Real Estate Investing - 7 Steps To Success

For the uninitiated, investing in real estate can seem like a big, mysterious activity that you pretty much have to be born with a special gene to do. They don’t know that you can break it up into several smaller steps, and that it is only a matter of learning how to get through each one.

The following are seven steps you can follow in order to go from being an Average Joe or Josephine to being Joe Cool, real estate mogul. They will at least get you closer to the latter.

1. Realize that it is not outside of your grasp. As one step leads into another, you first have to begin thinking like a real estate investor. And real estate investors think about finding good deals. However, you may not know a good deal if it jumps up and bites you on the nose.

2. That’s why you have to learn some basic accounting. You don’t have to spend 10 years studying under ancient Chinese accounting master, but you should learn how to read financial statements. You should learn about cash flow. You should learn the difference between an asset and a liability, not just take your banker’s word for it.

3. Once you know how to read the language if investment, you will be in a position to learn how to recognize a good deal when you see one. This is a bit trickier. Although you should do plenty of reading on the subject, the best way to learn is through doing. Get out there and look for deals.

4. Learn about the markets you want to play in. If you are thinking about buying a specific kind of property, learn about the markets in the area you are interested in. The market should actually determine where you make your purchase. Look for a community that is progressive, for one thing. A place with a good quality of life. A place with a good economy.

5. Set goals. Determine what you want to accomplish and when you want to accomplish it. Make sure it is within your reach and then take the steps to actually make it happen.

6. Develop your team. You will need to hire professionals to help you with things like accounting and legal issues. You will want people who know more than you do about how buildings are put together to appraise property for you. According to Ken McElroy, author of ?The ABCs of Investing,? the worst thing you could do is skimp on this step and try to be a ?real estate do-it-yourselfer.? That may appear to save you money in the beginning but you will pay dearly in the end.

7. Make your first purchase. When the numbers add up, McElroy says, then it is a good deal. Don’t leap without looking, but if you’ve looked and the numbers add up, then it’s time to jump.

Of course, this is a simplified version of the process, but it is a good way to get an overview. Each one of these steps could be further mapped out. The trick is to do your research and take it at your own pace. Don’t rush. Learn the process. The first purchase will be the most difficult. After that, the real learning starts.

Real Life Real Estate Investing

I bought my first apartment 10 years ago, on my 20th birthday. I had spent the previous 5 years working and saving for college; but when I finally entered college at 19 on a full academic scholarship, I decided that instead of spending my accumulated savings, I would try my hand at investment.

Here I am 10 years later. What you’ll probably notice by looking at my site is that this is not a story of extreme or fast wealth building.

But it is a story of effective “forced savings” that has provided me significant insight into financial planning, real estate investing, and balancing the books. While it hasn’t always been a barrel of laughs, overall, I’m reasonably satisfied with the outcome so far.

I thought I would share some real world real estate investment thought. Let’s start at the end, where I am today: I currently own 7 condo apartments in my general geographic area. All of these condos are revenue neutral or revenue positive. I don’t have significant savings to fall back on, and I am just now in the process of “cashing in”, by selling my first apartment. My approach is best described as “slow and steady”; my outlook is 20 - 25 years.

Here the top points I like to share about investing in real estate:

1) Path to (instant) riches

I will never argue that real estate investing is an instant, or even particularly easy, path to significant wealth.My bank statement demonstrates that. I am willing to grant that many people are able to turn real estate in wealth quickly; I’m afraid that hasn’t my approach. Instead, I’ve taken the long view, as you can see at my site, with the hope that my real estate portfolio will provide a steady cash flow in 10-15 years time. For me, slow and steady really does win the race.

Just think about it: if you can manage to buy and hold 5 properties, within 15 years all five will turn in heavy revenue and heavy profit. For example, my two oldest properties now generate $3500 in revenue each month, with monthly expenses of just $1400. Imagine what that will look like once I’ve paid off all the mortages!

2) For a cautious investor, take the long view

This a vast generalization, but I hold to it pretty firmly: if your outlook is long enough, you will not lose money. At the worst, investing in real estate is a forced savings.

That’s not to say that you’ll never lose money; circumstances such emergency repairs, a destructive tenant, or rapidly inflating interest rates certainly increase the risk. But, if you can hold on through any such upheavals, you’ll find that within two or three years things will settle and you’ll start to benefit from increased appreciate in property value, increased rental income, or both.

And, while property values might dip for periods, keep in mind that over 5 years it’s virtually impossible that your overall property won’t appreciate. At the very worst, you’ll have paid down some of your mortgage.

Plus, you have a tangible, physical asset. There’s a lot to be said about that kind of peace of mind.

3) Operating costs - if they balance, you’re in the good!

You’re probably not going to earn back your down payment quickly - that’s ok! Keep in mind that the portion of your down payment that goes toward principle (ie: the part not eaten up by lawyer and realtor fees) is still in your hands. It just happens to now be in your property. You will see this money again when you sell.

So, the real goal is to be at least neutral on an operating basis. Ideally, that means that your rents will cover mortgages, strata fees, taxes and maintenance. This might not be possible for the first year or three, but even if you’re paying out a few dollars each month, you are still gaining more than if you were not investing.

4) Tenants - do your research,

I learned this lesson the hard way, when I had a tenant cause about $5000 in damage to one of my apartments. What I learned is that tenants have histories; if they are unwilling to share, or if you don’t receive sufficient references to make you comfortable, it’s probably better to just wait. Personally, I now ask for 3 references, and I require proof that the people I’m talking to are actually who they say they are (requiring a work phone number, for example). It might seem extreme, but this type of due diligence at the beginning increase comfort throughout a tenancy and reduce the chances of serious damage.

5) Tenants, Part Two - Late rent is forgivable - Once and don’t be afraid of the eviction notice

Real estate investing is a business. And, like many small businesses, it is sometimes operated on small margins. That means, if a tenant doesn’t pay their rent, it comes out of my pocket. I know that nothing works perfectly, so I will always forgive the first missed rent if there is a reasonable explanation. However, a second missed rent, and I will immediately begin eviction proceedings.

The laws of our state are very strict when it comes to evictions; there must be good and reasonable cause; here, at least, missed rent is just cause for eviction. Don’t misunderstand; I always keep an open mind. But many individuals will take advantage of a situation if they believe there is no consequence.

All in all, I’d say real estate investing has been a very positive experience and I would recommend it to anyone who has patience and fortitude. Do your research, though, because real estate investing has highs and lows, just like any other type of investment vehicle.

About the Author

Michael Lee-Smith is a real estate investor with over 10 years of experience in buying and holding residential real estate.

Real Estate Investing Tip - Three Things That You Need To Know To Succeed

Three things that you need to know to succeed

Are you new to the world of real estate investing? There are many key points involved in real estate investment that can help you make your deals more profitable. Real estate investing is all about facing the challenges and pitfalls you may encounter along the ways. If you are new to this venture there is definitely a lot to learn. Once you have groomed yourself and have gained some experience, you can become the master of the art and can surely make more profits.

Here are some useful Real estate investing tips

1. Selecting a right location:

Selecting a right location is very important to achieve success in your real estate investment deals. The better the location, the better the chances that the value of your property will increase over time. It would be advisable to select a location where the demand for the property is high and the property prices are always rising. You need to consider many prospects before selecting a location for your real estate. One of the key points you have to consider is about the major developments that are planned for the area in the future.

2. Pay Market Value:

Never pay more for a property than what it is worth. It is very important to access the market value of a property before you actually consider buying it. Buying a property in a good location can be a good option as you can expect the value to double every 7 to 10 years. You can also ask an agent on information on price growth in a suburb.

3. Attracting tenants:

One of the most important point you need to consider while buying a property is whether it will attract tenants or not. It would be advisable to buy a property in an attractive location where other people wants to live as tenants. You need to put yourself in the tenant’s position as to what they will consider buying from you. You need to work out on certain points to attract tenants this includes good access to transportation, education facilities, health, community facilities and adequate parking.

Copyright ? 2006 Joel Teo. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Joel Teo writes on arizona estate goodyear investment real . Learn more about Property Investment by signing up for his free Property Investment Ezine

Real Estate Investing Tip - Three Things That You Need To Know To Succeed

Three things that you need to know to succeed

Are you new to the world of real estate investing? There are many key points involved in real estate investment that can help you make your deals more profitable. Real estate investing is all about facing the challenges and pitfalls you may encounter along the ways. If you are new to this venture there is definitely a lot to learn. Once you have groomed yourself and have gained some experience, you can become the master of the art and can surely make more profits.

Here are some useful Real estate investing tips

1. Selecting a right location:

Selecting a right location is very important to achieve success in your real estate investment deals. The better the location, the better the chances that the value of your property will increase over time. It would be advisable to select a location where the demand for the property is high and the property prices are always rising. You need to consider many prospects before selecting a location for your real estate. One of the key points you have to consider is about the major developments that are planned for the area in the future.

2. Pay Market Value:

Never pay more for a property than what it is worth. It is very important to access the market value of a property before you actually consider buying it. Buying a property in a good location can be a good option as you can expect the value to double every 7 to 10 years. You can also ask an agent on information on price growth in a suburb.

3. Attracting tenants:

One of the most important point you need to consider while buying a property is whether it will attract tenants or not. It would be advisable to buy a property in an attractive location where other people wants to live as tenants. You need to put yourself in the tenant’s position as to what they will consider buying from you. You need to work out on certain points to attract tenants this includes good access to transportation, education facilities, health, community facilities and adequate parking.

Copyright ? 2006 Joel Teo. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Joel Teo writes on arizona estate goodyear investment real . Learn more about Property Investment by signing up for his free Property Investment Ezine

Real Estate Investing Tip - Three Things That You Need To Know To Succeed

Three things that you need to know to succeed

Are you new to the world of real estate investing? There are many key points involved in real estate investment that can help you make your deals more profitable. Real estate investing is all about facing the challenges and pitfalls you may encounter along the ways. If you are new to this venture there is definitely a lot to learn. Once you have groomed yourself and have gained some experience, you can become the master of the art and can surely make more profits.

Here are some useful Real estate investing tips

1. Selecting a right location:

Selecting a right location is very important to achieve success in your real estate investment deals. The better the location, the better the chances that the value of your property will increase over time. It would be advisable to select a location where the demand for the property is high and the property prices are always rising. You need to consider many prospects before selecting a location for your real estate. One of the key points you have to consider is about the major developments that are planned for the area in the future.

2. Pay Market Value:

Never pay more for a property than what it is worth. It is very important to access the market value of a property before you actually consider buying it. Buying a property in a good location can be a good option as you can expect the value to double every 7 to 10 years. You can also ask an agent on information on price growth in a suburb.

3. Attracting tenants:

One of the most important point you need to consider while buying a property is whether it will attract tenants or not. It would be advisable to buy a property in an attractive location where other people wants to live as tenants. You need to put yourself in the tenant’s position as to what they will consider buying from you. You need to work out on certain points to attract tenants this includes good access to transportation, education facilities, health, community facilities and adequate parking.

Copyright ? 2006 Joel Teo. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Joel Teo writes on arizona estate goodyear investment real . Learn more about Property Investment by signing up for his free Property Investment Ezine

Beginning Real Estate Investing? Increase Your Profits With The Magic Of Leverage

When you invest your money in things like RRSP’s or stocks and bonds your leverage is zero because you have used your own money and none of other people’s money. When you buy a home with a mortgage you have used leverage, which is common in most all real estate investments. You own the down payment of coarse but the lending institution owns the rest.

You bought a house for $100,000 with a $5,000 down payment. The OPM you used, or leverage is 95% and your down payment was 5%. Here lies one of the most important principles for someone just beginning real estate investing or even if you’re well into it:

The More Leverage You Use, The Greater Your Profit Potential.

Now the house you bought for $100,000 has increased in value up to $105,000 in just under a year, not bad. It only appreciated 5% but the good news is the return on YOUR investment is 100% because you invested $5,000, it went up $5,000 so you doubled your money earning a full 100% on your investment. Let’s say that over the next 10 years your property goes up to $25,000 in value, this will give you a 500% return on your money. Leverage is computed by dividing the increase in value by the cash down payment (25 divided by 5 is 5).

If you had $100,000 you could buy one property outright with your cash or you could make a lot of money with leverage and buy 20 properties by putting $5,000 down on each one. So, now instead of having a $100,000 property you’ve got $2,000,000 worth of property. Now let’s say the properties all appreciated by 5% during the first year your profits would be $100,000. If you had bought just the one property instead you would have only made $5,000 in profits.

As you can see, the less of your own money you use, the greater your profit potential and if you were able to buy a property with none of your own money, then the return on your investment is infinite. You can’t divide by a zero down payment. To figure out the return on investment from appreciation, taxes, or principle reduction, always divide by your cash down payment.

We have seen here how leverage can increase you chance for profits, but if you are financially unprepared it can greatly increase your potential risk. Higher earning strategies always have a higher risk potential that go along with them. The super save route of investing the entire $100,000 into one property is totally safe but will give you a much lower ROI. Those 20 properties you bought all have a mortgage on them which you are responsible for so if a few aren’t rented or the rents don’t get paid the money comes out of your pocket. Does this additional risk warrant the use of leveraging? Yes it does but you have to plan ahead and be prepared to handle any possible negative cash flow problems should they arise.

“How to handle negative cash flow” will be discussed in an upcoming article.

Real Life Real Estate Investing

I bought my first apartment 10 years ago, on my 20th birthday. I had spent the previous 5 years working and saving for college; but when I finally entered college at 19 on a full academic scholarship, I decided that instead of spending my accumulated savings, I would try my hand at investment.

Here I am 10 years later. What you’ll probably notice by looking at my site is that this is not a story of extreme or fast wealth building.

But it is a story of effective “forced savings” that has provided me significant insight into financial planning, real estate investing, and balancing the books. While it hasn’t always been a barrel of laughs, overall, I’m reasonably satisfied with the outcome so far.

I thought I would share some real world real estate investment thought. Let’s start at the end, where I am today: I currently own 7 condo apartments in my general geographic area. All of these condos are revenue neutral or revenue positive. I don’t have significant savings to fall back on, and I am just now in the process of “cashing in”, by selling my first apartment. My approach is best described as “slow and steady”; my outlook is 20 - 25 years.

Here the top points I like to share about investing in real estate:

1) Path to (instant) riches

I will never argue that real estate investing is an instant, or even particularly easy, path to significant wealth.My bank statement demonstrates that. I am willing to grant that many people are able to turn real estate in wealth quickly; I’m afraid that hasn’t my approach. Instead, I’ve taken the long view, as you can see at my site, with the hope that my real estate portfolio will provide a steady cash flow in 10-15 years time. For me, slow and steady really does win the race.

Just think about it: if you can manage to buy and hold 5 properties, within 15 years all five will turn in heavy revenue and heavy profit. For example, my two oldest properties now generate $3500 in revenue each month, with monthly expenses of just $1400. Imagine what that will look like once I’ve paid off all the mortages!

2) For a cautious investor, take the long view

This a vast generalization, but I hold to it pretty firmly: if your outlook is long enough, you will not lose money. At the worst, investing in real estate is a forced savings.

That’s not to say that you’ll never lose money; circumstances such emergency repairs, a destructive tenant, or rapidly inflating interest rates certainly increase the risk. But, if you can hold on through any such upheavals, you’ll find that within two or three years things will settle and you’ll start to benefit from increased appreciate in property value, increased rental income, or both.

And, while property values might dip for periods, keep in mind that over 5 years it’s virtually impossible that your overall property won’t appreciate. At the very worst, you’ll have paid down some of your mortgage.

Plus, you have a tangible, physical asset. There’s a lot to be said about that kind of peace of mind.

3) Operating costs - if they balance, you’re in the good!

You’re probably not going to earn back your down payment quickly - that’s ok! Keep in mind that the portion of your down payment that goes toward principle (ie: the part not eaten up by lawyer and realtor fees) is still in your hands. It just happens to now be in your property. You will see this money again when you sell.

So, the real goal is to be at least neutral on an operating basis. Ideally, that means that your rents will cover mortgages, strata fees, taxes and maintenance. This might not be possible for the first year or three, but even if you’re paying out a few dollars each month, you are still gaining more than if you were not investing.

4) Tenants - do your research,

I learned this lesson the hard way, when I had a tenant cause about $5000 in damage to one of my apartments. What I learned is that tenants have histories; if they are unwilling to share, or if you don’t receive sufficient references to make you comfortable, it’s probably better to just wait. Personally, I now ask for 3 references, and I require proof that the people I’m talking to are actually who they say they are (requiring a work phone number, for example). It might seem extreme, but this type of due diligence at the beginning increase comfort throughout a tenancy and reduce the chances of serious damage.

5) Tenants, Part Two - Late rent is forgivable - Once and don’t be afraid of the eviction notice

Real estate investing is a business. And, like many small businesses, it is sometimes operated on small margins. That means, if a tenant doesn’t pay their rent, it comes out of my pocket. I know that nothing works perfectly, so I will always forgive the first missed rent if there is a reasonable explanation. However, a second missed rent, and I will immediately begin eviction proceedings.

The laws of our state are very strict when it comes to evictions; there must be good and reasonable cause; here, at least, missed rent is just cause for eviction. Don’t misunderstand; I always keep an open mind. But many individuals will take advantage of a situation if they believe there is no consequence.

All in all, I’d say real estate investing has been a very positive experience and I would recommend it to anyone who has patience and fortitude. Do your research, though, because real estate investing has highs and lows, just like any other type of investment vehicle.

About the Author

Michael Lee-Smith is a real estate investor with over 10 years of experience in buying and holding residential real estate.

Real Estate Investing Scare

Just recently, I was consulting a former Real Estate Investor that was in a serious situation that would scare anyone. This investor has twenty-eight properties that he’s personally purchased using bank financing over the last 4 years.

Here’s the typical deal this investor would purchase: The house would have an appraised value of $50,000 and he was able to purchase the property for $30,000.

The bank would then loan him 80% of appraisal regardless what he paid for the property allowing him to cash money out at closing when buying.

OK, follow me so far? So, in this example, he’d pocket $10,000 when he bought the property.

So, you’re thinking - that’s not scary.

Not yet anyway…

Back to the story, he calls to see if I can help by buying the properties from him. I told him I would gladly take a look to see if there was something I could do, but I assured him I couldn’t make any promises.

After, I talk with him a little more, I discover he’s 3 months behind on payments on ALL 28 properties. With all 28 properties, one would need to come up with close to $20K just to reinstate these loans.

But, that’s not the scary part. We still have to see if there’s any equity. And unfortunately, there’s not, therefore I tell him I can’t do anything for him. He’s gonna see 28 houses go to the foreclosure block. Not only will the bank foreclose, they’ll drag his name through the paper causing humiliation, disgrace with his family and his church. The bank doesn’t just foreclose, then go away. They’re gonna stay after him till they get paid. If the bank takes a loss on these properties, which they will, the bank will pursue the following options:

1. Deficiency Judgment:

This will attach to anything this homeowner owns (real estate, cars, boats, motorcycles, etc.) till the debt is paid. Judgments are usually good for a set amount of time. In Alabama, the company has 10 years they can pursue the homeowner to get paid on the judgment. Plus, you should be aware that these judgments then can be renewed after they’ve lapsed.

It’s pretty terrifying to say the least to have some attorney harassing you to collect on a debt.

2. Garnish Wages

After a judgment has been attained, the creditor can and will garnish any wages from the borrower’s pay.

3. Forgive The Debt

Maybe, you think the borrower would love for the bank to just forgive the debt. Even though they forgive the debt, they don’t forget. Because at the end of year they’ll send the borrower a 1099 for unearned income from the loss of the sale of the property they’d loan money on.

Finally, the obvious factor of having a foreclosure is the fact it shows on your credit rating, thus ruining your credit.

Why did I just tell you this information about this particular owner?

I want you to be able to make sellers aware that are in similar situations of exactly what they can expect. See, most investors expect a homeowner to make some logical decision during a totally emotional time like a foreclosure proceeding. Most owners react out of fear, thus making the wrong choice, which is doing nothing but watching the sheriff show up to finalize the eviction after the house has been foreclosed.

Real Estate Investing Tip - Three Things That You Need To Know To Succeed

Three things that you need to know to succeed

Are you new to the world of real estate investing? There are many key points involved in real estate investment that can help you make your deals more profitable. Real estate investing is all about facing the challenges and pitfalls you may encounter along the ways. If you are new to this venture there is definitely a lot to learn. Once you have groomed yourself and have gained some experience, you can become the master of the art and can surely make more profits.

Here are some useful Real estate investing tips

1. Selecting a right location:

Selecting a right location is very important to achieve success in your real estate investment deals. The better the location, the better the chances that the value of your property will increase over time. It would be advisable to select a location where the demand for the property is high and the property prices are always rising. You need to consider many prospects before selecting a location for your real estate. One of the key points you have to consider is about the major developments that are planned for the area in the future.

2. Pay Market Value:

Never pay more for a property than what it is worth. It is very important to access the market value of a property before you actually consider buying it. Buying a property in a good location can be a good option as you can expect the value to double every 7 to 10 years. You can also ask an agent on information on price growth in a suburb.

3. Attracting tenants:

One of the most important point you need to consider while buying a property is whether it will attract tenants or not. It would be advisable to buy a property in an attractive location where other people wants to live as tenants. You need to put yourself in the tenant’s position as to what they will consider buying from you. You need to work out on certain points to attract tenants this includes good access to transportation, education facilities, health, community facilities and adequate parking.

Copyright ? 2006 Joel Teo. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Joel Teo writes on arizona estate goodyear investment real . Learn more about Property Investment by signing up for his free Property Investment Ezine

Real Life Real Estate Investing

I bought my first apartment 10 years ago, on my 20th birthday. I had spent the previous 5 years working and saving for college; but when I finally entered college at 19 on a full academic scholarship, I decided that instead of spending my accumulated savings, I would try my hand at investment.

Here I am 10 years later. What you’ll probably notice by looking at my site is that this is not a story of extreme or fast wealth building.

But it is a story of effective “forced savings” that has provided me significant insight into financial planning, real estate investing, and balancing the books. While it hasn’t always been a barrel of laughs, overall, I’m reasonably satisfied with the outcome so far.

I thought I would share some real world real estate investment thought. Let’s start at the end, where I am today: I currently own 7 condo apartments in my general geographic area. All of these condos are revenue neutral or revenue positive. I don’t have significant savings to fall back on, and I am just now in the process of “cashing in”, by selling my first apartment. My approach is best described as “slow and steady”; my outlook is 20 - 25 years.

Here the top points I like to share about investing in real estate:

1) Path to (instant) riches

I will never argue that real estate investing is an instant, or even particularly easy, path to significant wealth.My bank statement demonstrates that. I am willing to grant that many people are able to turn real estate in wealth quickly; I’m afraid that hasn’t my approach. Instead, I’ve taken the long view, as you can see at my site, with the hope that my real estate portfolio will provide a steady cash flow in 10-15 years time. For me, slow and steady really does win the race.

Just think about it: if you can manage to buy and hold 5 properties, within 15 years all five will turn in heavy revenue and heavy profit. For example, my two oldest properties now generate $3500 in revenue each month, with monthly expenses of just $1400. Imagine what that will look like once I’ve paid off all the mortages!

2) For a cautious investor, take the long view

This a vast generalization, but I hold to it pretty firmly: if your outlook is long enough, you will not lose money. At the worst, investing in real estate is a forced savings.

That’s not to say that you’ll never lose money; circumstances such emergency repairs, a destructive tenant, or rapidly inflating interest rates certainly increase the risk. But, if you can hold on through any such upheavals, you’ll find that within two or three years things will settle and you’ll start to benefit from increased appreciate in property value, increased rental income, or both.

And, while property values might dip for periods, keep in mind that over 5 years it’s virtually impossible that your overall property won’t appreciate. At the very worst, you’ll have paid down some of your mortgage.

Plus, you have a tangible, physical asset. There’s a lot to be said about that kind of peace of mind.

3) Operating costs - if they balance, you’re in the good!

You’re probably not going to earn back your down payment quickly - that’s ok! Keep in mind that the portion of your down payment that goes toward principle (ie: the part not eaten up by lawyer and realtor fees) is still in your hands. It just happens to now be in your property. You will see this money again when you sell.

So, the real goal is to be at least neutral on an operating basis. Ideally, that means that your rents will cover mortgages, strata fees, taxes and maintenance. This might not be possible for the first year or three, but even if you’re paying out a few dollars each month, you are still gaining more than if you were not investing.

4) Tenants - do your research,

I learned this lesson the hard way, when I had a tenant cause about $5000 in damage to one of my apartments. What I learned is that tenants have histories; if they are unwilling to share, or if you don’t receive sufficient references to make you comfortable, it’s probably better to just wait. Personally, I now ask for 3 references, and I require proof that the people I’m talking to are actually who they say they are (requiring a work phone number, for example). It might seem extreme, but this type of due diligence at the beginning increase comfort throughout a tenancy and reduce the chances of serious damage.

5) Tenants, Part Two - Late rent is forgivable - Once and don’t be afraid of the eviction notice

Real estate investing is a business. And, like many small businesses, it is sometimes operated on small margins. That means, if a tenant doesn’t pay their rent, it comes out of my pocket. I know that nothing works perfectly, so I will always forgive the first missed rent if there is a reasonable explanation. However, a second missed rent, and I will immediately begin eviction proceedings.

The laws of our state are very strict when it comes to evictions; there must be good and reasonable cause; here, at least, missed rent is just cause for eviction. Don’t misunderstand; I always keep an open mind. But many individuals will take advantage of a situation if they believe there is no consequence.

All in all, I’d say real estate investing has been a very positive experience and I would recommend it to anyone who has patience and fortitude. Do your research, though, because real estate investing has highs and lows, just like any other type of investment vehicle.

About the Author

Michael Lee-Smith is a real estate investor with over 10 years of experience in buying and holding residential real estate.

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