Real Estate Investing By the Numbers:Part 2

As we now recover from the long holiday and consuming way too much turkey and stuffing, real estate investor minds come back to the plans that they will be making for 2007. Having talked to many investors during our recent appearance in NYC, I have discovered that many people have been in active in 2006 but are really planning on gearing up in 2007. Why? It seems to be a combination of a strong believe among experts and novices alike that 2008 will be the return of solid real estate market conditions and thus 2007 is a great year to pick up good values. Quite frankly, we concur.

In addition to the normal New Year’s resolutions that you make, I highly encourage you to add one more to your list that you will actually keep?.. LEARN TO BECOME A GOOD INVESTOR. During the time that our web site has been in existence, I have met many clients and investors who are all very bright and I know that they do some complicated things in their day job like surgery, education, law, etc., etc. What surprises me however is that many people feel that investing is rocket science. Having been a scientist and actually worked on a rocket, trust me when I tell you that investing is far, far from rocket science on the complexity scale. Most of real estate investing is just good old common sense that once you see it, you feel kind of silly for thinking that it was so complicated.

One of the common themes among many professional people I meet is that they are just too busy to learn what is needed. They go on to tell us that all they want to do is find somebody they trust and then take their advice?.. Kind of like I don’t want to learn medicine if I have a threatening ailment. While I agree with that for many things in life, for important issues like your health, your family’s financial future, your children’s education, etc., I believe a much healthier approach is to find a provider that you trust but learn enough to get comfortable with what they tell you. That way you have a much stronger conviction when you make a decision other than “gee, this doctor recommends this approach” or “wow, I will buy this property because Dr. Anderson sounded really excited”. ? I hate to be the bearer of bad news but for both those decisions, you will wake up one morning a few months down the road going “did I make the right choice?” If you understand why you made that choice, then that thought will rapidly disappear and not be a hurdle. On the other hand, if you don’t understand why you made that choice, you are in for some mental roller coasters.

As part of our push in 2007 to create a small, but extremely well educated investor community, let me now get off my soapbox and describe the next piece of investing by the numbers.

What You Need To Know

In our last article, we described the four key parameters that any real estate investor needs to know to evaluate a project. Just as a reminder, they are

1. Purchase Equity.

2. Annual Appreciation (%)

3. Annual Cashflow

4. Special Tax Situations

In our live workshop in NYC, we recently covered how you can sit at your desktop and get this information. For our projects, we provide this information to you but I believe it is really good to see one time how to actually do that and that it makes sense. Then, when you are looking at a property where information has been provided to you, then you can always go back and double check any piece that may not make sense. In late January early February, we will be conducting multi-city tours where you can come out and meet us live and we will teach this content. Please go to this page to tell us the large city that you live next to and give us a contact email if you would like to attend.

Calculating Cash On Cash Returns And Yearly Returns

One of the standard measures of many investments is what is called cash-on-cash returns. This is just a fancy word that says what % gain do I get for holding an investment. For example, let’s say that you plunk down $20,000 in down payment and closing costs on a real estate investment and let’s say in 2 years, you get back $65,000 after reselling with all expenses included; i.e., you have a $45,000 net profit.

The cash on cash return for this is simply:

COC(%) = 100%* 45000/20000 = 225%

One problem of this measure is that it does not take into account the time-value of money; that is, if I made that in 2 years versus 20 years, it makes a huge difference. So suppose in this example we plunked down $20K, got a simple interest return the first year, and then reinvested that gain with the same interest. Now what interest rate would accomplish this? A little more complicated to calculate but the annual rate of return to produce this is just a little of 80%. To see this, you can do the following:

Year 0: $20,000

Year 1: $20000*(1+80.2%) = $36,055

Year 2: $36055*(1+80.2%) = $65,000

If you are still in the mindset of 2004/2005 that you can plunk down $5,000 on something and make $75,000 in 6 months by flipping, then I wish you the best of luck. This is just not realistic except for a few needles in the haystack. On the other hand, if you are comfortable with making 30-40% per year on your money over a 2-5 year time frame, then that is very realistic and can be done with low risk.

So when we evaluate potential opportunities, one of the first parameters that we are looking at is this yearly return and we like to see 30%+. As we will discuss next week, this is not the only factor to consider but it is certainly one of the top 3.

Directions for Success in Real Estate Investing

The one thing I want you to think about as we are starting the New Year is the single most important factor in all of business. Take and throw everything you know out the window because without this one possession, you’ll end up more lost than driving down an old country, dirt road in Alabama.

It’s called direction…

Direction for you and your business…

Since it’s the beginning of a new year, you should initiate the year off on the right foot. Take the next few days to work on your real estate business instead of in it. What do I mean here? Shut off all the phones and conduct some serious soul searching to figure out what it is you’re really looking for from your real estate business. See, it’s time for you to stop tiptoeing along and get to work. This can be your year to stop being a “lookie-lou” and become a real investor. More on that in a sec but let me ask you -

“What direction are you heading in right now?” Are you where you want to be in life?

And no I’m not trying to sound like the latest Geico commercial with Tony Little yelling, “Yeah Baby, you can do it.”

I’m being totally serious here. See, a few years ago, when I worked at the J-O-B, I had a Franklin Covey planner that I tracked all of my goals, my appointments, heck my entire life in that one little book. Anyway, after moving a little over three years ago, my wife found this little book tucked away in a pile of stuff. She opened this book and proceeded to read what I had written for my goals and the direction for our businesses and our lives. She was shocked to see that nearly all of the items I had listed had come to pass. And the ones that hadn’t were not our really our goals anymore, as we were striving for bigger things.

So, the moral to the story is this: if you don’t know the direction you’re heading in, then how in the heck do you intend to ever get there? Do you think one day, you’ll suddenly wake up and say, “Oh, this is exactly what I want”?

I think not.

You’ve got to have a plan: A plan of Massive Action to get your butt moving in the right direction.

Now, some of you may ask, what do I do if my plan fails?

This type of thinking simply comes from the fear of failing. This stops most investors dead in their tracks from ever buying their first property. They read articles, books, and even buy courses, yet they remain inactive in buying any real estate, never realizing their dreams of escaping the rat race. They talk a big game about what they’re going to do, but they always seem to be just talking and not doing.

My response to the above question is that we can play “the what if” game all day long and still be at the same point you’re at now except a little more frustrated. But let me ask you this: What if your plan works? What if you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that you wouldn’t fail? Would you then still procrastinate? Would you put off running that ad to buy houses? Would you still drive by that house in preforeclosure, yet convince yourself they’re not at home so that you won’t knock on the door?

It’s time you get serious about your financial future because the one thing that keeps passing us by regardless if we take action or not is our time.

So, I ‘m going to show you how to get off your butt and take action. It’s something I’ve used for years and believe that you’ll benefit as well. Here it goes.

First, I want you to identify where you want to be. This is the most important piece to the puzzle. Get some direction about your business and your life. Identify what’s makes you tick… Write this down. This could be something like you want to buy six houses per year with a net of $10K or whatever your situation is.

Next, what actions do you need to take to get to this point? Write down, what you’ll have to become as a person to fulfill your goal. Now, this person that you have to become, what do they do? What actions would they take?

Now, I want you to ask yourself, “What is it you can do over the next ninety days to get closer to your goal?”

Then, write down the actions and tasks that you’ll commit to completing in the next ninety days to realize your goal. When I say commit, I mean you have to be committed more than the average “Hollywood marriage” and stick with your plan adjusting it as you go along the way.

Along the way, as you complete some of the tasks, you want to reward yourself. Maybe, you’ve finally sold that house that seemed like it would never sell or maybe you’ve talked with 20 sellers or whatever your tasks was, then reward yourself accordingly. Now, I’m not saying break the bank, just take a percentage of your profits from your next deal as a reward for your work. Maybe it’s a weekend getaway or it could be as simple as having a nice dinner with your family.

Now, you must remember to focus like a “laser guided missile”. It’s easy to get caught up with everything going on around you, however it’s crucial you remain focused with your eyes clearly set on your goals. I admit that I struggle with this every day. With the internet and running several businesses, it’s easy to get involved with all the day-to-day crap or surfing the net for hours on end. Ask yourself daily; what is the most productive, profitable use of my time? Finally, at the end of the ninety days, it’s time to look at what you’ve accomplished and repeat adjusting your plan from what you’ve already completed. I want you to do this process starting with the end in mind of where you want, and then backing your way to do the things necessary to achieve the end result.

If you fail to take time to do these simple yet powerful steps, then I grant that you don’t have what it takes to be a successful real estate investor. You must remain as the visionary for where you want to lead your business and the steps to getting there. If you fail to have this vision, then you’ll always be working for someone that does. However, if you follow theses simple steps, then you’ll be amazed at the amount of ground you can cover over the next ninety days. Commit to making this your best year ever. Screw the resolutions and focus on getting things done!

About the Author

Derek Pierce, full time Real Estate Investor, shows you the exact strategies to his success in his Free Book: “How I Went From Corporate Guinea Pig To Real Estate Success”. Get your copy and Real Estate Investing Tips by going to http://www.thereisecrets.com

Directions for Success in Real Estate Investing

The one thing I want you to think about as we are starting the New Year is the single most important factor in all of business. Take and throw everything you know out the window because without this one possession, you’ll end up more lost than driving down an old country, dirt road in Alabama.

It’s called direction…

Direction for you and your business…

Since it’s the beginning of a new year, you should initiate the year off on the right foot. Take the next few days to work on your real estate business instead of in it. What do I mean here? Shut off all the phones and conduct some serious soul searching to figure out what it is you’re really looking for from your real estate business. See, it’s time for you to stop tiptoeing along and get to work. This can be your year to stop being a “lookie-lou” and become a real investor. More on that in a sec but let me ask you -

“What direction are you heading in right now?” Are you where you want to be in life?

And no I’m not trying to sound like the latest Geico commercial with Tony Little yelling, “Yeah Baby, you can do it.”

I’m being totally serious here. See, a few years ago, when I worked at the J-O-B, I had a Franklin Covey planner that I tracked all of my goals, my appointments, heck my entire life in that one little book. Anyway, after moving a little over three years ago, my wife found this little book tucked away in a pile of stuff. She opened this book and proceeded to read what I had written for my goals and the direction for our businesses and our lives. She was shocked to see that nearly all of the items I had listed had come to pass. And the ones that hadn’t were not our really our goals anymore, as we were striving for bigger things.

So, the moral to the story is this: if you don’t know the direction you’re heading in, then how in the heck do you intend to ever get there? Do you think one day, you’ll suddenly wake up and say, “Oh, this is exactly what I want”?

I think not.

You’ve got to have a plan: A plan of Massive Action to get your butt moving in the right direction.

Now, some of you may ask, what do I do if my plan fails?

This type of thinking simply comes from the fear of failing. This stops most investors dead in their tracks from ever buying their first property. They read articles, books, and even buy courses, yet they remain inactive in buying any real estate, never realizing their dreams of escaping the rat race. They talk a big game about what they’re going to do, but they always seem to be just talking and not doing.

My response to the above question is that we can play “the what if” game all day long and still be at the same point you’re at now except a little more frustrated. But let me ask you this: What if your plan works? What if you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that you wouldn’t fail? Would you then still procrastinate? Would you put off running that ad to buy houses? Would you still drive by that house in preforeclosure, yet convince yourself they’re not at home so that you won’t knock on the door?

It’s time you get serious about your financial future because the one thing that keeps passing us by regardless if we take action or not is our time.

So, I ‘m going to show you how to get off your butt and take action. It’s something I’ve used for years and believe that you’ll benefit as well. Here it goes.

First, I want you to identify where you want to be. This is the most important piece to the puzzle. Get some direction about your business and your life. Identify what’s makes you tick… Write this down. This could be something like you want to buy six houses per year with a net of $10K or whatever your situation is.

Next, what actions do you need to take to get to this point? Write down, what you’ll have to become as a person to fulfill your goal. Now, this person that you have to become, what do they do? What actions would they take?

Now, I want you to ask yourself, “What is it you can do over the next ninety days to get closer to your goal?”

Then, write down the actions and tasks that you’ll commit to completing in the next ninety days to realize your goal. When I say commit, I mean you have to be committed more than the average “Hollywood marriage” and stick with your plan adjusting it as you go along the way.

Along the way, as you complete some of the tasks, you want to reward yourself. Maybe, you’ve finally sold that house that seemed like it would never sell or maybe you’ve talked with 20 sellers or whatever your tasks was, then reward yourself accordingly. Now, I’m not saying break the bank, just take a percentage of your profits from your next deal as a reward for your work. Maybe it’s a weekend getaway or it could be as simple as having a nice dinner with your family.

Now, you must remember to focus like a “laser guided missile”. It’s easy to get caught up with everything going on around you, however it’s crucial you remain focused with your eyes clearly set on your goals. I admit that I struggle with this every day. With the internet and running several businesses, it’s easy to get involved with all the day-to-day crap or surfing the net for hours on end. Ask yourself daily; what is the most productive, profitable use of my time? Finally, at the end of the ninety days, it’s time to look at what you’ve accomplished and repeat adjusting your plan from what you’ve already completed. I want you to do this process starting with the end in mind of where you want, and then backing your way to do the things necessary to achieve the end result.

If you fail to take time to do these simple yet powerful steps, then I grant that you don’t have what it takes to be a successful real estate investor. You must remain as the visionary for where you want to lead your business and the steps to getting there. If you fail to have this vision, then you’ll always be working for someone that does. However, if you follow theses simple steps, then you’ll be amazed at the amount of ground you can cover over the next ninety days. Commit to making this your best year ever. Screw the resolutions and focus on getting things done!

About the Author

Derek Pierce, full time Real Estate Investor, shows you the exact strategies to his success in his Free Book: “How I Went From Corporate Guinea Pig To Real Estate Success”. Get your copy and Real Estate Investing Tips by going to http://www.thereisecrets.com

Directions for Success in Real Estate Investing

The one thing I want you to think about as we are starting the New Year is the single most important factor in all of business. Take and throw everything you know out the window because without this one possession, you’ll end up more lost than driving down an old country, dirt road in Alabama.

It’s called direction…

Direction for you and your business…

Since it’s the beginning of a new year, you should initiate the year off on the right foot. Take the next few days to work on your real estate business instead of in it. What do I mean here? Shut off all the phones and conduct some serious soul searching to figure out what it is you’re really looking for from your real estate business. See, it’s time for you to stop tiptoeing along and get to work. This can be your year to stop being a “lookie-lou” and become a real investor. More on that in a sec but let me ask you -

“What direction are you heading in right now?” Are you where you want to be in life?

And no I’m not trying to sound like the latest Geico commercial with Tony Little yelling, “Yeah Baby, you can do it.”

I’m being totally serious here. See, a few years ago, when I worked at the J-O-B, I had a Franklin Covey planner that I tracked all of my goals, my appointments, heck my entire life in that one little book. Anyway, after moving a little over three years ago, my wife found this little book tucked away in a pile of stuff. She opened this book and proceeded to read what I had written for my goals and the direction for our businesses and our lives. She was shocked to see that nearly all of the items I had listed had come to pass. And the ones that hadn’t were not our really our goals anymore, as we were striving for bigger things.

So, the moral to the story is this: if you don’t know the direction you’re heading in, then how in the heck do you intend to ever get there? Do you think one day, you’ll suddenly wake up and say, “Oh, this is exactly what I want”?

I think not.

You’ve got to have a plan: A plan of Massive Action to get your butt moving in the right direction.

Now, some of you may ask, what do I do if my plan fails?

This type of thinking simply comes from the fear of failing. This stops most investors dead in their tracks from ever buying their first property. They read articles, books, and even buy courses, yet they remain inactive in buying any real estate, never realizing their dreams of escaping the rat race. They talk a big game about what they’re going to do, but they always seem to be just talking and not doing.

My response to the above question is that we can play “the what if” game all day long and still be at the same point you’re at now except a little more frustrated. But let me ask you this: What if your plan works? What if you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that you wouldn’t fail? Would you then still procrastinate? Would you put off running that ad to buy houses? Would you still drive by that house in preforeclosure, yet convince yourself they’re not at home so that you won’t knock on the door?

It’s time you get serious about your financial future because the one thing that keeps passing us by regardless if we take action or not is our time.

So, I ‘m going to show you how to get off your butt and take action. It’s something I’ve used for years and believe that you’ll benefit as well. Here it goes.

First, I want you to identify where you want to be. This is the most important piece to the puzzle. Get some direction about your business and your life. Identify what’s makes you tick… Write this down. This could be something like you want to buy six houses per year with a net of $10K or whatever your situation is.

Next, what actions do you need to take to get to this point? Write down, what you’ll have to become as a person to fulfill your goal. Now, this person that you have to become, what do they do? What actions would they take?

Now, I want you to ask yourself, “What is it you can do over the next ninety days to get closer to your goal?”

Then, write down the actions and tasks that you’ll commit to completing in the next ninety days to realize your goal. When I say commit, I mean you have to be committed more than the average “Hollywood marriage” and stick with your plan adjusting it as you go along the way.

Along the way, as you complete some of the tasks, you want to reward yourself. Maybe, you’ve finally sold that house that seemed like it would never sell or maybe you’ve talked with 20 sellers or whatever your tasks was, then reward yourself accordingly. Now, I’m not saying break the bank, just take a percentage of your profits from your next deal as a reward for your work. Maybe it’s a weekend getaway or it could be as simple as having a nice dinner with your family.

Now, you must remember to focus like a “laser guided missile”. It’s easy to get caught up with everything going on around you, however it’s crucial you remain focused with your eyes clearly set on your goals. I admit that I struggle with this every day. With the internet and running several businesses, it’s easy to get involved with all the day-to-day crap or surfing the net for hours on end. Ask yourself daily; what is the most productive, profitable use of my time? Finally, at the end of the ninety days, it’s time to look at what you’ve accomplished and repeat adjusting your plan from what you’ve already completed. I want you to do this process starting with the end in mind of where you want, and then backing your way to do the things necessary to achieve the end result.

If you fail to take time to do these simple yet powerful steps, then I grant that you don’t have what it takes to be a successful real estate investor. You must remain as the visionary for where you want to lead your business and the steps to getting there. If you fail to have this vision, then you’ll always be working for someone that does. However, if you follow theses simple steps, then you’ll be amazed at the amount of ground you can cover over the next ninety days. Commit to making this your best year ever. Screw the resolutions and focus on getting things done!

About the Author

Derek Pierce, full time Real Estate Investor, shows you the exact strategies to his success in his Free Book: “How I Went From Corporate Guinea Pig To Real Estate Success”. Get your copy and Real Estate Investing Tips by going to http://www.thereisecrets.com

Directions for Success in Real Estate Investing

The one thing I want you to think about as we are starting the New Year is the single most important factor in all of business. Take and throw everything you know out the window because without this one possession, you’ll end up more lost than driving down an old country, dirt road in Alabama.

It’s called direction…

Direction for you and your business…

Since it’s the beginning of a new year, you should initiate the year off on the right foot. Take the next few days to work on your real estate business instead of in it. What do I mean here? Shut off all the phones and conduct some serious soul searching to figure out what it is you’re really looking for from your real estate business. See, it’s time for you to stop tiptoeing along and get to work. This can be your year to stop being a “lookie-lou” and become a real investor. More on that in a sec but let me ask you -

“What direction are you heading in right now?” Are you where you want to be in life?

And no I’m not trying to sound like the latest Geico commercial with Tony Little yelling, “Yeah Baby, you can do it.”

I’m being totally serious here. See, a few years ago, when I worked at the J-O-B, I had a Franklin Covey planner that I tracked all of my goals, my appointments, heck my entire life in that one little book. Anyway, after moving a little over three years ago, my wife found this little book tucked away in a pile of stuff. She opened this book and proceeded to read what I had written for my goals and the direction for our businesses and our lives. She was shocked to see that nearly all of the items I had listed had come to pass. And the ones that hadn’t were not our really our goals anymore, as we were striving for bigger things.

So, the moral to the story is this: if you don’t know the direction you’re heading in, then how in the heck do you intend to ever get there? Do you think one day, you’ll suddenly wake up and say, “Oh, this is exactly what I want”?

I think not.

You’ve got to have a plan: A plan of Massive Action to get your butt moving in the right direction.

Now, some of you may ask, what do I do if my plan fails?

This type of thinking simply comes from the fear of failing. This stops most investors dead in their tracks from ever buying their first property. They read articles, books, and even buy courses, yet they remain inactive in buying any real estate, never realizing their dreams of escaping the rat race. They talk a big game about what they’re going to do, but they always seem to be just talking and not doing.

My response to the above question is that we can play “the what if” game all day long and still be at the same point you’re at now except a little more frustrated. But let me ask you this: What if your plan works? What if you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that you wouldn’t fail? Would you then still procrastinate? Would you put off running that ad to buy houses? Would you still drive by that house in preforeclosure, yet convince yourself they’re not at home so that you won’t knock on the door?

It’s time you get serious about your financial future because the one thing that keeps passing us by regardless if we take action or not is our time.

So, I ‘m going to show you how to get off your butt and take action. It’s something I’ve used for years and believe that you’ll benefit as well. Here it goes.

First, I want you to identify where you want to be. This is the most important piece to the puzzle. Get some direction about your business and your life. Identify what’s makes you tick… Write this down. This could be something like you want to buy six houses per year with a net of $10K or whatever your situation is.

Next, what actions do you need to take to get to this point? Write down, what you’ll have to become as a person to fulfill your goal. Now, this person that you have to become, what do they do? What actions would they take?

Now, I want you to ask yourself, “What is it you can do over the next ninety days to get closer to your goal?”

Then, write down the actions and tasks that you’ll commit to completing in the next ninety days to realize your goal. When I say commit, I mean you have to be committed more than the average “Hollywood marriage” and stick with your plan adjusting it as you go along the way.

Along the way, as you complete some of the tasks, you want to reward yourself. Maybe, you’ve finally sold that house that seemed like it would never sell or maybe you’ve talked with 20 sellers or whatever your tasks was, then reward yourself accordingly. Now, I’m not saying break the bank, just take a percentage of your profits from your next deal as a reward for your work. Maybe it’s a weekend getaway or it could be as simple as having a nice dinner with your family.

Now, you must remember to focus like a “laser guided missile”. It’s easy to get caught up with everything going on around you, however it’s crucial you remain focused with your eyes clearly set on your goals. I admit that I struggle with this every day. With the internet and running several businesses, it’s easy to get involved with all the day-to-day crap or surfing the net for hours on end. Ask yourself daily; what is the most productive, profitable use of my time? Finally, at the end of the ninety days, it’s time to look at what you’ve accomplished and repeat adjusting your plan from what you’ve already completed. I want you to do this process starting with the end in mind of where you want, and then backing your way to do the things necessary to achieve the end result.

If you fail to take time to do these simple yet powerful steps, then I grant that you don’t have what it takes to be a successful real estate investor. You must remain as the visionary for where you want to lead your business and the steps to getting there. If you fail to have this vision, then you’ll always be working for someone that does. However, if you follow theses simple steps, then you’ll be amazed at the amount of ground you can cover over the next ninety days. Commit to making this your best year ever. Screw the resolutions and focus on getting things done!

About the Author

Derek Pierce, full time Real Estate Investor, shows you the exact strategies to his success in his Free Book: “How I Went From Corporate Guinea Pig To Real Estate Success”. Get your copy and Real Estate Investing Tips by going to http://www.thereisecrets.com