutes teach students how to make accurate financial, market and investment analysis etc. where by even experienced investors may learn the latest techniques.

Real Estate Investing Education Online: Some real estate investing educational institutes offer e-learning courses that make it even easier to learn. With simple examples, they teach the most complex subject matters such as tax sheltering, internal rate of return etc. in such a way that investors understand and implement the techniques taught.

It is useful to attend these classes yet experience is the best teacher ever. You gain a clear idea of how to start real estate investing as well as what strategies to use to achieve end results that you desire, if you opt for an education in real estate investing.

Getting an education in real estate investing will teach the investor what mistakes not to make as well as what steps he has to take to ensure successful investing. Setting target goals and learning how to plan carefully, studying the local market etc. will help an investor succeed as real estate investing educational institutes teach them, getting an education in real estate investing is recommended. There are firms that offer services as well as products to help a business to succeed.

Believe in YOU

‘When you have strong intention to create something —
that is, you deeply desire it,
you completely believe that you can do it,
and you are totally willing to have it —
it is likely to manifest in your life in one way or another.’
- Shakti Gawain ~?~

Why did they delete this from the movie “THE SECRET”?

Most people only believe what they see and what they can grasp. Believe in the unseen and become aware of your own abilities - we live in an ocean of motion!

Small Business Ownership and Whole Business Accommodations

Self-employment is never easy, and there are increased challenges when the business owner has disabilities. Business owners with disabilities need to find ways to operate their businesses successful in a competitive environment.
Small Business Ownership and Whole Business Accommodations; By Alice Weiss Doyel; BOLD Consulting Group, LLC

This article contains excerpts from No More Job Interviews! Self-Employment Strategies for People with Disabilities, by Alice Weiss Doyel (2000). Used with permission of the publisher, Training Resource Network, Inc.

Even when the economy was strong, three-fourths of the people with moderate to severe disabilities remained unemployed. Not surprisingly, many people with disabilities see small business ownership as their chance for economic self-sufficiency.

Self-employment is never easy, and there are increased challenges when the business owner has disabilities. Business owners with disabilities need to find ways to operate their businesses successful in a competitive environment. A few years ago I saw my own disabilities become more severe. I knew that I needed to find ways to run my company more effectively. My years of experience as a small business consultant helped me develop the concept of Whole Business Accommodations. I realized that as business owners with disabilities, we must create workplace accommodations which take into consideration the success of our entire business.

Whole Business Accommodations permeate the full scope of the business.

* Operations planning should include accommodations for the owner’s disabilities. These accommodations are not just for the physical attributes of the office, e.g., access, furniture, equipment. These accommodations should take into consideration the people who will be part of the business, or closely associated with it. Whether they are business partners, associates, employees, vendors, family members or support providers, these people are an integral part of making the business work. Their roles in supporting the business owner with disabilities must be integrated into their business functions through the business planning process.

* Marketing capabilities are often affected by the owners disabilities. Determining potentially effective marketing approaches during business planning will allow the company to test and determine the best ways to reach and sell to customers. Some people with disabilities believe that an Internet website is the answer to their marketing challenges. However, the Internet should almost always be used as a secondary marketing approach. There must be direct marketing either by the owner with disabilities, by other company owners or employees, or by sales representatives in order to create a successful marketing effort. * Financial planning is a challenge for business owners with disabilities. Many people with disabilities have few assets of value to help secure a business loan. They may have lived for years in poverty, unable to establish a sound credit record. They may have poor credit due to an unexpected health emergency or accident that created large medical expenses at the same time that they were no longer able to work. Micro-loan programs are a resource for small business owners with disabilities who have viable business plans for start up or existing businesses. These programs will take into consideration disability-related financial limitations and credit problems. Some Whole Business Accommodations are free while others may be quite expensive. All accommodations must meet the same financial test as any other business expense: 1. Can the Whole Business Accommodation be paid for? 2. Is this an effective use of limited company funds? The following are specific examples of Whole Business Accommodations which are consistent with best business practices:

* Creating an accessible office. Many accessibility methods are free or inexpensive, e.g., arranging office furniture and equipment for the greatest ease of use, telephones with easy to read displays and/or large keys, speakerphones or head sets, open storage shelving for easy access, keyboard and mouse that fits the owners physical needs, free Microsoft accessibility utilities, and tables and desks with comfortable wheelchair access. Good office design saves time and energy that the business owner can put into the business. * Including alternative means of transportation in the business plan, e.g., hiring a part-time driver, finding volunteer drivers such as family members or friends, determining effective methods for using public transportation and/or taxi services, and teleconferencing instead of in-person meetings. Business owners with disabilities can host meetings in their own offices, minimizing the need for transportation.

* Using company business policies that protect business owners with disabilities from working in a manner adverse to their health. Developing these policies requires the owner to evaluate and determine the most effective means of running the business. This analysis leads to more effective and profitable management of the entire company.

* Creating a positive, supportive work culture for the business. This includes a culture that values everyones abilities and supports the concept that disabilities do not decrease a persons humanity or value . . . that for many people, the challenges from their disabilities are a means for personal growth. This work culture will be a positive environment for all employees who share these values.

* Hiring a full-time or part-time employee who does work that is difficult or not possible for the business owner. This is a common practice in all businesses; however, here the focus is on assisting in the area of the business owners disabilities. The same employee can serve other functions for the business, bringing more capabilities to the company.

* Partners are often used to create a company where the owners have complementary business or technical skills. Business owners with disabilities can find partners with the skills, time, or energy to compensate for their disability needs.

* Creating alliances with other companies is often an excellent strategy for business owners with disabilities. It allows them to provide a variety of services or products through their alliance partners, while limiting the size of their business and the number of employees they manage. In summary, business owners with disabilities report a wide range of positive experiences when they use Whole Business Accommodations to run their companies more effectively. Whole Business Accommodations are powerful tools for success in business and for success in living a complete and satisfying life.

About the Author

Alice Doyel is the founder of BOLD Consulting Group: where she heads the consulting practice specializing in operations management for small businesses. Also, she is a national speaker, consultant, and advocate on self-employment for people with disabilities. Alice wrote the book, No More Job Interviews! Self-Employment Strategies for People with Disabilities.

Real Estate Investing Advice

There are a lot of people investing in the real estate sector. While making an investment in this field one prime thing to consider is the location. The increase or decrease in the property value depends upon the location of the property. If the property is centrally located, then there would be an increase in price over the period of time as compared to property at isolated locations.

Prerequisites

For those who are serious about making an entry in the field below is some real estate investing advice. There are few things you would require to start:

• Capital to invest or a legal way to acquire that capital
• Detailed knowledge about the real estate market and the area where you are planning to purchase the house.
• Management and excellent negotiation skills are a must for buying the property at your affordable price.
• You should be capable of doing the repairs yourself or at least hire someone to do the repairs
• Please keep the contact information of the property inspector or an engineer who can help you determine flaws in the property.

Though it is not easy to find and acquire the property at reduced price during foreclosures or fix-uppers, you can easily become the proud owner of any property at its increasing rates. While renting be careful about to whom the property is rented out as property would need timely maintenance.

How To Start

Property investments are very expensive and there is capital requires for the same. A good real estate investing advice about how people start in the field is by selling off their own home and purchasing two smaller units with the amount of money acquired. As mentioned earlier location is the main factor that describes the profits of the field thus a lot of research before making an investment is essential. You may check the newspapers, internet, and local libraries and attend the city council meetings to know about the market. It is a safe real estate investing advice to looking into the future developmental plans of the property that you wish to purchase.

Investment Trusts

Another good real estate investing advice offered by experienced in the field is to start with the help of investment trusts. These would serve as a great method to start in the field with less investments and troubles associated with becoming the landlord. An investment trust is the company that invests in the various corporations involved in the real estate market. They range from the big shopping complexes to industrial parks. These are usually listed in stock exchange. The working of these investment trusts is quite similar to that of mutual funds the only difference is their portfolio of investing in the real estate sector. A bulk of their investments is distributed in the form of dividends to the investor. Few points to keep in mind while investing in the real estate investment trusts are:

• The financial health of the areas where the key holdings are located
• The performance of trusts and their future projections
• Trusts management?s track record
• The state of the real estate market

Ten Real Estate Investing Tips

Real estate investing tips tend to be a bit vague, like “invest in the right location,” or “make sure the numbers work.” Actually, tips like these are important principles to remember. However, since they have been well represented in other articles, I want to share a few more specific tips with you.

1. Listen to the market. The cabinet guy looked to me for a decision. I realized that I knew nothing at all about which cabinets people like, so I asked him which ones others were choosing, and he pointed to one that three quarters of his last forty customers had chosen. That’s the one I want, I told him. Why argue with the market you are trying to sell to?

2. Do your own research. The real estate agent might show you only the comparable sales that make the property look more valuable. Do your own research. Some counties have made it easy now, with sales prices online. You can also search any number of sites with MLS listings, just to get an idea about the asking prices of other nearby properties.

3. Partner carefully. When you do a deal with partners, be the money or the management, but not both. Group decisions tend not to work well in real estate, and will cause you much stress. Once you decide on and agree to a plan, step back if you are investing the capital, and let your partner do his thing. Of course, step up and take control if you are managing the project.

4. Negotiate openly. Just ask a seller outright, “What do you want to get out of this?” It is rare that someone is offended by this simple question, and it saves you from wasting valuable time talking about things that don’t interest him or her. Once you get a clear answer, you can decide if you can give them what they want, and still get what you need.

5. Invest safely. Investing isn’t gambling. There is always risk, but the difference is that the odds are in your favor. If not, you are gambling. This why you shouldn’t invest based on continued price increases. There is no guarantee that prices will continue up at any particular rate. Do deals that work even if prices go nowhere, and if values go up, you’re that much better off.

6. Run the numbers. It is about the numbers, and if it is income property, it’s about one number in particular: cash flow. Whatever the local formulas are, whether gross rent multipliers or capitalization rates or whatever, just be sure that after every last expense you’ll have cash flow from the very first month.

Rules, formulas and real estate tips are really just guidelines. Even the rule above about cash flow can be broken if you know that rents can be raised soon, for example. You have to use common sense and learn from experience, and you can’t replace good analysis with rules, formulas and real estate tips.

About the Author

Steve Gillman has invested in real estate for years. To learn more, get a free real estate investing course, and see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com

Business Management Case Study; Franchising Industry After 9/11 and Issues of Outlet Ownership

Executive business management teams of franchising organizations had to change the way they did things after 9/11. This is because it is very important who owns your franchises and to their partners, investors and associates are. For instance in Dallas there was a franchised outlet owned by folks who were funneling money to Al Qaeda. The match in what the Franchisor thought when they were contacted by the FBI?

Unfortunately this situation is not rare, as many people who have come to the United States from other nations by franchises because in their old countries they were self-employed. Some of these people still have ties to people in their former country who are not such good apples. It is this is problematic although there are ways to protect the franchising company from this happening.

It also depends on how the UFOC of the franchisor is structured and it behooves the Franchisor to require that all partners of so much interest to be listed in the franchising agreement when it is signed. If it were a limited partnership, perhaps this might not be the case in some of the older documents, but now Franchisor’s need to pay more attention to this. It depends on their partnership agreement and the franchisors policy.

In our franchising company after 9-11 we modified our franchise agreements because we wanted to know exactly who was involved in every one of our outlets. And franchising companies must remember that not all UFOCs are equal and certainly not all those who prepare them know what they are doing. Many franchise attorneys or UFOC preparers are not equally yoked or genetically equal? So, please consider this a 2006.

Getting Involved In Commercial Real Estate Investing

People choose residential and commercial real estate investing for many reasons. They may find that the property market is safer than the stock market, the potential for monetary returns is much higher than in other areas, or they enjoy buying old homes, remodeling them, and selling them for a much higher price than what they bought them for.

Whatever the reasons, investing in property requires people to know a little about the market, how to buy and sell homes quickly, and when to walk away from a potential deal. People who want to invest in should also understand tax laws and land laws in their area before they spend money in the housing market.

Taking a few business or real estate classes is a good idea for those who are just starting out. These classes are offered through colleges, private schools, or agencies. Lectures about selling will provide valuable information about what to look for when buying a home, where to spend money on improvements, and where to advertise when selling a home. Real estate investing will take up a lot of time, but the pay off could be great. Some people will sell a few homes and then retire on the money they have made. By making good business decisions, this can be the reality for many people.

Your not limited to just residential properties either. Commercial real estate investing includes properties such as retail space, office buildings, warehouses, and storage facilities are also have great potential for making money. Investing in this type of thing will generate a monthly income as long as the space can be rented out for most of the year. Those who are careful about who they rent their building to could have a steady income for a few years. Most leases on commercial properties are at least three years or more. Selling these properties can also benefit a person if they can buy another one after making the sale.

When looking at a piece of property, there is more to look at than its potential for making money. People need to investigate the plumbing, electrical, and roof structure before making a purchase. These can be very expensive to replace and may require too much time. While a home or commercial property may be large enough, the property itself may be too small.

It is important to research what these properties are worth and how much they may be worth over time when getting into residential and commercial real estate investing. This will be one of the deciding factors when purchasing property. Since the market is continually changing, property values will constantly shift from high to low. It is important to be aware of these shifts and only buy property when it will be profitable.

About the Author

Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on creative real estate investing and real estate investing at http://www.realestateinvestingguru.com

Is Business Ownership In Your Future?

Is Business Ownership In Your Future? Submitted By: Tim Knox

T he last time we met I told you about the U.S. Department of Labor?s prediction that within the next ten to fifteen years fifty percent of the American workforce will consist of home workers, independent contractors, consultants, telecommuters, freelancers, and of course, entrepreneurs. Think about that for a moment, especially if you are a diehard nine-to-fiver who can?t imagine yourself leaving the comfort of a regular job to try something different. The workplace of the future is either going to be an exciting or dreadful place, and it?s up to you which side of the coin you fall on. You see, what the Labor Department doesn?t say, but I believe to be true, is that those who find themselves earning a living in non-traditional careers will do so for one of two reasons: they either freely chose to throw off the shackles of the traditional nine-to-five or they were forced to do so because they were casualties of the future?s changing work models. Layoffs, downsizing, outsourcing, work force reduction, and position elimination: all very nice politically-correct terms that mean one thing: you had better be open to changing the way you think about work because, my brothers and sisters, the times they are a? changing. The point of our discussion last time focused on those of you who may one day choose the entrepreneurial path. There is a process for going from worker bee to entrepreneur wannabe and it begins with a healthy dose of self-assessment (look inward to determine if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur) followed by the determination of what kind of business best suits your situation and personality, how you will fund the business, and the writing of a solid business plan. Now let?s talk about the nuts and bolts of the process: finding a location, lining up vendors, hiring and managing employees, dealing with customers, creating a marketing strategy … hmm, this could turn into a very long column. Let me see if I can abbreviate the process in four paragraphs or less. If your business will be a brick and mortar, nothing is as important as location. What might be a great location for a shoe store might be a horrible location for a donut shop. What may appear to be a busy location in the morning might be a ghost town in the afternoon. You should rely on experts for this important piece of the process. Work with a commercial realtor or business broker to find a location that meets your specific needs. Next, if yours will be a product-driven business, your success could hinge on the quality, price, and availability of the products you sell. You must establish strong relationships with reliable vendors who can provide an ample supply of the products your customers demand. Always be cultivating relationships with new vendors. Never rely on a single source for products because sources have a tendency to dry up over time. Next comes the hiring and managing of employees. Like your location and product, employees can make or break your business. Knowledgeable employees who know the value of - and deliver - exceptional customer service are like nuggets of gold. Unfortunately, they are also as hard to find. Don?t hire your wife?s brother or your best friend?s son. It?s easier to find a new best friend than a new customer. Hire based on experience and expertise and train every employee well. Set expectations high and most important of all, lead by example, not by the book. Finally, the big question: if you build it will they come? Afraid not, my new entrepreneur friend. You must have a killer marketing plan that will bring the world - or at least your piece of the world - to your door. You can have the best product in the world, but if you don?t tell anyone about it, you won?t sell a thing. Creating a killer marketing plan really isn?t that hard. Just ask yourself questions like: who is my target customer and what is the best way to reach them? What can I do to stand out from the crowd? What can I do differently? How can I get noticed? And how can I do that without spending an arm and leg on advertising? Two great books on this topic are Purple Cow by Seth Godin and There?s A Customer Born Every Minute: P.T. Barnum?s Secrets To Business Success by Joe Vitale. Of course there?s far more to going from employee to entrepreneur than I can cover here in just a couple of columns, which is why I wrote a book on the topic called Everything I Know About Business I Learned From My Mama. Shameless self-promotion aside, I hope this will help you decide if future entrepreneurship is for you. No matter what path you choose remember this: the workplace is changing. You must be prepared and willing to change with it or you?ll end up a statistic on another government list, this one stamped: Unemployed. About the Author: Tim Knox Entrepreneur, Radio Host “Check Out Tim’s New Radio Show!” http://www.timknoxshow.com Preorder Tim?s New Book: Everything I Know About Business I Learned From My Mama http://www.timknox.com/amazon/ #BREAK# Tags: American Workforce, Business/Network Marketing, Department Of Labor, Earning A Living, Entrepreneurial Path, Independent Contractors, Labor Department, Layoffs, Marketing Strategy, Nuts And Bolts, Self Assessment, Shackles, Tim Knox, Traditional Careers, U S Department, U S Department Of Labor, Wannabe, What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur, Work Models, Worker Bee Real Estate Investing Analysis August 21, 2011 by Kenny Santos   Filed under Real Estate Investing Leave a Comment This article gives you a foundational understanding of residential real estate investing analysis, and a formula for determining how much to offer when purchasing property for rehab and wholesale purposes. Anyone can learn the simple skill of real estate investing analysis. The important point to understand is that the analysis will vary, depending on the type of real estate being discussed. This article focuses exclusively on residential single family and duplex properties purchased for rehab and wholesale purposes. The first step in your real estate investing analysis is to determine the fair market value of the property after all repairs have been completed. This is done most accurately by having a Realtor run a comparable sales comparison report. Make sure the properties your Realtor chooses are truly comparable, not simply the same bedroom count, but also the same type of construction, in the same neighborhood, roughly the same age, etc.. The next step in performing your real estate investing analysis is to determine the cost of all needed repairs to bring the property into what I call ?retail condition?. In other words, how much will all the repairs cost to complete, including materials, labor, and holding costs? Once you have determined these two values- After Repair Market Value and Repair Costs- the next step in the real estate investing analysis process is some simple subtraction. Subtract the Repair Costs from the After Repair Market Value to arrive at the property?s Current Market Value. Once you are armed with the Current Market Value of a property, it?s a simple matter to complete the real estate investing analysis and arrive at your offer price. Your offer price will be the Current Market Value minus either $20,000 or 30%, whichever is lower. To make this real estate investing analysis process all very clear, here’s an example: Suppose you are looking at a single family home in a mid-priced neighborhood. The Realtor pulls Comparables and you determine that the After Repair Value of the property is $150,000. You further estimate that the repairs needed will cost $30,000 to complete, including materials, labor, and holding costs. Next, as part of your real estate investing analysis, you subtract the $30,000 Repair Costs from the $150,000 After Repair Value, and arrive at a Current Market Value of $120,000. You subtract $20,000 from $120,000 and get $100,000. You also subtract 30% from $120,000 and get $84,000. The lesser of $100,000 or $84,000 is $84,000, so that is your offer price- $84,000. Using this formula for real estate investing analysis you may miss out on a few properties you could have bought otherwise, but you will never overpay for a property, and you will always make money. Now, go make more offers! Crush The Biggest Obstacle to Your Success in Real Estate… or Anything Else! Download my FREE report HERE! Tom Dunn is a successful real estate investor and author of the popular DealFiles Real Estate Investor Stories free newsletter. You are welcome to share this report, unedited and in it’s entirety, with anyone you like. You may not remove this text. ? 2007 by Tom Dunn. Website: http://www.dealfiles.com e-mail: tom@dealfiles.com Tags: Comparable Sales, Comparison Report, Current Market Value, Duplex Properties, Fair Market Value, Important Point, Neighborhood, Realtor, Rehab, Residential Real Estate, Simple Matter, Single Family, Subtraction, Wholesale Next Page » eNews & Updates Sign up to receive breaking news as well as receive other site updates! Enter Google AdSense Code Here Work with Kenny Coach with Kenny Create Long Term Wealth Kenny Shrinks Recent Posts How To Find All The Money You Need For Your Real Estate Investing Business Management Case Study; Franchising Industry After 9/11 and Issues of Outlet Ownership Real Estate Investing: How To Buy Distressed Real Estate During Pre-Foreclosure Business Management Case Study; Franchising Industry After 9/11 and Issues of Outlet Ownership How To Get Private Money For Real Estate Investing - Step Two Categories Business/Network Marketing Cashflow 101 Joe Changes His Mind Personal Devleopment and Inspiration Quotes Real Estate Investing Real Estate Video Tips Archives February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 Recent Comments Tony Orlando on Real Estate Investing: Tax Certificates Tony Orlando on Real Estate Investing: Tax Certificates Kenny Santos on Real Estate Investing: Types Of Leasing Agents Paul Smith on Real Estate Investing: Types Of Leasing Agents Eusebio Crummedyo on How To Get Started In Commercial Real Estate Investing Copyright © 2008 · All Rights Reserved · Revolution Lifestyle theme by Brian Gardner · Powered by WordPress · Log in