Is Birdogging Really Real Estate Investing?

I?ve been asked the question by beginning real estate investors, ?If I only birddog, am I really investing in real estate?? Good question.

My answer is, ?Are you making money, are you learning, and are you moving forward toward your goals?? If you can answer yes to those questions, then the right answer to ?Is birdogging really real estate investing?? is ?Who cares??

First, a primer on birdogging. It?s nothing more or less complicated than finding deals for other investors. As a birddog, you will do the legwork required to hunt down property that is in distress. That means it?s either vacant or in need of repairs, or the owner is experiencing some life situation that causes him to need to sell.

When you find a likely property, you will get another investor involved, and when they purchase the property you will receive a birddog fee. This usually amounts to between $500 and $5,000 depending on how much the property sells for and how much legwork you did to bring the deal to the buyer.

Birdogging is a great way to learn the ins and outs of real estate investing. You learn not only how to find distressed property, but also how to value real estate, how to use creative financing techniques, how to talk to sellers, and much more. In short, birdogging is a great way to get an education in real estate investing and earn a good living at the same time.

So, is birdogging really real estate investing? Not technically. It?s actually closer to being a real estate merchandiser. That is, you?re really in the business of locating property, or generating leads for other investors. Based on the amount of money you can earn, the education you?ll receive, and the low risk involved, that?s not really a bad thing.

Speaking of risk, that?s one of the chief advantages of birdogging. After all, since you?re not using any of your own money, there?s nothing to lose except your time. In addition, you really don?t need any cash or credit to get started in real estate investing? a perfect solution for people who are lacking one or the other, or both.

Now that you have a grasp of what birdogging is all about, why not make it a goal to birddog a few deals this month? You?ll have a blast, learn a ton, and make some money. What could be bad about that?

For more on beginning real estate investing visit http://www.dealfiles.com/beginninginvesting.html

5 Essential Principles For Real Estate Investing

It’s no secret that real estate investing has become the “weapon of choice” for many investors. With the stock market growing more and more uncertain it’s not hard to understand why. While real estate investing can be very lucrative and when done right can present very little risk, it’s important to remember that timeless adage “knowledge is key”. As with any financial decision to be made, no one should jump into real estate investing without gaining as much knowledge as possible on the front end. While it is true that experience is the best teacher, having a good knowledge base to begin with might just make your experience a little less scary. With this in mind, following are five things to consider BEFORE doing your first deal.

1. Tend to your personal finances first Many prospective investors view real estate as a means to get out of financial trouble. Many real estate “gurus” will advocate this practice and even use it as a selling point to sell their latest and greatest real estate investing system. I am definitely not of this mindset. Real estate investing is a great way to secure your financial future but certainly not at the expense of your financial “present”. If you are having financial problems and are having trouble making ends meet, take steps to rectify the situation before risking any money in real estate. As I stated earlier real estate investing can carry less risk than many other forms of investing, but there are still risks and if you are not in a position to handle the setbacks than you are basically just gambling and that is a very dangerous investment strategy.

2. Choose a strategy. There are many ways to make money in real estate investing. You can buy a property and immediately flip it for profit. You can buy a property and hold it banking on an increase in value in the near future. You can buy a property for rental. You can buy a distressed property and make improvements. There are countless ways to make money. The important thing to remember is that each of these strategies carries its own set of “rules”, if you will, for making a profit. Some might say you should never limit yourself to one strategy and I whole-heartedly agree in the over all realm of your real estate portfolio. What I want to stress here is that indecision in regards to each individual real estate deal can cause you a lot of heartache, frustration and LOST PROFIT, which we could all do without. Decide up front which strategy is best for you and then proceed to find a property that meets your needs.

3. Do your research While this may sound elementary, it’s very easy to get caught up in the emotion of what seems like a good deal and in the process act hastily. Always, and I mean ALWAYS thoroughly investigate a property before you sign anything. Try to determine if the property has suffered any significant damage, find out if the property is in a flood plain, find out if there is more than 1 lien against a property, etc. Create a property inspection checklist up front and check every one off before you decide to do a deal. When doing a conventional deal with a mortgage lender the lender will likely take care of a lot of these steps (they want to protect their investment as well) however, it is always good practice to pay for a thorough inspection before you make the deal.

4. Stick to a budget Decide what you can afford and are willing to spend on a real estate deal and DO NOT deviate. Many real estate investing coaches will tell you not to let a good deal go just because you don’t have the money. “Get creative” they say. While I do not shun the idea of creative financing completely I certainly don’t recommend it for the beginning investor. “Zero Down” deals can be very appealing but they also can increase your risk factor tremendously. In a nutshell, if you can’t afford it, it’s not a good deal.

5. Be prepared to walk away Never get emotionally attached to a property. Emotions can cloud your judgment causing you to make unwise decisions. It’s almost a certainty that if you stick with real estate investing long enough you will come across a deal that seems irresistible. Do not get overly excited and sell yourself on the deal before due diligence is done. This mindset can cause you to overlook some warning signs that otherwise might be deal breakers. Go back and read number 3 again. Be objective and be skeptical. Reserve judgment for after your inspection checklist has been completed. Always be prepared to walk away; there’s likely another prospective deal just around the corner.

These five principles are a good guideline for anyone starting out. While real estate investing can be a rollercoaster ride at times with many ups and downs, sticking to these basic principles will all but guarantee that you will come out on top. Happy Investing!

About the Author

Ryan Gibson is an avid real estate investor and webmaster for the popular investing site www.the-investment-place.com

Distressed Properties Real Estate Investing - What You Should Know

When you’re looking to make a profit in real estate investing, you need to purchase properties for as low a price as you can then resell them at a higher price. This is exactly what you’re looking for when getting involved in distressed properties real estate investing. This is an extremely popular technique used by successful real estate investors around the world. Once you know what steps you need to take with distressed properties real estate investing you, yourself, can also employ this technique to make higher profits on your real estate ventures.

First and foremost, you need to locate distressed properties so that you can engage in distressed properties real estate investing. These are the properties that have depressed values because of their condition, appearance, or the owner’s financial situation. If any of these three elements are present, then this property is considered a distressed property.

When putting distressed properties real estate investing into practice, just any house that is in poor condition will not do. Why? Not all distressed properties are created equal, and there are some homes that can end up costing you more to fix than you will make in profit from selling them. Your best choice when considering distressed properties for real estate investing are those that can be repaired as inexpensively as possible. These properties just need holes in the wall fixed or a fresh coat of paint to increase the value of the home.

Keep in mind that not all distressed properties require repair. Remember that distressed properties can be qualified as such because of the owner’s financial situation. Divorce, death in the family, job loss, and job transfer are just a few of the causes that create distressed properties. These kinds of properties are the best kind of all to purchase because they can be purchased for a lower price and do not require any repair.

Distressed properties real estate investing requires some work on your part to find the ideal properties. In some cases, you may need to spend some time driving around the neighborhoods in which you’re looking to invest and look for properties that seem distressed. When you find these kinds of properties take note of the address, then use court records to find out who the property actually belongs to. If the home is not abandoned, you can knock on the door and ask the owner if it is for sale.

Also make sure to remember that when you’re engaging in distressed properties real estate investing you must act quickly. There may be other offers on the table. Even if there are currently no offers, you can expect for offers to begin coming; as chances are you aren’t the only investor interested in distressed properties real estate investing. Other investors are using the same techniques to locate distressed properties and may swoop in with better deals. Act as quickly as possible in distressed properties real estate investing to avoid losing deals.

In closing, one of the most lucrative kind of investing is distressed properties real estate investing. Most of the work in distressed properties real estate investing is associated with finding ideal properties. If you know that you will be looking for properties, it is a good practice to get pre-qualified for financing first. Since time is critical in distressed properties real estate investing, you need to save as much time in the process as possible to make sure that you don’t lose the deal to someone who already has financing.

Make Money In Real Estate Investing By Using Other People’s Money

What is the first rule of real estate investing. Most real estate experts tell you “Leverage - Using Other People’s Money?.

Most real estate investors want 100% financing for a hand full of houses they intend to purchase or they request that the owner finance the property. The strategy is to buy and hold a handful of rental properties for a few years until the equity in the property has increased.

Then they either refinance all the properties or sell all the properties of take all the equity out and then retire rich with millions of dollars in equity or a healthy cash flow to sustain the lifestyle.

Within a thirty year period of time real estate market will have at least five downturns. The value of property in some areas can hit the bottom just as you decide to retire. The real estate investor of today does not want to wait thirty years to cash in and live the life.

Real estate investors diversifying their investment activities. Some are doing quick turn around transactions in addition to the long term buy and hold. If you are an investor. The theory of quick turn around transactions is finding distressed property get it under contract and sell it to another investor for a quick $5,000 - $15,000.

Some investors are doing short sales and pocketing more cash. Being house rich and cash poor can put many investors in a crunch if some crisis happens. Not having the money to close a good deal prevents some investors from cashing in on lucrative transactions. The first thing new investors need to understand is that lack of money should never be an issue when you plan.

Combine the buy and hold method with the quick-turn-around investment strategy to put cash in your pocket within a matter of weeks rather than years. If you find a good deal with lots of equity sitting in the property be sure you can re-finance within a short period of time to get the equity out and into another high yield interest investment fund that you can access when you find the next good deal.

Use ARMs with low start rates that give you 3 - 5 year before they reach their max. Refinance all your property with low start ARM?s and put the excess money in an account that builds your equity twice as fast. This financing alternative allows your tenant to make the full house payment while you pocketing Your money. No negative cash flow.

Set up lines of credit for your business. You may never need them but in case you do the money is sitting there waiting for you to use it to create more wealth. With a line of credit versus a loan, you only have to pay for the money you actually use.

To implement the strategies, you need to align yourself with as many funding sources that you can find. This strategy will insure that you can continue to add to your real estate empire or to maintain the empire that you have already built.

So, when you are building your real estate empire consider buy and hold strategies in addition to a quick turn-around transaction approach to investing. Build your funding sources so that you are ready to make the offer and close the deal.

Distressed Properties Real Estate Investing - What You Should Know

When you’re looking to make a profit in real estate investing, you need to purchase properties for as low a price as you can then resell them at a higher price. This is exactly what you’re looking for when getting involved in distressed properties real estate investing. This is an extremely popular technique used by successful real estate investors around the world. Once you know what steps you need to take with distressed properties real estate investing you, yourself, can also employ this technique to make higher profits on your real estate ventures.

First and foremost, you need to locate distressed properties so that you can engage in distressed properties real estate investing. These are the properties that have depressed values because of their condition, appearance, or the owner’s financial situation. If any of these three elements are present, then this property is considered a distressed property.

When putting distressed properties real estate investing into practice, just any house that is in poor condition will not do. Why? Not all distressed properties are created equal, and there are some homes that can end up costing you more to fix than you will make in profit from selling them. Your best choice when considering distressed properties for real estate investing are those that can be repaired as inexpensively as possible. These properties just need holes in the wall fixed or a fresh coat of paint to increase the value of the home.

Keep in mind that not all distressed properties require repair. Remember that distressed properties can be qualified as such because of the owner’s financial situation. Divorce, death in the family, job loss, and job transfer are just a few of the causes that create distressed properties. These kinds of properties are the best kind of all to purchase because they can be purchased for a lower price and do not require any repair.

Distressed properties real estate investing requires some work on your part to find the ideal properties. In some cases, you may need to spend some time driving around the neighborhoods in which you’re looking to invest and look for properties that seem distressed. When you find these kinds of properties take note of the address, then use court records to find out who the property actually belongs to. If the home is not abandoned, you can knock on the door and ask the owner if it is for sale.

Also make sure to remember that when you’re engaging in distressed properties real estate investing you must act quickly. There may be other offers on the table. Even if there are currently no offers, you can expect for offers to begin coming; as chances are you aren’t the only investor interested in distressed properties real estate investing. Other investors are using the same techniques to locate distressed properties and may swoop in with better deals. Act as quickly as possible in distressed properties real estate investing to avoid losing deals.

In closing, one of the most lucrative kind of investing is distressed properties real estate investing. Most of the work in distressed properties real estate investing is associated with finding ideal properties. If you know that you will be looking for properties, it is a good practice to get pre-qualified for financing first. Since time is critical in distressed properties real estate investing, you need to save as much time in the process as possible to make sure that you don’t lose the deal to someone who already has financing.

Is Birdogging Really Real Estate Investing?

I?ve been asked the question by beginning real estate investors, ?If I only birddog, am I really investing in real estate?? Good question.

My answer is, ?Are you making money, are you learning, and are you moving forward toward your goals?? If you can answer yes to those questions, then the right answer to ?Is birdogging really real estate investing?? is ?Who cares??

First, a primer on birdogging. It?s nothing more or less complicated than finding deals for other investors. As a birddog, you will do the legwork required to hunt down property that is in distress. That means it?s either vacant or in need of repairs, or the owner is experiencing some life situation that causes him to need to sell.

When you find a likely property, you will get another investor involved, and when they purchase the property you will receive a birddog fee. This usually amounts to between $500 and $5,000 depending on how much the property sells for and how much legwork you did to bring the deal to the buyer.

Birdogging is a great way to learn the ins and outs of real estate investing. You learn not only how to find distressed property, but also how to value real estate, how to use creative financing techniques, how to talk to sellers, and much more. In short, birdogging is a great way to get an education in real estate investing and earn a good living at the same time.

So, is birdogging really real estate investing? Not technically. It?s actually closer to being a real estate merchandiser. That is, you?re really in the business of locating property, or generating leads for other investors. Based on the amount of money you can earn, the education you?ll receive, and the low risk involved, that?s not really a bad thing.

Speaking of risk, that?s one of the chief advantages of birdogging. After all, since you?re not using any of your own money, there?s nothing to lose except your time. In addition, you really don?t need any cash or credit to get started in real estate investing? a perfect solution for people who are lacking one or the other, or both.

Now that you have a grasp of what birdogging is all about, why not make it a goal to birddog a few deals this month? You?ll have a blast, learn a ton, and make some money. What could be bad about that?

For more on beginning real estate investing visit http://www.dealfiles.com/beginninginvesting.html

Distressed Properties Real Estate Investing - What You Should Know

When you’re looking to make a profit in real estate investing, you need to purchase properties for as low a price as you can then resell them at a higher price. This is exactly what you’re looking for when getting involved in distressed properties real estate investing. This is an extremely popular technique used by successful real estate investors around the world. Once you know what steps you need to take with distressed properties real estate investing you, yourself, can also employ this technique to make higher profits on your real estate ventures.

First and foremost, you need to locate distressed properties so that you can engage in distressed properties real estate investing. These are the properties that have depressed values because of their condition, appearance, or the owner’s financial situation. If any of these three elements are present, then this property is considered a distressed property.

When putting distressed properties real estate investing into practice, just any house that is in poor condition will not do. Why? Not all distressed properties are created equal, and there are some homes that can end up costing you more to fix than you will make in profit from selling them. Your best choice when considering distressed properties for real estate investing are those that can be repaired as inexpensively as possible. These properties just need holes in the wall fixed or a fresh coat of paint to increase the value of the home.

Keep in mind that not all distressed properties require repair. Remember that distressed properties can be qualified as such because of the owner’s financial situation. Divorce, death in the family, job loss, and job transfer are just a few of the causes that create distressed properties. These kinds of properties are the best kind of all to purchase because they can be purchased for a lower price and do not require any repair.

Distressed properties real estate investing requires some work on your part to find the ideal properties. In some cases, you may need to spend some time driving around the neighborhoods in which you’re looking to invest and look for properties that seem distressed. When you find these kinds of properties take note of the address, then use court records to find out who the property actually belongs to. If the home is not abandoned, you can knock on the door and ask the owner if it is for sale.

Also make sure to remember that when you’re engaging in distressed properties real estate investing you must act quickly. There may be other offers on the table. Even if there are currently no offers, you can expect for offers to begin coming; as chances are you aren’t the only investor interested in distressed properties real estate investing. Other investors are using the same techniques to locate distressed properties and may swoop in with better deals. Act as quickly as possible in distressed properties real estate investing to avoid losing deals.

In closing, one of the most lucrative kind of investing is distressed properties real estate investing. Most of the work in distressed properties real estate investing is associated with finding ideal properties. If you know that you will be looking for properties, it is a good practice to get pre-qualified for financing first. Since time is critical in distressed properties real estate investing, you need to save as much time in the process as possible to make sure that you don’t lose the deal to someone who already has financing.