How To Get Started In Commercial Real Estate Investing

Commercial real estate investing can be very rewarding for those who take the time and effort to approach it wisely, but it can be a trap for those who rush in without doing their homework properly.

Too often, investors rush into buying a property for all the wrong reasons ? “it’s a good deal,” a “bargain opportunity” and the list goes on. Then they wonder what happened when the investment either goes pear shaped or becomes a full time job.

If you are serious about building significant wealth from commercial property investment, you must have a proper investment strategy. This is a get rich slow business that requires patience, planning and persistence.

The key elements to any property investment strategy are:

* Get your personal financial affairs in order and make sure they are geared towards building wealth, not paying off consumer debt. Also, check your credit rating to make sure it is in order.

* Draw up a list of your criteria for property type, size and location. Be aware that each type of property requires a different set of skills to manage and offers varying rates of return. It is much easier to fit the property to your strengths rather than you try and change to fit the property.

* Study your local market so you can quickly identify opportunities that are within your capacity to act on. It’s no use looking to invest in an area where you don’t have on the ground knowledge.

* Be prepared to study and learn. Once you’ve spotted a possible deal, you need to be able to accurately value a property based on its condition, your return expectation, and your borrowing power. You need to understand why “what is it worth” is the wrong question to ask, and how to answer the right question “what is it worth to me?”

* Last, you need to learn how to structure deals and make offers too good to refuse.

When you have done this homework properly, you will be in a position to act decisively, reap the profits and keep them. Of course, you will need to consult regularly with your accountant on tax planning and asset protection, which are cornerstones of any wealth building plan.

You also need to consider what your overall portfolio will look like. Don’t fall into the trap of buying all sorts of different properties and then end up with it being a full time job as you juggle dealing with evictions, skips, delinquencies, maintenance and bills.

Once your overall planning is done, the next step is to select your real estate team. You will need a good real estate agent, loan officer, tax advisor, and lawyer. These people are critical to your success because the investor with the best knowledge can quickly identify the properties to ignore and those worth considering.

Remember the old adage, “the quick and the dead” ? the speed at which you can close a deal will give you the edge in any type of market. In addition, your advisors can point you in the right direction regarding finance, tax and legal issues.

Also, there is a good reason behind the catch cry, “location, location, value”. You want a return on your dollar so you are looking for a property that requires some attention so you can add value.
One strategy is to buy real estate in up-and-coming area with new developments or renovated properties. This makes it easy to attract and keep good tenants and leads to greater returns.

Another tactic to add value is to buy properties in solid locations but require some maintenance or upgrading, such as improving the aesthetic appeal of the building, thus instantly improving its value with little outlay.

In regard to financing, banks are the most obvious first lender, but commercial loans are not quite as simple as the more commonly known residential loans and you should always seek professional advice from your accountant and legal advisor.

You should also understand the various methods of financing, such as double closing, lease options, and contract for deed.

Double closing has attracted negative publicity lately, but only because it is misunderstood. This is a perfectly legal, moral and ethical method of trading that has been around for 100 years or more.

A double closing is simply two back-to-back closings wherein the proceeds from the second closing are used to fund the first closing. Both closings are done in escrow, so the “middleman” can buy and resell a property for profit without putting up their own cash.

The main downside you have to be careful of is that the closing rarely goes to plan and there are delays of up to a few weeks, which can cause the plan to unravel. Make sure any contract allows for this and you should be covered.

Contract for deed is an agreement whereby the buyer makes installment payments on an arrangement similar to car financing. That is, the seller holds the title to the property while the buyer has the equitable title.

Lease options consist of two elements, the first of which is the lease. This is a contract for use and possession of the property, thus creating a lessor/lessee relationship.

The second element provides a purchase option, which is a unilateral agreement where the seller agrees to give the buyer the exclusive right to the leased property. This is NOT a sale.

Make the effort to prepare your own income and expenses pro formas from the beginning, or get your accountant to do it. Don’t rely on operating results or projections presented by the agent or the seller ? chances are the seller will overstate income and understate expenses, then claim ignorance if challenged.

The only way to know the investment value of what the property is worth to you, is to develop an accurate projection of income and expenses, which can only be obtained by researching the market and determining in advance what the cash flow will be once your investment and management plan is in place.

Also, you need at least a 20-25 % down payment to get access to the best financing terms. You can still get finance on a payment down to 10% but you will pay more interest, loan fees and private mortgage insurance.

Remember, borrowing to cover the majority of your acquisition costs can boost your rates of return, but too much debt expense can be dangerous if the market takes a downturn.

About the Author:

Specializing in commercial and investment real estate, Tony Seruga, Yolanda Seruga and Yolanda Bishop are always searching for new and profitable commercial properties across the U.S. Visit http://www.maverickrei.com for more great information

Real Estate Investing Strategies

Real Estate Investing Strategies

Investing in Real Estate

Investing in Real Estate is definitely one of the most lucrative methods available. The reason why people tend to do so well with Real Estate is that it’s a commodoty that people will never be able to live without. Even if we someday manage to find another habitable planet, Travel and Real Estate industries will thrive more than ever! Apart from being an everlasting market, investors can leverage borrowed money to turn an even greater profit. Further - if you invest at the right time, in the right property, you can turn profit immediately.

Market Knowledge - A Caveat

Please don’t jump into the Real Estate market with your eyes closed. Like any high margin investment strategy, it’s easy to lose money as fast as you can earn it. If you must realize one thing before jumping in, it’s this: Turning large profits in Real Estate is a full time job (at least to begin) and requires you to acutely train your mind to know the product intimately and watch for market trends. Here’s a simple example. If you know anything about computers, you’ll know that it’s a competitive market. However, there are still people that are able to profit by selling used computers to people who can’t afford new systems. A person who is intimately familiar with building computers will source all the used parts very inexpensively and insert them into a new case ($30), and add a new keyboard ($20). Buying a new case and a new keyboard can make all the difference. You’ve made your computer look new by purchasing some inexpensive value building aesthetics. The salesman then lists the computer in the paper at a reasonable price and turns a 15% profit if he or she is lucky.

Real Estate Investing is about Market and Product Knowledge. Figure out what people want. Figure out how to buy the parts at discounts and put them together to satisfy, with some aesthetic enhancements.

For the rest of the Article, please visit http://www.debts-gone.com/realestate_income.html

Thanks, and Good luck!

Jason Greenberg

About the Author

Jason Greenberg is a financial advisor in London Ontario Canada

How To Get Started In Commercial Real Estate Investing

Commercial real estate investing can be very rewarding for those who take the time and effort to approach it wisely, but it can be a trap for those who rush in without doing their homework properly.

Too often, investors rush into buying a property for all the wrong reasons ? “it’s a good deal,” a “bargain opportunity” and the list goes on. Then they wonder what happened when the investment either goes pear shaped or becomes a full time job.

If you are serious about building significant wealth from commercial property investment, you must have a proper investment strategy. This is a get rich slow business that requires patience, planning and persistence.

The key elements to any property investment strategy are:

* Get your personal financial affairs in order and make sure they are geared towards building wealth, not paying off consumer debt. Also, check your credit rating to make sure it is in order.

* Draw up a list of your criteria for property type, size and location. Be aware that each type of property requires a different set of skills to manage and offers varying rates of return. It is much easier to fit the property to your strengths rather than you try and change to fit the property.

* Study your local market so you can quickly identify opportunities that are within your capacity to act on. It’s no use looking to invest in an area where you don’t have on the ground knowledge.

* Be prepared to study and learn. Once you’ve spotted a possible deal, you need to be able to accurately value a property based on its condition, your return expectation, and your borrowing power. You need to understand why “what is it worth” is the wrong question to ask, and how to answer the right question “what is it worth to me?”

* Last, you need to learn how to structure deals and make offers too good to refuse.

When you have done this homework properly, you will be in a position to act decisively, reap the profits and keep them. Of course, you will need to consult regularly with your accountant on tax planning and asset protection, which are cornerstones of any wealth building plan.

You also need to consider what your overall portfolio will look like. Don’t fall into the trap of buying all sorts of different properties and then end up with it being a full time job as you juggle dealing with evictions, skips, delinquencies, maintenance and bills.

Once your overall planning is done, the next step is to select your real estate team. You will need a good real estate agent, loan officer, tax advisor, and lawyer. These people are critical to your success because the investor with the best knowledge can quickly identify the properties to ignore and those worth considering.

Remember the old adage, “the quick and the dead” ? the speed at which you can close a deal will give you the edge in any type of market. In addition, your advisors can point you in the right direction regarding finance, tax and legal issues.

Also, there is a good reason behind the catch cry, “location, location, value”. You want a return on your dollar so you are looking for a property that requires some attention so you can add value.
One strategy is to buy real estate in up-and-coming area with new developments or renovated properties. This makes it easy to attract and keep good tenants and leads to greater returns.

Another tactic to add value is to buy properties in solid locations but require some maintenance or upgrading, such as improving the aesthetic appeal of the building, thus instantly improving its value with little outlay.

In regard to financing, banks are the most obvious first lender, but commercial loans are not quite as simple as the more commonly known residential loans and you should always seek professional advice from your accountant and legal advisor.

You should also understand the various methods of financing, such as double closing, lease options, and contract for deed.

Double closing has attracted negative publicity lately, but only because it is misunderstood. This is a perfectly legal, moral and ethical method of trading that has been around for 100 years or more.

A double closing is simply two back-to-back closings wherein the proceeds from the second closing are used to fund the first closing. Both closings are done in escrow, so the “middleman” can buy and resell a property for profit without putting up their own cash.

The main downside you have to be careful of is that the closing rarely goes to plan and there are delays of up to a few weeks, which can cause the plan to unravel. Make sure any contract allows for this and you should be covered.

Contract for deed is an agreement whereby the buyer makes installment payments on an arrangement similar to car financing. That is, the seller holds the title to the property while the buyer has the equitable title.

Lease options consist of two elements, the first of which is the lease. This is a contract for use and possession of the property, thus creating a lessor/lessee relationship.

The second element provides a purchase option, which is a unilateral agreement where the seller agrees to give the buyer the exclusive right to the leased property. This is NOT a sale.

Make the effort to prepare your own income and expenses pro formas from the beginning, or get your accountant to do it. Don’t rely on operating results or projections presented by the agent or the seller ? chances are the seller will overstate income and understate expenses, then claim ignorance if challenged.

The only way to know the investment value of what the property is worth to you, is to develop an accurate projection of income and expenses, which can only be obtained by researching the market and determining in advance what the cash flow will be once your investment and management plan is in place.

Also, you need at least a 20-25 % down payment to get access to the best financing terms. You can still get finance on a payment down to 10% but you will pay more interest, loan fees and private mortgage insurance.

Remember, borrowing to cover the majority of your acquisition costs can boost your rates of return, but too much debt expense can be dangerous if the market takes a downturn.

About the Author:

Specializing in commercial and investment real estate, Tony Seruga, Yolanda Seruga and Yolanda Bishop are always searching for new and profitable commercial properties across the U.S. Visit http://www.maverickrei.com for more great information

Real Estate Investing Strategies

Real Estate Investing Strategies

Investing in Real Estate

Investing in Real Estate is definitely one of the most lucrative methods available. The reason why people tend to do so well with Real Estate is that it’s a commodoty that people will never be able to live without. Even if we someday manage to find another habitable planet, Travel and Real Estate industries will thrive more than ever! Apart from being an everlasting market, investors can leverage borrowed money to turn an even greater profit. Further - if you invest at the right time, in the right property, you can turn profit immediately.

Market Knowledge - A Caveat

Please don’t jump into the Real Estate market with your eyes closed. Like any high margin investment strategy, it’s easy to lose money as fast as you can earn it. If you must realize one thing before jumping in, it’s this: Turning large profits in Real Estate is a full time job (at least to begin) and requires you to acutely train your mind to know the product intimately and watch for market trends. Here’s a simple example. If you know anything about computers, you’ll know that it’s a competitive market. However, there are still people that are able to profit by selling used computers to people who can’t afford new systems. A person who is intimately familiar with building computers will source all the used parts very inexpensively and insert them into a new case ($30), and add a new keyboard ($20). Buying a new case and a new keyboard can make all the difference. You’ve made your computer look new by purchasing some inexpensive value building aesthetics. The salesman then lists the computer in the paper at a reasonable price and turns a 15% profit if he or she is lucky.

Real Estate Investing is about Market and Product Knowledge. Figure out what people want. Figure out how to buy the parts at discounts and put them together to satisfy, with some aesthetic enhancements.

For the rest of the Article, please visit http://www.debts-gone.com/realestate_income.html

Thanks, and Good luck!

Jason Greenberg

About the Author

Jason Greenberg is a financial advisor in London Ontario Canada

A Real Estate Investing Idea For Total Newbies.

Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin

All right, you’ve seen the infomercials for people like Carleton Sheets, or you read an ebook by somebody like T. C. and Vickie Bradley, and you’re hot to trot out your wallet and get rich with real estate investing…just like everybody else.

Whoa, Trigger.

Not everybody IS getting rich with real estate investing, no matter what the hype leads you to believe.

First, let’s understand a couple of things. There ARE people getting rich with real estate investing. Many of these people have followed the lead of Carleton Sheets or T. C. Bradley or other real estate investing gurus. Those are facts.

Here’s one additional fact. If you don’t know what you are doing, you can lose your shirt in real estate investing…like a lot of other people.

That’s not to say you can’t learn, and it’s not to say that people like Carleton Sheets or T. C. and Vickie Bradley can’t teach you. What it does mean is that you can’t listen to one tape, or read one book and run out the door asking for somebody to please take the contents of your wallet! You have got to take the time and make the effort to learn the facts, steps, and inside information necessary to become successful in real estate investing.

However, I realize that those dollar bills are burning a hole in your pocket and you want to get started NOW, so here’s a simple way to begin your trek to the top.

Let me tell you how Lois got her real estate investing empire started in Austin, TX. She looked around until she found a small, but well-maintained 4-unit apartment complex in a nice Austin neighborhood. The price was right, so, not having the credit herself to swing the deal, she got her dad to cosign with her. Once the place was hers, she moved into one unit (no more rent to pay), the rent from another unit covered the monthly mortgage, and the rent from the other two units was hers to keep.

Not exactly a get rich quick plan, but it was a start. Since she still had a full time job, she used the extra money from the apartments to pay off bills and loans, including the mortgage, at an accelerated rate. This gave her leverage to buy another unit, and the rest is history. She now is an Austin slumlord…! Seriously, she has done well in this simple way and has grown her initial real estate investment considerably.

In his article, “Buy High Yielding Turnkey Real Estate Investments With Your Signature Alone!”, Bill Young, a former bank mortgage officer and real estate investor since 1980 gives valuable pointers in getting started in this sort of deal, sometimes with no down payment required. You can find a copy of this article at http://real–estate–investing.blogspot.com/2006/03/real-estate-investing-buy-with-your.html .

While wheeling-and-dealing in real estate investments can make fortunes, there is a learning curve required to make the kind of money professionals like Carleton Sheets and T. C. Bradley do. If you are a total newbie and just HAVE to get into real estate investing, you might be well advised to follow the example of my friend, Lois, and start with small, occupied apartment units, perhaps using some of the space as a residence, as she did, and using income from the units for investment growth.

About the Author

The author is a graduate of the University of West Florida with a BA in accounting. He has worked as an accountant for the Florida State Department of Education, as Business Manager of a community mental health facility, and in various other management positions. You may read additional articles on this topic at http://real–estate–investing.blogspot.com .

A Real Estate Investing Idea For Total Newbies.

Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin

All right, you’ve seen the infomercials for people like Carleton Sheets, or you read an ebook by somebody like T. C. and Vickie Bradley, and you’re hot to trot out your wallet and get rich with real estate investing…just like everybody else.

Whoa, Trigger.

Not everybody IS getting rich with real estate investing, no matter what the hype leads you to believe.

First, let’s understand a couple of things. There ARE people getting rich with real estate investing. Many of these people have followed the lead of Carleton Sheets or T. C. Bradley or other real estate investing gurus. Those are facts.

Here’s one additional fact. If you don’t know what you are doing, you can lose your shirt in real estate investing…like a lot of other people.

That’s not to say you can’t learn, and it’s not to say that people like Carleton Sheets or T. C. and Vickie Bradley can’t teach you. What it does mean is that you can’t listen to one tape, or read one book and run out the door asking for somebody to please take the contents of your wallet! You have got to take the time and make the effort to learn the facts, steps, and inside information necessary to become successful in real estate investing.

However, I realize that those dollar bills are burning a hole in your pocket and you want to get started NOW, so here’s a simple way to begin your trek to the top.

Let me tell you how Lois got her real estate investing empire started in Austin, TX. She looked around until she found a small, but well-maintained 4-unit apartment complex in a nice Austin neighborhood. The price was right, so, not having the credit herself to swing the deal, she got her dad to cosign with her. Once the place was hers, she moved into one unit (no more rent to pay), the rent from another unit covered the monthly mortgage, and the rent from the other two units was hers to keep.

Not exactly a get rich quick plan, but it was a start. Since she still had a full time job, she used the extra money from the apartments to pay off bills and loans, including the mortgage, at an accelerated rate. This gave her leverage to buy another unit, and the rest is history. She now is an Austin slumlord…! Seriously, she has done well in this simple way and has grown her initial real estate investment considerably.

In his article, “Buy High Yielding Turnkey Real Estate Investments With Your Signature Alone!”, Bill Young, a former bank mortgage officer and real estate investor since 1980 gives valuable pointers in getting started in this sort of deal, sometimes with no down payment required. You can find a copy of this article at http://real–estate–investing.blogspot.com/2006/03/real-estate-investing-buy-with-your.html .

While wheeling-and-dealing in real estate investments can make fortunes, there is a learning curve required to make the kind of money professionals like Carleton Sheets and T. C. Bradley do. If you are a total newbie and just HAVE to get into real estate investing, you might be well advised to follow the example of my friend, Lois, and start with small, occupied apartment units, perhaps using some of the space as a residence, as she did, and using income from the units for investment growth.

About the Author

The author is a graduate of the University of West Florida with a BA in accounting. He has worked as an accountant for the Florida State Department of Education, as Business Manager of a community mental health facility, and in various other management positions. You may read additional articles on this topic at http://real–estate–investing.blogspot.com .

Real Estate Investing Strategies

Real Estate Investing Strategies

Investing in Real Estate

Investing in Real Estate is definitely one of the most lucrative methods available. The reason why people tend to do so well with Real Estate is that it’s a commodoty that people will never be able to live without. Even if we someday manage to find another habitable planet, Travel and Real Estate industries will thrive more than ever! Apart from being an everlasting market, investors can leverage borrowed money to turn an even greater profit. Further - if you invest at the right time, in the right property, you can turn profit immediately.

Market Knowledge - A Caveat

Please don’t jump into the Real Estate market with your eyes closed. Like any high margin investment strategy, it’s easy to lose money as fast as you can earn it. If you must realize one thing before jumping in, it’s this: Turning large profits in Real Estate is a full time job (at least to begin) and requires you to acutely train your mind to know the product intimately and watch for market trends. Here’s a simple example. If you know anything about computers, you’ll know that it’s a competitive market. However, there are still people that are able to profit by selling used computers to people who can’t afford new systems. A person who is intimately familiar with building computers will source all the used parts very inexpensively and insert them into a new case ($30), and add a new keyboard ($20). Buying a new case and a new keyboard can make all the difference. You’ve made your computer look new by purchasing some inexpensive value building aesthetics. The salesman then lists the computer in the paper at a reasonable price and turns a 15% profit if he or she is lucky.

Real Estate Investing is about Market and Product Knowledge. Figure out what people want. Figure out how to buy the parts at discounts and put them together to satisfy, with some aesthetic enhancements.

For the rest of the Article, please visit http://www.debts-gone.com/realestate_income.html

Thanks, and Good luck!

Jason Greenberg

About the Author

Jason Greenberg is a financial advisor in London Ontario Canada

How To Get Started In Commercial Real Estate Investing

Commercial real estate investing can be very rewarding for those who take the time and effort to approach it wisely, but it can be a trap for those who rush in without doing their homework properly.

Too often, investors rush into buying a property for all the wrong reasons ? “it’s a good deal,” a “bargain opportunity” and the list goes on. Then they wonder what happened when the investment either goes pear shaped or becomes a full time job.

If you are serious about building significant wealth from commercial property investment, you must have a proper investment strategy. This is a get rich slow business that requires patience, planning and persistence.

The key elements to any property investment strategy are:

* Get your personal financial affairs in order and make sure they are geared towards building wealth, not paying off consumer debt. Also, check your credit rating to make sure it is in order.

* Draw up a list of your criteria for property type, size and location. Be aware that each type of property requires a different set of skills to manage and offers varying rates of return. It is much easier to fit the property to your strengths rather than you try and change to fit the property.

* Study your local market so you can quickly identify opportunities that are within your capacity to act on. It’s no use looking to invest in an area where you don’t have on the ground knowledge.

* Be prepared to study and learn. Once you’ve spotted a possible deal, you need to be able to accurately value a property based on its condition, your return expectation, and your borrowing power. You need to understand why “what is it worth” is the wrong question to ask, and how to answer the right question “what is it worth to me?”

* Last, you need to learn how to structure deals and make offers too good to refuse.

When you have done this homework properly, you will be in a position to act decisively, reap the profits and keep them. Of course, you will need to consult regularly with your accountant on tax planning and asset protection, which are cornerstones of any wealth building plan.

You also need to consider what your overall portfolio will look like. Don’t fall into the trap of buying all sorts of different properties and then end up with it being a full time job as you juggle dealing with evictions, skips, delinquencies, maintenance and bills.

Once your overall planning is done, the next step is to select your real estate team. You will need a good real estate agent, loan officer, tax advisor, and lawyer. These people are critical to your success because the investor with the best knowledge can quickly identify the properties to ignore and those worth considering.

Remember the old adage, “the quick and the dead” ? the speed at which you can close a deal will give you the edge in any type of market. In addition, your advisors can point you in the right direction regarding finance, tax and legal issues.

Also, there is a good reason behind the catch cry, “location, location, value”. You want a return on your dollar so you are looking for a property that requires some attention so you can add value.
One strategy is to buy real estate in up-and-coming area with new developments or renovated properties. This makes it easy to attract and keep good tenants and leads to greater returns.

Another tactic to add value is to buy properties in solid locations but require some maintenance or upgrading, such as improving the aesthetic appeal of the building, thus instantly improving its value with little outlay.

In regard to financing, banks are the most obvious first lender, but commercial loans are not quite as simple as the more commonly known residential loans and you should always seek professional advice from your accountant and legal advisor.

You should also understand the various methods of financing, such as double closing, lease options, and contract for deed.

Double closing has attracted negative publicity lately, but only because it is misunderstood. This is a perfectly legal, moral and ethical method of trading that has been around for 100 years or more.

A double closing is simply two back-to-back closings wherein the proceeds from the second closing are used to fund the first closing. Both closings are done in escrow, so the “middleman” can buy and resell a property for profit without putting up their own cash.

The main downside you have to be careful of is that the closing rarely goes to plan and there are delays of up to a few weeks, which can cause the plan to unravel. Make sure any contract allows for this and you should be covered.

Contract for deed is an agreement whereby the buyer makes installment payments on an arrangement similar to car financing. That is, the seller holds the title to the property while the buyer has the equitable title.

Lease options consist of two elements, the first of which is the lease. This is a contract for use and possession of the property, thus creating a lessor/lessee relationship.

The second element provides a purchase option, which is a unilateral agreement where the seller agrees to give the buyer the exclusive right to the leased property. This is NOT a sale.

Make the effort to prepare your own income and expenses pro formas from the beginning, or get your accountant to do it. Don’t rely on operating results or projections presented by the agent or the seller ? chances are the seller will overstate income and understate expenses, then claim ignorance if challenged.

The only way to know the investment value of what the property is worth to you, is to develop an accurate projection of income and expenses, which can only be obtained by researching the market and determining in advance what the cash flow will be once your investment and management plan is in place.

Also, you need at least a 20-25 % down payment to get access to the best financing terms. You can still get finance on a payment down to 10% but you will pay more interest, loan fees and private mortgage insurance.

Remember, borrowing to cover the majority of your acquisition costs can boost your rates of return, but too much debt expense can be dangerous if the market takes a downturn.

About the Author:

Specializing in commercial and investment real estate, Tony Seruga, Yolanda Seruga and Yolanda Bishop are always searching for new and profitable commercial properties across the U.S. Visit http://www.maverickrei.com for more great information

A Real Estate Investing Idea For Total Newbies.

Copyright 2006 Donovan Baldwin

All right, you’ve seen the infomercials for people like Carleton Sheets, or you read an ebook by somebody like T. C. and Vickie Bradley, and you’re hot to trot out your wallet and get rich with real estate investing…just like everybody else.

Whoa, Trigger.

Not everybody IS getting rich with real estate investing, no matter what the hype leads you to believe.

First, let’s understand a couple of things. There ARE people getting rich with real estate investing. Many of these people have followed the lead of Carleton Sheets or T. C. Bradley or other real estate investing gurus. Those are facts.

Here’s one additional fact. If you don’t know what you are doing, you can lose your shirt in real estate investing…like a lot of other people.

That’s not to say you can’t learn, and it’s not to say that people like Carleton Sheets or T. C. and Vickie Bradley can’t teach you. What it does mean is that you can’t listen to one tape, or read one book and run out the door asking for somebody to please take the contents of your wallet! You have got to take the time and make the effort to learn the facts, steps, and inside information necessary to become successful in real estate investing.

However, I realize that those dollar bills are burning a hole in your pocket and you want to get started NOW, so here’s a simple way to begin your trek to the top.

Let me tell you how Lois got her real estate investing empire started in Austin, TX. She looked around until she found a small, but well-maintained 4-unit apartment complex in a nice Austin neighborhood. The price was right, so, not having the credit herself to swing the deal, she got her dad to cosign with her. Once the place was hers, she moved into one unit (no more rent to pay), the rent from another unit covered the monthly mortgage, and the rent from the other two units was hers to keep.

Not exactly a get rich quick plan, but it was a start. Since she still had a full time job, she used the extra money from the apartments to pay off bills and loans, including the mortgage, at an accelerated rate. This gave her leverage to buy another unit, and the rest is history. She now is an Austin slumlord…! Seriously, she has done well in this simple way and has grown her initial real estate investment considerably.

In his article, “Buy High Yielding Turnkey Real Estate Investments With Your Signature Alone!”, Bill Young, a former bank mortgage officer and real estate investor since 1980 gives valuable pointers in getting started in this sort of deal, sometimes with no down payment required. You can find a copy of this article at http://real–estate–investing.blogspot.com/2006/03/real-estate-investing-buy-with-your.html .

While wheeling-and-dealing in real estate investments can make fortunes, there is a learning curve required to make the kind of money professionals like Carleton Sheets and T. C. Bradley do. If you are a total newbie and just HAVE to get into real estate investing, you might be well advised to follow the example of my friend, Lois, and start with small, occupied apartment units, perhaps using some of the space as a residence, as she did, and using income from the units for investment growth.

About the Author

The author is a graduate of the University of West Florida with a BA in accounting. He has worked as an accountant for the Florida State Department of Education, as Business Manager of a community mental health facility, and in various other management positions. You may read additional articles on this topic at http://real–estate–investing.blogspot.com .

Real Estate Investing Strategies

Real Estate Investing Strategies

Investing in Real Estate

Investing in Real Estate is definitely one of the most lucrative methods available. The reason why people tend to do so well with Real Estate is that it’s a commodoty that people will never be able to live without. Even if we someday manage to find another habitable planet, Travel and Real Estate industries will thrive more than ever! Apart from being an everlasting market, investors can leverage borrowed money to turn an even greater profit. Further - if you invest at the right time, in the right property, you can turn profit immediately.

Market Knowledge - A Caveat

Please don’t jump into the Real Estate market with your eyes closed. Like any high margin investment strategy, it’s easy to lose money as fast as you can earn it. If you must realize one thing before jumping in, it’s this: Turning large profits in Real Estate is a full time job (at least to begin) and requires you to acutely train your mind to know the product intimately and watch for market trends. Here’s a simple example. If you know anything about computers, you’ll know that it’s a competitive market. However, there are still people that are able to profit by selling used computers to people who can’t afford new systems. A person who is intimately familiar with building computers will source all the used parts very inexpensively and insert them into a new case ($30), and add a new keyboard ($20). Buying a new case and a new keyboard can make all the difference. You’ve made your computer look new by purchasing some inexpensive value building aesthetics. The salesman then lists the computer in the paper at a reasonable price and turns a 15% profit if he or she is lucky.

Real Estate Investing is about Market and Product Knowledge. Figure out what people want. Figure out how to buy the parts at discounts and put them together to satisfy, with some aesthetic enhancements.

For the rest of the Article, please visit http://www.debts-gone.com/realestate_income.html

Thanks, and Good luck!

Jason Greenberg

About the Author

Jason Greenberg is a financial advisor in London Ontario Canada

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