Real Estate Information Header

Real Estate Investing By The Numbers


Just like most things real estate investing can be broken down into easy to learn step.

Step One - Learn the basics:

Ownership of real estate is evidenced by a valid deed. When you buy property the seller signs a deed that transfers his ownership interest to you. Most states use a Warranty Deed. With that deed the seller warrants that title to the property is as he has described. You would buy title insurance in case some defect in title was discovered after the transfer of ownership. Recording the deed is notice to the world that you are the new owner.

You must know how to correctly fill out such basic documents as purchase offers, deeds, options, leases and rental agreements. Many of those documents have been recorded in your county and you can see many expert examples by viewing your County Recorders files.

If you have borrowed money to buy the property the lender will record a mortgage or trust deed immediately after the Warranty deed has been recorded. This mortgage is a lien on the property and gives the lender power to foreclose if you violate terms of the loan, like stop making payments.

Step Two - Understand how to buy real estate:

Most sellers want to sell their property for full price and all cash. Investors generally want to buy at a discount and delay paying for as long as possible. To do that you must understand the many techniques an investor can use to satisfy the needs of the seller.

You only make good deals if the seller is urgently motivated to sell. Perhaps he has lost a job, been transferred, has a drug problem, is facing divorce, bought more house than he could afford... or a variety of other reasons why he/she must get out from under those mortgage payments.

You can control real estate with leases, options, subject to techniques and a host of other "creative ideas". To be successful you must understand which technique to use in which situation. You just talk to the seller until you learn what he/she will accept.

Step Three - You must uncover a steady stream of motivated sellers:

They are always plenty of people who must sell their homes and sell them in a hurry. The trick is to find them. Since most people will so "no" to any offer but all cash, you need to be constantly on the search those motivated home owners.

My experience is that most new investors don't fail at investing... they fail at marketing. Marketing is how you sell you skill as an investor and find enough motivated sellers to keep the cash rolling in.

You can use billboards, flyers, telephone calls, door to door canvassing, bandit signs, newspaper ads, Web sites, direct mail... or any combination. If you don't use good marketing every week of the year your chances of becoming a successful investors are minimal.

Good marketing is the secret. You can be expert at every creative buying technique in the book. If you can't locate motivated sellers every week you just won't be able to buy houses.

Time and again we've seen people with just basic knowledge of one or two buying techniques become very successful, because they are unrelenting in their search for motivated sellers. Perseverance and stamina can work wonders.

My choice is to mail postcards, because they are inexpensive to prepare and send. You can read more about my postcard system at http://digbig.com/4cjxp

Step four - Always have an exit strategy before you buy:

Before buying an investment property you must carefully evaluate the potential for profit. One of the keys to your evaluation will be to determine what you will do with the property if you buy it.

Included in the many way to profit are:

1. Place it in your "buy & hold" inventory if it will produce profitable rental income.

2. Place it in your "buy & hold" inventory if it will produce break-even cash flow and you expect it to increase in value by 8% to 15% or more per year.

3. You can assign the purchase contract to another investor for a one time cash payment.

4. You can buy the property and immediately sell it to a retail buyer and cash-out.

5. You can exchange it for a more desirable property.

6. Refinance cash out and use the money for the down payment on another property.

7. Etc...

Finally

Now you can visualize the four basic steps in real estate investing. You'll never know all there is to know about every step. Just get started and add to your knowledge as you go along. Remember, all it takes to be successful is perseverance and stamina!

Mark Walters is a third generation investor who shares his experience at his Web site: http://www.CashFlowInstitute.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Target rejects Pershing's proposals on real estate structure
MarketWatch - 22 hours ago
Ackman had proposed that Target spin off the land it owns into a real estate investment trust in a bid to boost the company's value. ...
Target Corp. Won't Pursue Pershing Real-Estate Plans Wall Street Journal
Target rejects Pershing's real estate proposal Reuters
Target rejects Pershing's real estate proposal Bizjournals.com
WELT ONLINE - Reuters UK
all 414 news articles


Real-estate agents to buyers: Can we talk?
Seattle Times, United States - 12 hours ago
In the rapidly changing real-estate world, savvy agents say they're busy, not necessarily with customers, but with keeping up with the changes so they can ...
Slow housing market means more hours, more expenses for agents Seattle Times
all 2 news articles


Web sites offer real estate agent rankings
The Associated Press - 15 hours ago
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Word of mouth is one of the most common ways homebuyers and sellers find a real estate agent. Now, there are several Web sites that tout ...


NAR, REAL ESTATE CHANNEL Create Online News Partnership
MarketWatch - Nov 21, 2008
RealEstateChannel.com) is pleased to announce today that the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS(R) has become a regular content contributor to the REAL ESTATE ...
Realtors content on Real Estate Channel Bizjournals.com
all 12 news articles


Real-estate investment firm fights to stay afloat
Arizona Republic, AZ - 18 hours ago
22, 2008 12:00 AM Last week, Phoenix-based real-estate investment firm Right Place Properties spent investors' money to purchase multifamily housing units, ...


Washington Times

Hypo Real Estate Gets EU20 Billion Guarantee From Rescue Fund
Bloomberg - Nov 21, 2008
21 (Bloomberg) -- Hypo Real Estate Holding AG, the German property lender bailed out by the German government and financial institutions last month, ...
Hypo Real Estate to receive euro20 billion loan The Associated Press
1-Hypo Real gets 20 bln euros in govt guarantees guardian.co.uk
DGAP-Adhoc: DEPFA Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG: SoFFin grants EUR 20 ... Ad-Hoc-News (Pressemitteilung)
all 119 news articles


Reuters

Citigroup says commercial real estate bigger issue now for banks
Reuters - Nov 21, 2008
(Reuters) - Commercial real estate is becoming a bigger issue for US banks after the Treasury decided that funds under the Troubled Asset Relief Program ...
United States: Potential Real Estate Opportunities Under TARP Mondaq News Alerts (registration)
That Money Isn’t Leaving the Vault New York Times
all 37 news articles


Real estate group backs sick leave law challenge
Bizjournals.com, NC - Nov 21, 2008
Fearing a flight of businesses from the city of Milwaukee, leaders of a major organization of commercial real estate professionals have voted to support the ...


Real estate trophies on hold
Bizjournals.com, NC - 18 hours ago
A host of high-profile commercial real estate projects are having trouble getting off the ground in Houston. The economic downturn and national financial ...


Real estate recovery not seen until 2011
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Nov 21, 2008
By AUBREY COHEN That was the main message of the Seattle Urban Land Institute's Emerging Trends in Real Estate breakfast Thursday. ...
Seminar to give development overview Bizjournals.com
all 5 news articles

Real-Estate - Google News

General Real Estate Information HomeHome ContactContact
Real Estate Information © 2006