Real Estate Investing - How To Get Started

If you are new to the world of Real Estate Investing, don’t feel bad. Maybe you have yet to do your first deal. We have all been there. I’ve met a lot of experienced investors, and not one of them came out of the womb with any deals under their belts- even though some of them would like you to believe they did!

We all have to start somewhere. Everybody has to do their first deal- their icebreaker. There are only two kinds of investors- those who have, and those who haven’t- done a deal that is. If you’re one of those who haven’t, this article is for you. I’m going to answer your most burning question- “How do I get started?”

How do I know this is your most burning question? Because not too long ago it was mine. I remember looking at investors who had only done one or two deals and thinking, “Those people are good! How’d they do that?” Now I know, and after reading this article, so will you.

There really are only five simple steps to getting started.

The Five Steps

Step One- Relax.

Step Two- Build your knowledge base.

Step Three- Open your eyes.

Step Four- Make offers.

Step five- Finish what you start.

The end.

Just kidding. I know all I’ve done is excite your curiosity, and if I leave you now you’ll hunt me down and kill me- I wouldn’t blame you. So I’ll explain the five steps.

Step One- Relax. Believe it or not, for me this was the most important step. Most people working toward their first deal are way too intense. I was. For weeks and months it was all I could think about, morning, noon, and night. I was tense and irritable. My family suffered. I suffered. My job suffered. And still no deal.

So, I consciously decided to relax. I didn’t stop working toward my goal, I just stopped obsessing and worrying about it all the time. I watched the things I was telling myself (my self-talk). I reminded myself that, since I was doing all the right things consistently, my first deal was right around the corner. I told myself the truth- “It’s only a matter of time!” I forced myself to relax, so I could focus on the really important things- my faith, my family, and my fitness (body, mind, spirit).

When those things are in alignment, success can occur naturally and easily- almost without effort. Try it yourself- for the next three days consciously relax and let go of the tension you feel about getting that first deal!

Step Two- Build Your Knowledge Base. Many people get this one out of order. They try to cram all sorts of knowledge into their head before they are relaxed enough to absorb it. Your brain doesn’t work like a machine. Try to stuff it full when you are tense and feeling pressured to ‘get a deal’, and you will recall next to nothing. Relax first, and your brain will work the way God designed it to- smoothly and efficiently. You’ll be amazed at what you will learn, and how fast you’ll learn it!

Read anything and everything. Buy books and courses, listen to tapes, attend conferences and seminars. Visit all the investing websites and bookmark the ones you like. Read the forum posts, the free articles, and the success stories. Especially DealFiles!

Don’t limit yourself to learning just one kind of investing. If you classify yourself as merely a ‘flipper’ or ‘rehabber’ you may miss out on a tremendous opportunity because you’re not looking for it. Visit my Resource Page for advice on the best educational materials out there.

Before I flipped my first house, I read books and courses on foreclosures, subject-to, lease options, and a hundred other investing strategies. Because I taught myself to relax, I never felt overwhelmed with too much material. When the time came for my first deal, I used techniques from many different sources. I didn’t have to think too much about it- the information was there, waiting for me to access it.

A word of caution- stay relaxed! Don’t treat this like a job. You should be enjoying this. If not, you may want to rethink why you’re doing it in the first place.

Step Three- Open your eyes. After you have consciously relaxed, and while you are building your knowledge base, start to look around you. You are looking for opportunity, and you will be amazed at where and when you see it. Opportunity can take several unexpected forms, and show up when you aren’t looking for it. In fact, that’s usually the way opportunity presents itself. People you meet, things that happen around you, any of a hundred things that occur as you move through your days.

For instance, a conversation you overhear may present an opportunity you would never know about otherwise. Context is crucial. Now that you are relaxed and learning, you are free to interpret things you see and hear in a fresh way. You start looking at people, places, and events through the eyes of a Real Estate Investor, because that’s the way you are training your mind to think. This is very good.

It’s also called ’serendipity’, a fifty-cent word meaning “the phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.”

I found my best resource- my Realtor- this way. He was introduced to me by a friend. I said, “You’re a Realtor? Do you handle any foreclosures?”

He said, “I work for the largest foreclosure broker in the area.”

“Oh, really?!” My eyes were open.

Finally, don’t expect miracles in a day, a week, a month.

Watch. Listen. Think. Keep your eyes open.

One day soon, the deal will be there.

Step Four- Make offers. I’m not kidding here. Some people expect to get their first deal without ever making any offers. Usually, their fear is holding them back. Click this link to read my article on Four Ways To Eliminate Fear. Making no offers leaves you with nothing but wishing and hoping, bad overall strategies for success in anything.

Follow the three steps above and you WILL make offers. There’s a neat dynamic at work here. Follow the logic. You relax. You gain knowledge. Knowledge builds confidence. You open your eyes. You see an opportunity. You make an offer. Making the offer builds more confidence. You make more offers. One is accepted. You get scared. You go get more knowledge. You gain more confidence. You close your first deal. Confidence soars. Get the picture?

No offers - no deals. Simple, huh? Don’t get caught up in trying to know everything before you make an offer. You never will. Put in the time and effort. Learn well. Make offers. Enough said.

Step Five- Finish what you start. This one is easy for some of us, hard for others. If you are one of those people who get cold feet, prepare for it in advance. Decide ahead of time you will finish what you start and close on every deal you make an offer on. There are a lot of roadblocks in Real Estate Investing, any one of which could bring your deal to a screeching halt if you let it. In many cases, you are the only one who has what it takes to bring your deal to the closing table.

Determine ahead of time that, no matter what, the deal will close. Often it feels like you must put forth superhuman effort. Not true- merely human effort will work. Your human effort. You may not know it yet, but you have what it takes. Push through to the end and finish what you start.

That’s it then. Five simple, little steps that anyone can take. The only difference this time is, you are the one taking them. So much the better. After all- it’s your turn, isn’t it?

Now, go make more offers!

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

Real Estate Investing - How To Get Started

If you are new to the world of Real Estate Investing, don’t feel bad. Maybe you have yet to do your first deal. We have all been there. I’ve met a lot of experienced investors, and not one of them came out of the womb with any deals under their belts- even though some of them would like you to believe they did!

We all have to start somewhere. Everybody has to do their first deal- their icebreaker. There are only two kinds of investors- those who have, and those who haven’t- done a deal that is. If you’re one of those who haven’t, this article is for you. I’m going to answer your most burning question- “How do I get started?”

How do I know this is your most burning question? Because not too long ago it was mine. I remember looking at investors who had only done one or two deals and thinking, “Those people are good! How’d they do that?” Now I know, and after reading this article, so will you.

There really are only five simple steps to getting started.

The Five Steps

Step One- Relax.

Step Two- Build your knowledge base.

Step Three- Open your eyes.

Step Four- Make offers.

Step five- Finish what you start.

The end.

Just kidding. I know all I’ve done is excite your curiosity, and if I leave you now you’ll hunt me down and kill me- I wouldn’t blame you. So I’ll explain the five steps.

Step One- Relax. Believe it or not, for me this was the most important step. Most people working toward their first deal are way too intense. I was. For weeks and months it was all I could think about, morning, noon, and night. I was tense and irritable. My family suffered. I suffered. My job suffered. And still no deal.

So, I consciously decided to relax. I didn’t stop working toward my goal, I just stopped obsessing and worrying about it all the time. I watched the things I was telling myself (my self-talk). I reminded myself that, since I was doing all the right things consistently, my first deal was right around the corner. I told myself the truth- “It’s only a matter of time!” I forced myself to relax, so I could focus on the really important things- my faith, my family, and my fitness (body, mind, spirit).

When those things are in alignment, success can occur naturally and easily- almost without effort. Try it yourself- for the next three days consciously relax and let go of the tension you feel about getting that first deal!

Step Two- Build Your Knowledge Base. Many people get this one out of order. They try to cram all sorts of knowledge into their head before they are relaxed enough to absorb it. Your brain doesn’t work like a machine. Try to stuff it full when you are tense and feeling pressured to ‘get a deal’, and you will recall next to nothing. Relax first, and your brain will work the way God designed it to- smoothly and efficiently. You’ll be amazed at what you will learn, and how fast you’ll learn it!

Read anything and everything. Buy books and courses, listen to tapes, attend conferences and seminars. Visit all the investing websites and bookmark the ones you like. Read the forum posts, the free articles, and the success stories. Especially DealFiles!

Don’t limit yourself to learning just one kind of investing. If you classify yourself as merely a ‘flipper’ or ‘rehabber’ you may miss out on a tremendous opportunity because you’re not looking for it. Visit my Resource Page for advice on the best educational materials out there.

Before I flipped my first house, I read books and courses on foreclosures, subject-to, lease options, and a hundred other investing strategies. Because I taught myself to relax, I never felt overwhelmed with too much material. When the time came for my first deal, I used techniques from many different sources. I didn’t have to think too much about it- the information was there, waiting for me to access it.

A word of caution- stay relaxed! Don’t treat this like a job. You should be enjoying this. If not, you may want to rethink why you’re doing it in the first place.

Step Three- Open your eyes. After you have consciously relaxed, and while you are building your knowledge base, start to look around you. You are looking for opportunity, and you will be amazed at where and when you see it. Opportunity can take several unexpected forms, and show up when you aren’t looking for it. In fact, that’s usually the way opportunity presents itself. People you meet, things that happen around you, any of a hundred things that occur as you move through your days.

For instance, a conversation you overhear may present an opportunity you would never know about otherwise. Context is crucial. Now that you are relaxed and learning, you are free to interpret things you see and hear in a fresh way. You start looking at people, places, and events through the eyes of a Real Estate Investor, because that’s the way you are training your mind to think. This is very good.

It’s also called ’serendipity’, a fifty-cent word meaning “the phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.”

I found my best resource- my Realtor- this way. He was introduced to me by a friend. I said, “You’re a Realtor? Do you handle any foreclosures?”

He said, “I work for the largest foreclosure broker in the area.”

“Oh, really?!” My eyes were open.

Finally, don’t expect miracles in a day, a week, a month.

Watch. Listen. Think. Keep your eyes open.

One day soon, the deal will be there.

Step Four- Make offers. I’m not kidding here. Some people expect to get their first deal without ever making any offers. Usually, their fear is holding them back. Click this link to read my article on Four Ways To Eliminate Fear. Making no offers leaves you with nothing but wishing and hoping, bad overall strategies for success in anything.

Follow the three steps above and you WILL make offers. There’s a neat dynamic at work here. Follow the logic. You relax. You gain knowledge. Knowledge builds confidence. You open your eyes. You see an opportunity. You make an offer. Making the offer builds more confidence. You make more offers. One is accepted. You get scared. You go get more knowledge. You gain more confidence. You close your first deal. Confidence soars. Get the picture?

No offers - no deals. Simple, huh? Don’t get caught up in trying to know everything before you make an offer. You never will. Put in the time and effort. Learn well. Make offers. Enough said.

Step Five- Finish what you start. This one is easy for some of us, hard for others. If you are one of those people who get cold feet, prepare for it in advance. Decide ahead of time you will finish what you start and close on every deal you make an offer on. There are a lot of roadblocks in Real Estate Investing, any one of which could bring your deal to a screeching halt if you let it. In many cases, you are the only one who has what it takes to bring your deal to the closing table.

Determine ahead of time that, no matter what, the deal will close. Often it feels like you must put forth superhuman effort. Not true- merely human effort will work. Your human effort. You may not know it yet, but you have what it takes. Push through to the end and finish what you start.

That’s it then. Five simple, little steps that anyone can take. The only difference this time is, you are the one taking them. So much the better. After all- it’s your turn, isn’t it?

Now, go make more offers!

Real Estate Investing - How To Get Started

If you are new to the world of Real Estate Investing, don’t feel bad. Maybe you have yet to do your first deal. We have all been there. I’ve met a lot of experienced investors, and not one of them came out of the womb with any deals under their belts- even though some of them would like you to believe they did!

We all have to start somewhere. Everybody has to do their first deal- their icebreaker. There are only two kinds of investors- those who have, and those who haven’t- done a deal that is. If you’re one of those who haven’t, this article is for you. I’m going to answer your most burning question- “How do I get started?”

How do I know this is your most burning question? Because not too long ago it was mine. I remember looking at investors who had only done one or two deals and thinking, “Those people are good! How’d they do that?” Now I know, and after reading this article, so will you.

There really are only five simple steps to getting started.

The Five Steps

Step One- Relax.

Step Two- Build your knowledge base.

Step Three- Open your eyes.

Step Four- Make offers.

Step five- Finish what you start.

The end.

Just kidding. I know all I’ve done is excite your curiosity, and if I leave you now you’ll hunt me down and kill me- I wouldn’t blame you. So I’ll explain the five steps.

Step One- Relax. Believe it or not, for me this was the most important step. Most people working toward their first deal are way too intense. I was. For weeks and months it was all I could think about, morning, noon, and night. I was tense and irritable. My family suffered. I suffered. My job suffered. And still no deal.

So, I consciously decided to relax. I didn’t stop working toward my goal, I just stopped obsessing and worrying about it all the time. I watched the things I was telling myself (my self-talk). I reminded myself that, since I was doing all the right things consistently, my first deal was right around the corner. I told myself the truth- “It’s only a matter of time!” I forced myself to relax, so I could focus on the really important things- my faith, my family, and my fitness (body, mind, spirit).

When those things are in alignment, success can occur naturally and easily- almost without effort. Try it yourself- for the next three days consciously relax and let go of the tension you feel about getting that first deal!

Step Two- Build Your Knowledge Base. Many people get this one out of order. They try to cram all sorts of knowledge into their head before they are relaxed enough to absorb it. Your brain doesn’t work like a machine. Try to stuff it full when you are tense and feeling pressured to ‘get a deal’, and you will recall next to nothing. Relax first, and your brain will work the way God designed it to- smoothly and efficiently. You’ll be amazed at what you will learn, and how fast you’ll learn it!

Read anything and everything. Buy books and courses, listen to tapes, attend conferences and seminars. Visit all the investing websites and bookmark the ones you like. Read the forum posts, the free articles, and the success stories. Especially DealFiles!

Don’t limit yourself to learning just one kind of investing. If you classify yourself as merely a ‘flipper’ or ‘rehabber’ you may miss out on a tremendous opportunity because you’re not looking for it. Visit my Resource Page for advice on the best educational materials out there.

Before I flipped my first house, I read books and courses on foreclosures, subject-to, lease options, and a hundred other investing strategies. Because I taught myself to relax, I never felt overwhelmed with too much material. When the time came for my first deal, I used techniques from many different sources. I didn’t have to think too much about it- the information was there, waiting for me to access it.

A word of caution- stay relaxed! Don’t treat this like a job. You should be enjoying this. If not, you may want to rethink why you’re doing it in the first place.

Step Three- Open your eyes. After you have consciously relaxed, and while you are building your knowledge base, start to look around you. You are looking for opportunity, and you will be amazed at where and when you see it. Opportunity can take several unexpected forms, and show up when you aren’t looking for it. In fact, that’s usually the way opportunity presents itself. People you meet, things that happen around you, any of a hundred things that occur as you move through your days.

For instance, a conversation you overhear may present an opportunity you would never know about otherwise. Context is crucial. Now that you are relaxed and learning, you are free to interpret things you see and hear in a fresh way. You start looking at people, places, and events through the eyes of a Real Estate Investor, because that’s the way you are training your mind to think. This is very good.

It’s also called ’serendipity’, a fifty-cent word meaning “the phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for.”

I found my best resource- my Realtor- this way. He was introduced to me by a friend. I said, “You’re a Realtor? Do you handle any foreclosures?”

He said, “I work for the largest foreclosure broker in the area.”

“Oh, really?!” My eyes were open.

Finally, don’t expect miracles in a day, a week, a month.

Watch. Listen. Think. Keep your eyes open.

One day soon, the deal will be there.

Step Four- Make offers. I’m not kidding here. Some people expect to get their first deal without ever making any offers. Usually, their fear is holding them back. Click this link to read my article on Four Ways To Eliminate Fear. Making no offers leaves you with nothing but wishing and hoping, bad overall strategies for success in anything.

Follow the three steps above and you WILL make offers. There’s a neat dynamic at work here. Follow the logic. You relax. You gain knowledge. Knowledge builds confidence. You open your eyes. You see an opportunity. You make an offer. Making the offer builds more confidence. You make more offers. One is accepted. You get scared. You go get more knowledge. You gain more confidence. You close your first deal. Confidence soars. Get the picture?

No offers - no deals. Simple, huh? Don’t get caught up in trying to know everything before you make an offer. You never will. Put in the time and effort. Learn well. Make offers. Enough said.

Step Five- Finish what you start. This one is easy for some of us, hard for others. If you are one of those people who get cold feet, prepare for it in advance. Decide ahead of time you will finish what you start and close on every deal you make an offer on. There are a lot of roadblocks in Real Estate Investing, any one of which could bring your deal to a screeching halt if you let it. In many cases, you are the only one who has what it takes to bring your deal to the closing table.

Determine ahead of time that, no matter what, the deal will close. Often it feels like you must put forth superhuman effort. Not true- merely human effort will work. Your human effort. You may not know it yet, but you have what it takes. Push through to the end and finish what you start.

That’s it then. Five simple, little steps that anyone can take. The only difference this time is, you are the one taking them. So much the better. After all- it’s your turn, isn’t it?

Now, go make more offers!