Believe The Dream: What Is All The Hype Surrounding Real Estate Investing Really About?
September 20, 2009 by Kenny Santos
Filed under Real Estate Investing
The best reason for investing in real estate is that it actually works! Real estate investing proves that the American dream is still very much alive. What other avenue can an individual begin in virtually any circumstance in life and build an empire of wealth in a relatively short period of time? Real estate investing does not discriminate against education levels, class, age, or region. You do not need a college degree to understand the fundamentals of real estate investing. You do not need to have a high-paying job or already be wealthy to get started. It can create enormous amounts of wealth for any person who is simply willing to follow the system. There is no need to re-invent the wheel; systems are in place that have been proven for investors in any circumstance or economic condition. You?ve heard similar claims so many times now that they almost sound clich?. Well, even the most skeptical critic will soon see the power of real estate investing as the avenue you?ve been looking for to change your life ? that is, if you choose to get started.
All you need to start investing in real estate is determination, self discipline, creative thinking, willingness to work hard, confidence and a dream. The dream is the most important element. The dream?s power will make the other qualities come naturally. Have you ever struggled to follow through with a project you?ve started? It may not be because you?re lazy or lack self discipline, but because you never had the appropriate motivation. Perhaps the goal wasn?t that interesting to you to begin with, or perhaps you never really believed you could attain it. It is important for you to realize what is attainable so that your dream is not limited. Realizing that you can live a life of abundance makes it possible for you to have the ultimate dream.
I?m not talking about the dream of a nice house, fancy clothes and a sports car in the driveway. The dream I?m referring to is much larger?all-encompassing. It is the dream of freedom. You may think, ?This is the United States. I am free.? Let me ask you, do you own your time? Can you wake up in the morning and spontaneously decide that it is a good day to take the family out on the boat? Can you leave for that month vacation in Hawaii you?ve always wanted to take? Can you sit at home and read a book from cover to cover? Can you take the piano lessons that you always wanted but never had the time or money to take? Can you go back to school for the college degree that you never completed? Can you stay home and raise your children? If you are like most people in this country, you cannot. If you are like most people in this country, you do not own much sunlight in your life. You wake up just before the sun rises, go to work, return home just as it sets and retreat to bed. Then you wake up and repeat the process again and again until, if you?re lucky, you?re 65 years old and you retire?too tired and too old to do all those things that you put on hold until you had ?some time.? You are not free until you own your time. Time is the most valuable amenity that wealth can buy. That dream, the ability to own your time, is really the essence of the American dream. Ironically, it is a dream that few people attain, yet it is readily accessible to all. Using real estate as the vehicle, you can become wealthy, buy your time, and know how it feels to live your dream and be free.
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Mark Pratt is a member of a real estate investing company called http://www.myreiteam.com. He specializes in all types of real estate investing, including foreclosures, short sales, and multiple units. His website provides real estate investing software that allows you to track, analyze, and evaluate your properties.
Real Estate Investing For Leverage
June 17, 2009 by Kenny Santos
Filed under Real Estate Investing
The term leverage in the world of finance is defined as borrowing money to purchase a company and relying on it to produce enough capital to cover the interest payable on the loan. This is the type of leverage that investment in real estate properties provides.
You do not have to be rich to invest. The goal, of course, is to make money for the long term. The principle is rather simple: spend a little to make a lot. Take the $10,000 you have accumulated in equity, use it as a down payment on an investment property that has a positive cash flow, use the cash flow to pay the mortgage and your investment will appreciate into ten times the original amount over time.
It is interesting to note that after you have invested in a property; your net worth has increased substantially from your initial investment. Let?s take that $10,000 and buy a piece of property with a fair market value of $100,000. The $10,000 is 10% of the value and makes a nice down payment. The mortgage is now $90,000 and you have equity of $10,000. Your net worth has increased by $90,000.
Let?s say the property produces a cash flow of $900 per month. The monthly note on a 30-year loan at 7% is only $598. Your positive cash flow is $302. If you paid all the cash flow into the monthly payment, and if you bought the property in 2006, you would have the property paid off in 2019 ? 13 years ? and the interest you save would be over $121,000.
There are two directions you could go. One is to buy and hold. This means that you buy this property and you hold on to it with everything you have. It absolutely should increase in fair market value. You should see increases in cash flow. You could add these increases to your note and then you could be realizing in a short period of time a nice, regular income from this piece of property. That retirement nest egg would be actively working for you over numerous years until retirement and through retirement.
If you think you do not have the time between now and when you want to retire, think again. The other direction may be for you. You could build some equity in the property we talked about above. Then you could trade up using the equity you built in making double payments and investment tax incentives.
You should always trade up in value or equal in value in order to benefit from the tax savings. When you take this route, you will actually be raising your net worth by much more than equity because you will be steadily increasing your net worth by more than just the cash flow from your investment.
If you were to take the fast-track accumulated equity you have built by paying double or triple the principle each month and trade up to a property worth $200,000 rather than $100,000, you could double your cash flow and pay off the mortgage in 16 years. That would give you a hefty cash flow at retirement with a very small initial investment.
About the Author:
Investment Property Specialist - Alex Anderson Connects Real Estate Investors With High-Quality Investment Properties. Get A Free Copy Of, “The Investor’s Rental Guide” at: www.GreatInvestmentProperty.com
5 Tricks To Make It Big With Real Estate Investing.
June 13, 2009 by Kenny Santos
Filed under Real Estate Investing
Real estate investing is one of the most attractive ways of making good money (that is if you do it correct). Moreover, real estate investing is also a lot of fun. A lot of people practice real estate investing as their core profession and, in fact, make a lot of money that way.
Real estate investing is really an art and, like any art, it takes time to master the art of real estate investing. The key, of course, is to buy at a lower price and sell at higher price and make a profit even after paying all the costs involved in the two (buy/sell) transactions.
Generally, people are of the opinion that real estate investing makes sense only when the rates are on the rise. However, real estate investing for profits is possible just about any time (and as I just said, real estate investing is an art). Here is a list of tricks that can make real estate investing profitable for you:
1) Look for public auctions, divorce settlements and foreclosures (bank/FHA/VA): Since quick settlement is the preference here (and not price), you might get a property at a price that is much lower than the prevailing market rate. You can then make arrangements to sell it at the market rate over a short period of time. However, make sure that the property is worth the price you are paying.
2) Looking for old listings: The old listings that are still unsold may provide you with good real estate investing opportunities. Just get hold of an old newspaper and call up the sellers. They might have given up hope of selling that property at all and with a bit of negotiation you can get the property for a real low price.
3) The hidden treasure: A really old (and dirty) looking house may scare off buyers. But this might be your chance for real estate investing that can yield good profits. So, explore such properties and check if spending a bit on them can make them shine. You can get these at very low prices and make a big profit in a short time.
4) Team up with attorneys: There are a number of attorneys who handle property sales on behalf of sellers or in special circumstances (like the death of the property owner). They might sometimes be looking to dispose off the property rather quickly and hence at a low price. Be the first one to grab such real estate investing opportunities and enjoy the profits.
5) Keep tab on the newspaper announcements: Property sell offs due to deaths, divorce settlements, immediate cash requirements and other reason are frequently announced in local papers. Keep track of such real estate investing avenues.
About the Author
For more information and tips about Real estate investing please visit our web site: www.3arealestate.com
5 Tricks To Make It Big With Real Estate Investing.
May 22, 2009 by Kenny Santos
Filed under Real Estate Investing
Real estate investing is one of the most attractive ways of making good money (that is if you do it correct). Moreover, real estate investing is also a lot of fun. A lot of people practice real estate investing as their core profession and, in fact, make a lot of money that way.
Real estate investing is really an art and, like any art, it takes time to master the art of real estate investing. The key, of course, is to buy at a lower price and sell at higher price and make a profit even after paying all the costs involved in the two (buy/sell) transactions.
Generally, people are of the opinion that real estate investing makes sense only when the rates are on the rise. However, real estate investing for profits is possible just about any time (and as I just said, real estate investing is an art). Here is a list of tricks that can make real estate investing profitable for you:
1) Look for public auctions, divorce settlements and foreclosures (bank/FHA/VA): Since quick settlement is the preference here (and not price), you might get a property at a price that is much lower than the prevailing market rate. You can then make arrangements to sell it at the market rate over a short period of time. However, make sure that the property is worth the price you are paying.
2) Looking for old listings: The old listings that are still unsold may provide you with good real estate investing opportunities. Just get hold of an old newspaper and call up the sellers. They might have given up hope of selling that property at all and with a bit of negotiation you can get the property for a real low price.
3) The hidden treasure: A really old (and dirty) looking house may scare off buyers. But this might be your chance for real estate investing that can yield good profits. So, explore such properties and check if spending a bit on them can make them shine. You can get these at very low prices and make a big profit in a short time.
4) Team up with attorneys: There are a number of attorneys who handle property sales on behalf of sellers or in special circumstances (like the death of the property owner). They might sometimes be looking to dispose off the property rather quickly and hence at a low price. Be the first one to grab such real estate investing opportunities and enjoy the profits.
5) Keep tab on the newspaper announcements: Property sell offs due to deaths, divorce settlements, immediate cash requirements and other reason are frequently announced in local papers. Keep track of such real estate investing avenues.
About the Author
For more information and tips about Real estate investing please visit our web site: www.3arealestate.com
Real Estate Investing For Leverage
May 8, 2009 by Kenny Santos
Filed under Real Estate Investing
The term leverage in the world of finance is defined as borrowing money to purchase a company and relying on it to produce enough capital to cover the interest payable on the loan. This is the type of leverage that investment in real estate properties provides.
You do not have to be rich to invest. The goal, of course, is to make money for the long term. The principle is rather simple: spend a little to make a lot. Take the $10,000 you have accumulated in equity, use it as a down payment on an investment property that has a positive cash flow, use the cash flow to pay the mortgage and your investment will appreciate into ten times the original amount over time.
It is interesting to note that after you have invested in a property; your net worth has increased substantially from your initial investment. Let?s take that $10,000 and buy a piece of property with a fair market value of $100,000. The $10,000 is 10% of the value and makes a nice down payment. The mortgage is now $90,000 and you have equity of $10,000. Your net worth has increased by $90,000.
Let?s say the property produces a cash flow of $900 per month. The monthly note on a 30-year loan at 7% is only $598. Your positive cash flow is $302. If you paid all the cash flow into the monthly payment, and if you bought the property in 2006, you would have the property paid off in 2019 ? 13 years ? and the interest you save would be over $121,000.
There are two directions you could go. One is to buy and hold. This means that you buy this property and you hold on to it with everything you have. It absolutely should increase in fair market value. You should see increases in cash flow. You could add these increases to your note and then you could be realizing in a short period of time a nice, regular income from this piece of property. That retirement nest egg would be actively working for you over numerous years until retirement and through retirement.
If you think you do not have the time between now and when you want to retire, think again. The other direction may be for you. You could build some equity in the property we talked about above. Then you could trade up using the equity you built in making double payments and investment tax incentives.
You should always trade up in value or equal in value in order to benefit from the tax savings. When you take this route, you will actually be raising your net worth by much more than equity because you will be steadily increasing your net worth by more than just the cash flow from your investment.
If you were to take the fast-track accumulated equity you have built by paying double or triple the principle each month and trade up to a property worth $200,000 rather than $100,000, you could double your cash flow and pay off the mortgage in 16 years. That would give you a hefty cash flow at retirement with a very small initial investment.
About the Author:
Investment Property Specialist - Alex Anderson Connects Real Estate Investors With High-Quality Investment Properties. Get A Free Copy Of, “The Investor’s Rental Guide” at: www.GreatInvestmentProperty.com
A Real Estate Investing Primer
April 30, 2009 by Kenny Santos
Filed under Real Estate Investing
A Real Estate Investing Primer
by: Adem Hamidovic
There are a great many books and web sites devoted to real estate investing out there, but most of them concentrate on one specific area of investing. It’s often hard to find a general description of real estate investing, one that lists the various real estate investing strategies and how to get started. That’s what this article will set out to do.
Before beginning, you must understand that real estate investing is not a get rich quick scheme. Real estate investing can, and will, make you wealthy, but it certainly won’t happen overnight and it will require work. As you perfect your technique and gain experience, the amount of work needed to gain a lot of money will reduce, but it will take effort and persistance to make it there.
If you’re completely new to real estate investing then the only sort of investing strategy you’re likely aware of is rental properties.
Landlording has been around since there have been houses and people to rent them to, and it will continue to be a wealth builder. In fact, most of the ‘no money down’ real estate strategies you hear about still include rentals as part of their plan. Still, there are other ways to make money from real estate investing out there.
The next most ‘traditional’ method is to buy a fixer-upper, fix it up, and then sell it for a profit. This is commonly referred to as ‘rehabbing’ and is a very good way to make a lot of money in a relatively short period of time. Most rehabbers won’t even look at a property unless they can make at least $20,000 of profit, and this is usually within 3-4 months time. Rehabbers tend to be experienced investors with available money, or have partners who help provide any extra cash required.
But if you’re just starting out you likely won’t have access to large amounts of money. One way to get involved in this area of real estate investing without needing any money at all is to ‘flip’ houses to these rehabbers. What this entails is you going out and finding these fixer-uppers, noting all the work required to fix the place up. You then place a low offer in to the owner, taking into account the fix up price and some built in profit. Once you have the house under contract you then flip it to a rehabber for a small fee. This can result in several thousand dollars for you, without you having to spend a dime. ‘Flipping’ properties can be a great way to start your real estate investing career.
Another ‘no money down’ technique that’s popular on the late night infomercials is called ‘lease optioning’. This is basically a rent to own strategy that allows you to control a property without ever taking ownership of it. It’s a slightly more complicated strategy that warrents its own article, but it does allow you to make money in several different ways, each without ever having to spend any of your own money. If you’re not put off by longer term investments then lease options are definately worth more research.
There are other strategies that involve foreclosures and getting the home owner to sign the deed over to you, but for now I’d suggest learning more about flipping and lease options as entry-level real estate investing strategies.
How do you find properties that would make good real estate investments? Again, an entire article can be devoted to that, but there are basically two ways: you go looking for them, or you get them to come to you. The first way involves reading the newspaper classifieds and scanning the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This is where having a great real estate agent is a must - they can get you more details on homes than you can view on the mls website, and can often let you know of great deals before they even become available to the general public.
Having home owners contact you means setting up an advertising campaign. This can involve placing ads in the newspaper, placing bandit signs at strategic locations around town, starting a direct mail campaign, etc. There are many ways to let people know that there’s a new real estate investor in town, and it would be in your best interest to try each of them to see which ones work best for you.
Whether you decide to go looking for deals, have them come to you, or both, they key is to be persistant. Real estate investing is a numbers game - most of the time you won’t be able to make the deal work, but every time you do it translates into thousands of dollars for you. The more owners you talk to, the more deals you’ll be able to do, the more money you’ll make.
I hope this article gives you a bit of an idea of what the world of real estate investing is like. There’s a lot to learn out there, and all of it is very interesting. Find the area that interests you the most, then get out there and start talking to home owners. Don’t be discouraged if you’re getting turned down a lot - just remember that when it does pay off, it will pay off big!
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About The Author
Adem Hamidovic is a part time real estate investor and operator of www.ProfitPiggy.com, a website devoted to new and experienced real estate investors alike.
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Real Estate Investing With No Money Down
April 24, 2009 by Kenny Santos
Filed under Real Estate Investing
So you want to get into real estate, for personal or investment purposes, but you just do not have the cash to get you started. Purchasing real estate is still possible even with out a down payment.
Below are a few techniques, provided the seller is willing to negotiate and has a genuine interest in selling the property as soon as possible.
Buying with no money down.
The simplest method for real estate investment is to take over their mortgage payments. This is called assuming the mortgage. Naturally, you will need to be approved by the original lender to assume the mortgage. If you cannot be approved for an assumable mortgage, you may also try a subject to assumption mortgage, which means that you make the monthly payments while the property remains in the seller’s name.
What if the seller asks more than what the balance is on the mortgage?
If the seller wants a higher price than what is owed on the mortgage, you can still assume the mortgage and then get a second mortgage with the seller for the remaining cost of the house. Offer the seller a high interest-only payment for a short period, for example two or three years.
At the end of the term on the second mortgage, you should be able to refinance the property and pay off the seller. Unless there has been a downward trend in real estate, your real estate investment should have gained value in a few years.
There is no mortgage to assume-then what?
A majority of mortgage lenders want to make a good investment. While your local bank may still shy away there are plenty of financial lenders that would love to make a deal and finance your loan.
Finance companies like real estate. The mortgage is usually based on 60-70% of the value of the property, so as long as they know they will get their money back in the value of the property if you default. Complete the deal with a second mortgage created with the seller.
As you can see, there are ways to invest in real estate as long as the buyer and seller work together.
For more information about real estate investing and home financing, visit http://www.realestateinvestmentanswers.com and http://www.homefinancinganswers.com
About the Author
None
A Real Estate Investing Primer
April 13, 2009 by Kenny Santos
Filed under Real Estate Investing
A Real Estate Investing Primer
by: Adem Hamidovic
There are a great many books and web sites devoted to real estate investing out there, but most of them concentrate on one specific area of investing. It’s often hard to find a general description of real estate investing, one that lists the various real estate investing strategies and how to get started. That’s what this article will set out to do.
Before beginning, you must understand that real estate investing is not a get rich quick scheme. Real estate investing can, and will, make you wealthy, but it certainly won’t happen overnight and it will require work. As you perfect your technique and gain experience, the amount of work needed to gain a lot of money will reduce, but it will take effort and persistance to make it there.
If you’re completely new to real estate investing then the only sort of investing strategy you’re likely aware of is rental properties.
Landlording has been around since there have been houses and people to rent them to, and it will continue to be a wealth builder. In fact, most of the ‘no money down’ real estate strategies you hear about still include rentals as part of their plan. Still, there are other ways to make money from real estate investing out there.
The next most ‘traditional’ method is to buy a fixer-upper, fix it up, and then sell it for a profit. This is commonly referred to as ‘rehabbing’ and is a very good way to make a lot of money in a relatively short period of time. Most rehabbers won’t even look at a property unless they can make at least $20,000 of profit, and this is usually within 3-4 months time. Rehabbers tend to be experienced investors with available money, or have partners who help provide any extra cash required.
But if you’re just starting out you likely won’t have access to large amounts of money. One way to get involved in this area of real estate investing without needing any money at all is to ‘flip’ houses to these rehabbers. What this entails is you going out and finding these fixer-uppers, noting all the work required to fix the place up. You then place a low offer in to the owner, taking into account the fix up price and some built in profit. Once you have the house under contract you then flip it to a rehabber for a small fee. This can result in several thousand dollars for you, without you having to spend a dime. ‘Flipping’ properties can be a great way to start your real estate investing career.
Another ‘no money down’ technique that’s popular on the late night infomercials is called ‘lease optioning’. This is basically a rent to own strategy that allows you to control a property without ever taking ownership of it. It’s a slightly more complicated strategy that warrents its own article, but it does allow you to make money in several different ways, each without ever having to spend any of your own money. If you’re not put off by longer term investments then lease options are definately worth more research.
There are other strategies that involve foreclosures and getting the home owner to sign the deed over to you, but for now I’d suggest learning more about flipping and lease options as entry-level real estate investing strategies.
How do you find properties that would make good real estate investments? Again, an entire article can be devoted to that, but there are basically two ways: you go looking for them, or you get them to come to you. The first way involves reading the newspaper classifieds and scanning the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This is where having a great real estate agent is a must - they can get you more details on homes than you can view on the mls website, and can often let you know of great deals before they even become available to the general public.
Having home owners contact you means setting up an advertising campaign. This can involve placing ads in the newspaper, placing bandit signs at strategic locations around town, starting a direct mail campaign, etc. There are many ways to let people know that there’s a new real estate investor in town, and it would be in your best interest to try each of them to see which ones work best for you.
Whether you decide to go looking for deals, have them come to you, or both, they key is to be persistant. Real estate investing is a numbers game - most of the time you won’t be able to make the deal work, but every time you do it translates into thousands of dollars for you. The more owners you talk to, the more deals you’ll be able to do, the more money you’ll make.
I hope this article gives you a bit of an idea of what the world of real estate investing is like. There’s a lot to learn out there, and all of it is very interesting. Find the area that interests you the most, then get out there and start talking to home owners. Don’t be discouraged if you’re getting turned down a lot - just remember that when it does pay off, it will pay off big!
|
About The Author
Adem Hamidovic is a part time real estate investor and operator of www.ProfitPiggy.com, a website devoted to new and experienced real estate investors alike.
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