Markets on hot real estate don’t stay hot forever. Home sale market in some area around the country has already slowed after being robust for several years. The unsold inventory index has been used to tell which way the market and home prices were moving. Reports on unsold inventory index show how many months it would take to sell the existing inventory of homes for sale at the current sales pace. Changes in the unsold inventory index are directly affiliated to changes in supply and demand. When the requirement for housing goes up, the rate at which homes sell pick up the pace and the existing inventory of homes for sale decreases.
As inventories shrink, home prices often go up as more buyers struggle to buy a limited number of listings. When the demand for housing deteriorate, it takes longer for homes to sell. Inventories tend to intensify as does the unsold inventory index. In this sort of environment, prices may gradually sink. Not long ago, the unsold inventory index has been at an all time low nationally. In spite of that, national trends don’t necessarily tell you much about the pace of your local real estate market. Home sales normally take 30 to 60 days to close. It doesn’t describe where the market is going, or even where it is today.
Local economy, in particular the job market, has a uninterrupted influence on the local housing market. People who lose their jobs don’t have the power to buy houses; as a matter-of-fact they often sell. In areas where job growth is robust, you often find a strong housing market. On the other hand, over-building in an area can also result to excess inventory, which can put a downward
pressure on prices. However, existing home sale figures aren’t necessarily a trustworthy predictor of the direction of the housing market because they are based on closed sales. Usually, existing home sale index gauge past sales activity.
In reaction to the uprising surge of short-sale properties and foreclosures, it is expected to consider new regulations to describe better the standing of the assets. Some local and regional multiple inventory services have worked out explanations and admissions in relation to the status of properties and build up their own strategy associated to bank-owned foreclosure properties and short sales. Short sales are naturally defined as dealings in which the lender agrees to recognize less than the full total due on a mortgage as soon as the property is sold in order to avoid a pricey foreclosure course of action.
Technically a short sale does not exist as soon as it comes to an end and there is not enough money to pay hush money to the lender. Usually, a short sale can be a untrustworthy slope. For instance, the house that is listed for sale is worth $500,000, while the unsettled loan is amounting to $490,000. A balance is incurred. When the propose loan amount is higher then the asset, this would not be eligible as a short sale. It is probable that the material detail is short sale in this event and somebody should be conscious of it.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Diversify Your Real Estate Investment Portfolio
There are not too many people who know much about commercial foreclosures.
Most people are more familiar with the process of buying foreclosed homes as investment properties. However commercial foreclosures can be a great way for anybody to get into real estate investing, and also make a respectable profit.
Even though the number of people familiar with commercial foreclosures is low, this sector of the industry has still seen a spike in recent years. Due in part to the number of commercial foreclosures that are available, as well as the amount of profits that can be made on these properties, there are more real estate investors giving this section of the real estate pie a nod.
Commercial foreclosures are very similar to the foreclosures that take place on residential units. The bank owns these properties because the owner defaulted on their mortgage payments. At this point, the bank will sell the foreclosures back to the public. Anyone who is interested in buying real estate can then purchase these commercial foreclosures at a discounted price.
Since commercial foreclosures are properties that can be used for business, most often, investors will buy commercial properties and then rent them out to people who are in need of office space or a storefront. Since office space is at a premium at this time, this can be very profitable.
In addition to real estate investors, many companies will also buy commercial foreclosures so that they can own their own building. Companies will do this so that after they pay off the mortgage, they will no longer have to pay rent on their office space. This has shown to be a great way for companies of all sizes to cut costs, and improve their bottom line revenues.
Commercial foreclosures are not as popular as foreclosure homes, but that does not mean that you cannot find them. If you are searching for commercial foreclosures your best bet would be to search well-populated cities. Being that larger cities have the most businesses, you will increase your chances of finding commercial foreclosures that suit your needs. This is not to say that commercial foreclosures are not available in smaller towns; they will just be more difficult to locate.
Calling the lenders directly is one of the most cost effective and efficient ways of locating commercial bank foreclosure properties in your chosen area. Once you have a contact person at a Lender office, you will be able to get in touch with them periodically to get updated listings of bank foreclosure properties.
Overall, investing in commercial foreclosures can be very profitable and offer a great alternative to investors who want to diversify their real estate investment portfolio.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Weak And Strong Areas of Real Estate Market
You want to know whether the market is strong if you are buying or selling real estate. Having such information lets you know how flexible you need to be in offers.
Sales have slowed for large parts of the east and west coasts for sellers. Good news for buyers there. On the other hand, sales are picking up in parts of the interior of our country. A cheerful note for sellers. Let’s look at what is happening, why and what it means to you.
A lot of things affect market strength, but some more than others. Is employment strong in your area? Are there jobs available that pay well? Plentiful jobs that pay well help to strengthen the real estate market.
Is there a high inventory of newly built, but unsold, housing in your area? Has this inventory been increasing or decreasing? Sales tend to slow and prices decrease when inventory is very high. This often happens when prices have moved above what average families in an area can afford.
Where Home Inventories Are High
In Washington, D.C., Miami, Florida, and Phoenix, Arizona inventories of new unsold housing have increased greatly in the last twelve months. Those markets tend to be better for buyers than in the recent past.
Where Home Inventories Are Low
In Texas, Dallas and Houston have very low housing inventory increases and a good employment picture. Prices are increasing there. Families are buying homes. Investors are scouting out the area and buying, too. This has created a situation that is very helpful to sellers, which is somewhat ironic given that Texas generally missed out on the housing boom of the last six years.
What’s Going On In Your Market
How do you figure out what the market is like in your area? Read the local news paper. Are there “price reduced” or “buy now before the next price increase” phrases in ads for homes being sold? Are there stories about lay-offs or about new employers coming to town? Call your local builders’ association, realtors’ association, Chamber of Commerce. Ask lots of questions about the number of unsold houses today as compared with the number a year ago. Ask the Chamber of Commerce about employers coming to town or leaving. Visit models in new communities and ask lots of questions there, too.
You will soon have your own opinion about what is going on in the part of the country in which you want to buy or sell. Your strategy needs to be adjusted to the strength of your position as a buyer or seller. Understanding the market you will be dealing in is a good place to start.
Real Estate Investing in a Crisis Market
You've probably heard someone who invests in the stock market say, "There's always a bull market somewhere." That simply means there is a way to profit whether share prices are going up or down.
A few experienced real estate investors feel the same way about the real estate market. There are ways to profit not matter if property values are going up or down.
Real estate can be a better investment than stocks because some properties are always going to be as good as gold. I place the following in that category:
1. Beach Front
2. Lake Front
3. Property with a unique view.
Stop and think for a moment about what makes almost anything valuable? At the top of that list should be limited supply when compared to demand. That's what you get with most any water front property.
Some of the world's most valuable real estate is breach front property. There is no denying that even it may drop some value in a major financial crisis, but it won't stay down long. How much value do you think a beach front home in Malibu, California lost during the housing crisis of 2008? Very little of any, is the answer.
Beach front property is very limited in supply and they aren't making any more. It's not like middle class housing where developers just move a little farther out from the city center and build a few thousands more homes to satisfy demand.
In an effort to protect costal ecology federal and state governments now make it very difficult to build on beach fronts. Those laws and regulations tend to drive up the value of the few homes and lots that are available.
The same holds true for prime lake front property. The value of a lake front home at Lake Tahoe, California has gone through the roof in the last ten years.
Blue chip quality even extends to some mountain side or cliff top properties that provide a dramatic view. Not quite the sure-thing as beach front property, but still a valuable investment.
Smart investor welcome a downturn in property values, because some of these uniquely located properties will become available at irreplaceable prices. Not rock bottom prices, but low enough to insure a "can't miss" investment. These rare properties are the first to recover after a downturn, so investors often find themselves in a profit position within a few months.
What if you can't afford the prices of waterfront property even during pull backs? All is not lost. Some of the world's greatest beach front bargains are available right now in places like Costa Rica, Panama, Honduras, Belize, Ecuador, Uruguay, Brazil, Spain, Croatia, Malta and other countries around the world.
Wonderful countries with friendly people and stable governments, not to mention that each has a cost of living dramatically lower than that of North America or Western Europe.
For the cost of one beach front home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, you could by 10 homes on the beach at Fortaleza, Brazil.
The sad truth is that many Americans will not be able to afford a comfortable retirement if they remain in the U.S. as the politician's unbridled spending drives down the value of the dollar. The cost of living in many Latin American countries is a fraction of that in the U.S.
Retirees with modest savings will be looking for beach homes in these foreign countries. Demand will drive up value, but right now you can buy a modern beach front condo for as little as $40 thousand U.S. dollars.
Low prices in Latin American beach areas are attracting offshore buyers from all over the world. It's the chance of a lifetime for those adventurous investors who are willing to spend some time in an area and learn the local customs and buying procedures.
There's always a bull market somewhere, and right now it's at the beach.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
U.S. Real Estate Markets
Buying home, condo or any other real estate in a market that is protected from a bursting bubble is every investor's dream. Knowing where to look for these bubble-proof markets and how to identify them is crucial.
There are some important factors that investors should consider when searching for stable investments such as single-family homes, condos or any other type of real estate. Some of these factors include a fast growing population (which positively impacts the demand for housing), a solid and diverse economy (which impacts employment rates and subsequent demand for housing), rising incomes (which impacts buyers' ability to purchase real estate), a developing infrastructure (which contributes to the appeal of a city or community), and restrictions on future real estate development (which limits future supply of real estate). Investing in real estate within communities that meet these criteria may prove to be more profitable than communities that are missing one or more of these factors.
A recent report by Business 2.0 Magazine identified U.S. cities that have consistently demonstrated price appreciation in the real estate market. The October 2006 issue of the Magazine identified the top 5 real estate markets that demonstrated an upward price trend over a long period time. The top-ranking cities were:
1. San Francisco, California
2. Los Angeles, California
3. Seattle, Washington
4. Boston, Massachusetts
5. New York City, New York
San Francisco topped the list with an average annual home price appreciation of 4.2% from 1949 to 2006. In contrast, the national average was 2.3%. Strong restrictions on real estate development and a limited geography helped push San Francisco to the top slot.
Los Angeles ranked second in the report. The average annual home price appreciation in Los Angeles was 3.7% from 1949 to 2006. Reductions in available land and increasing restrictions on further development helped pushed Los Angeles to the number 2 slot.
Home prices in Seattle, which was third on the list, demonstrated an average appreciation rate of 3.2% from 1949 to 2006. While Seattle made the top 5 list, recent easing of building restrictions may cause Seattle to fall out of the top 5 over the next few years.
Boston was fourth in the rankings. The city has seen annual home prices appreciate by 3% over the period from 1949 to 2006. A strong increase in per capita income contributed to Boston's high ranking.
New York City follows close behind with an average annual home price appreciation of 3% from 1949 to 2006. A limited geography, large population, and finite number of properties contributed to New York's high ranking.
While there is no guarantee that any of the real estate markets listed previously are truly "bubble proof," the factors described above may help investors find the profitable markets and avoid "bubble" markets. Since the real estate market is constantly changing, be sure to seek out the services of a skillful real estate agent to help you navigate your next real estate purchase.
There are some important factors that investors should consider when searching for stable investments such as single-family homes, condos or any other type of real estate. Some of these factors include a fast growing population (which positively impacts the demand for housing), a solid and diverse economy (which impacts employment rates and subsequent demand for housing), rising incomes (which impacts buyers' ability to purchase real estate), a developing infrastructure (which contributes to the appeal of a city or community), and restrictions on future real estate development (which limits future supply of real estate). Investing in real estate within communities that meet these criteria may prove to be more profitable than communities that are missing one or more of these factors.
A recent report by Business 2.0 Magazine identified U.S. cities that have consistently demonstrated price appreciation in the real estate market. The October 2006 issue of the Magazine identified the top 5 real estate markets that demonstrated an upward price trend over a long period time. The top-ranking cities were:
1. San Francisco, California
2. Los Angeles, California
3. Seattle, Washington
4. Boston, Massachusetts
5. New York City, New York
San Francisco topped the list with an average annual home price appreciation of 4.2% from 1949 to 2006. In contrast, the national average was 2.3%. Strong restrictions on real estate development and a limited geography helped push San Francisco to the top slot.
Los Angeles ranked second in the report. The average annual home price appreciation in Los Angeles was 3.7% from 1949 to 2006. Reductions in available land and increasing restrictions on further development helped pushed Los Angeles to the number 2 slot.
Home prices in Seattle, which was third on the list, demonstrated an average appreciation rate of 3.2% from 1949 to 2006. While Seattle made the top 5 list, recent easing of building restrictions may cause Seattle to fall out of the top 5 over the next few years.
Boston was fourth in the rankings. The city has seen annual home prices appreciate by 3% over the period from 1949 to 2006. A strong increase in per capita income contributed to Boston's high ranking.
New York City follows close behind with an average annual home price appreciation of 3% from 1949 to 2006. A limited geography, large population, and finite number of properties contributed to New York's high ranking.
While there is no guarantee that any of the real estate markets listed previously are truly "bubble proof," the factors described above may help investors find the profitable markets and avoid "bubble" markets. Since the real estate market is constantly changing, be sure to seek out the services of a skillful real estate agent to help you navigate your next real estate purchase.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Growth, Stability of Commercial Real Estate Investing
Commercial real estate investing is a kind of investing which is used for business purpose. The commercial real estate investing property is different from other real estate investing like agriculture, residential and other industrial purpose. Commercial real estate investing property provides reasonable price consideration from the investment property and also provides income for long period. In real estate investing, real estate investors make investment on commercial real estate investing. Commercial real estate investing is made by most of the real estate investors, because it fetches more profit for the seller at the time of sale of real estate investment property.
The main purpose why people prefer to make their real estate investing is that commercial real estate investing provides stability and high return in the market. The other advantage we obtained from commercial real estate investing is that it provides investment securities for the real estate investment property purchased from the real market. Real estate investing market is said to be the stable market and it also carries high returns on investment for the property purchased. It is the obligation of the real estate investor to see that the real estate investing property fetch more profit among the customer and it realize more profit. Some of the standard features of commercial real estate investing are
High return
The main advantage of commercial real estate investing property is that it carries high return on investment. More number of people procures real estate property because of its returns provided. Real estate investor enjoys the benefits provided by the real estate property with high return and turnover during the period of sale of real estate investment property. Real estate sector is the wide sector where it carries huge number of properties required with desire prices.
Stability
The other unique feature of commercial real estate investing property is that its stability and consistency with the world market. When though more number of real properties are available in real estate investing market, still commercial estate investment obtains more demand among the customers for reasonable price consideration. Real estate investing benefits are provided more in real estate investing and it is due to the stability provided in the real market.
Commercial estate investment provides long term security of cash flow for the real estate investors who had made their real estate investing. Commercial real estate obtains more demand among the customer and they provides more return on investment with principal and interest. This kind of investment obtains more demand, growth, return and stability compared to other real estate investment property in the real estate market.
The main purpose why people prefer to make their real estate investing is that commercial real estate investing provides stability and high return in the market. The other advantage we obtained from commercial real estate investing is that it provides investment securities for the real estate investment property purchased from the real market. Real estate investing market is said to be the stable market and it also carries high returns on investment for the property purchased. It is the obligation of the real estate investor to see that the real estate investing property fetch more profit among the customer and it realize more profit. Some of the standard features of commercial real estate investing are
High return
The main advantage of commercial real estate investing property is that it carries high return on investment. More number of people procures real estate property because of its returns provided. Real estate investor enjoys the benefits provided by the real estate property with high return and turnover during the period of sale of real estate investment property. Real estate sector is the wide sector where it carries huge number of properties required with desire prices.
Stability
The other unique feature of commercial real estate investing property is that its stability and consistency with the world market. When though more number of real properties are available in real estate investing market, still commercial estate investment obtains more demand among the customers for reasonable price consideration. Real estate investing benefits are provided more in real estate investing and it is due to the stability provided in the real market.
Commercial estate investment provides long term security of cash flow for the real estate investors who had made their real estate investing. Commercial real estate obtains more demand among the customer and they provides more return on investment with principal and interest. This kind of investment obtains more demand, growth, return and stability compared to other real estate investment property in the real estate market.
Ways to Take Your Rental Real Estate Losses
Even if you have strong positive cash flow from your rental real estate, chances are you still have a loss for tax purposes due to the depreciation deduction.
This is a great tax strategy because your positive cash flow is sheltered from tax. But, it can be even better if you are able to take your losses against your other income (like your income from your job or the business that you run).
The general rule for rental real estate losses is that they are passive. This means they can only be taken against passive income. The income from your job and the business you run is active income so your rental losses cannot shelter this income. However, there are two exceptions to this rule.
** Exception #1: "Active Real Estate" exception. **
The Background on the Active Real Estate Exception
Rental real estate, in many cases, is held to provide financial security to individuals with moderate incomes. Because of this Congress believed that a rental real estate investment in which a taxpayer has significant responsibilities and which served a significant non-tax purpose should be treated differently than the activities meant to be limited under the passive loss provisions. So Congress created the active rental real estate exception.
- How It Works -
If you are active in your rental real estate activities you may be able to deduct up to $25,000 of your rental losses against other ordinary income. We say may be because there are income limitations which phase out the $25,000 deduction. The phase out will start when your adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000 and end when your adjusted gross income is at $150,000. This means that for every $2 over $100,000 of adjusted gross income you will lose $1 off the $25,000 deductible amount. For example if your adjusted gross income is $120,000 you will have to reduce the $25,000 exception by $10,000 and the most rental real estate losses you can deduct will be $15,000 for that tax year.
Don't let your high income penalize you! Learn my tax secrets to increase your cash flow by uncovering the hidden cash flow in your real estate. Several of my secrets reveal how to legally get around these income limitations!
What constitutes active participation?
Active participation exists so long as you participate, in the making of management decisions or arranging for others to provide services (such as repairs), in a significant and bona fide sense. Also, you must have at least a 10% interest in the activity at any time during the year.
** Exception #2: "Real Estate Professional" exception. **
What is a Real Estate Professional?
First, let's dispense with one myth: Real Estate Professional status does not mean you have to hold a real estate license. Rather, it is a designation you obtain by meeting certain specific requirements. If you qualify as a real estate professional you can deduct all your current year rental real estate losses against other income without limitations.
Requirement #1
The first requirement is that you spend more than 750 hours in real estate trades or businesses in which you materially participate.
What is a real estate trade or business? A real estate trade or business is defined as ANY real estate development, redevelopment, construction, reconstruction, acquisition, conversion, rental, operation, management, leasing, or brokerage trade or business.
The 750 hours test must be met for each activity. So for example, say you have three rental properties. The general rule is that you have to perform at least 750 hours on activities related to EACH of those three properties. Fortunately, there is an exception to this rule. If you make the election to aggregate all of your rental real estate activities into one activity, you only have to meet the 750 hours requirement once for the tax year.
What types of activities qualify as real estate professional activities? Activities such as:
- Searching for possible rental properties
- Attending real estate seminars or reading real estate books
- Meeting with real estate agents and viewing properties
- Meeting with mortgage brokers with regards to getting loans on properties
- Travel time to and from the seminars and your property searches
- Preparing your bookkeeping and tax information for your rental properties
- Time spend buying or selling properties (i.e. signing the closing documents)
- Studying and reviewing financial reports (Investor-type)
- Preparing summaries or analyses for personal use (Investor-type)
- Monitoring finances or operation in a non-managerial capacity (Investor-type)
An important note to the investor-type activities mentioned above is that these activities can only be counted towards real estate professional time if you are involved in the day-to-day operations or management of the activity for which you perform those tasks. Essentially, this means that if you have an independent property manager and your only real estate business is your rental properties, you probably will not qualify as a real estate professional.
Requirement #2
The second requirement is that you spend more time in your real estate trades or businesses than in ALL OTHER trades or businesses combined. Time spent as an employee in real estate activities is counted only if you are a more than a 5% owner in that business.
- What You Need to Do -
You have to meet the above requirements each year. So, you could be a real estate professional one year but not the next. Only one spouse needs to meet the requirements in order for a married couple to take advantage of the benefits provided by the real estate professional status.
The extent of an individual's participation in an activity may be established by any reasonable means. Contemporaneous daily time reports, logs, or similar documents are not required if the extent of such participation may be established by other reasonable means. Documentation required includes the identification of services performed over a period of time and the approximate number of hours spent performing such services during such period, based on appointment books, calendars, or narrative statements.
If you are audited, the IRS will ask you to prove your real estate professional status. For more on how to be prepared, see my recent article titled: "Three (3) Things You Can Do To Be Prepared For An Audit"
This is a great tax strategy because your positive cash flow is sheltered from tax. But, it can be even better if you are able to take your losses against your other income (like your income from your job or the business that you run).
The general rule for rental real estate losses is that they are passive. This means they can only be taken against passive income. The income from your job and the business you run is active income so your rental losses cannot shelter this income. However, there are two exceptions to this rule.
** Exception #1: "Active Real Estate" exception. **
The Background on the Active Real Estate Exception
Rental real estate, in many cases, is held to provide financial security to individuals with moderate incomes. Because of this Congress believed that a rental real estate investment in which a taxpayer has significant responsibilities and which served a significant non-tax purpose should be treated differently than the activities meant to be limited under the passive loss provisions. So Congress created the active rental real estate exception.
- How It Works -
If you are active in your rental real estate activities you may be able to deduct up to $25,000 of your rental losses against other ordinary income. We say may be because there are income limitations which phase out the $25,000 deduction. The phase out will start when your adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000 and end when your adjusted gross income is at $150,000. This means that for every $2 over $100,000 of adjusted gross income you will lose $1 off the $25,000 deductible amount. For example if your adjusted gross income is $120,000 you will have to reduce the $25,000 exception by $10,000 and the most rental real estate losses you can deduct will be $15,000 for that tax year.
Don't let your high income penalize you! Learn my tax secrets to increase your cash flow by uncovering the hidden cash flow in your real estate. Several of my secrets reveal how to legally get around these income limitations!
What constitutes active participation?
Active participation exists so long as you participate, in the making of management decisions or arranging for others to provide services (such as repairs), in a significant and bona fide sense. Also, you must have at least a 10% interest in the activity at any time during the year.
** Exception #2: "Real Estate Professional" exception. **
What is a Real Estate Professional?
First, let's dispense with one myth: Real Estate Professional status does not mean you have to hold a real estate license. Rather, it is a designation you obtain by meeting certain specific requirements. If you qualify as a real estate professional you can deduct all your current year rental real estate losses against other income without limitations.
Requirement #1
The first requirement is that you spend more than 750 hours in real estate trades or businesses in which you materially participate.
What is a real estate trade or business? A real estate trade or business is defined as ANY real estate development, redevelopment, construction, reconstruction, acquisition, conversion, rental, operation, management, leasing, or brokerage trade or business.
The 750 hours test must be met for each activity. So for example, say you have three rental properties. The general rule is that you have to perform at least 750 hours on activities related to EACH of those three properties. Fortunately, there is an exception to this rule. If you make the election to aggregate all of your rental real estate activities into one activity, you only have to meet the 750 hours requirement once for the tax year.
What types of activities qualify as real estate professional activities? Activities such as:
- Searching for possible rental properties
- Attending real estate seminars or reading real estate books
- Meeting with real estate agents and viewing properties
- Meeting with mortgage brokers with regards to getting loans on properties
- Travel time to and from the seminars and your property searches
- Preparing your bookkeeping and tax information for your rental properties
- Time spend buying or selling properties (i.e. signing the closing documents)
- Studying and reviewing financial reports (Investor-type)
- Preparing summaries or analyses for personal use (Investor-type)
- Monitoring finances or operation in a non-managerial capacity (Investor-type)
An important note to the investor-type activities mentioned above is that these activities can only be counted towards real estate professional time if you are involved in the day-to-day operations or management of the activity for which you perform those tasks. Essentially, this means that if you have an independent property manager and your only real estate business is your rental properties, you probably will not qualify as a real estate professional.
Requirement #2
The second requirement is that you spend more time in your real estate trades or businesses than in ALL OTHER trades or businesses combined. Time spent as an employee in real estate activities is counted only if you are a more than a 5% owner in that business.
- What You Need to Do -
You have to meet the above requirements each year. So, you could be a real estate professional one year but not the next. Only one spouse needs to meet the requirements in order for a married couple to take advantage of the benefits provided by the real estate professional status.
The extent of an individual's participation in an activity may be established by any reasonable means. Contemporaneous daily time reports, logs, or similar documents are not required if the extent of such participation may be established by other reasonable means. Documentation required includes the identification of services performed over a period of time and the approximate number of hours spent performing such services during such period, based on appointment books, calendars, or narrative statements.
If you are audited, the IRS will ask you to prove your real estate professional status. For more on how to be prepared, see my recent article titled: "Three (3) Things You Can Do To Be Prepared For An Audit"
Real Estate Information Sources
Knowledge is basically the most important key to success in any industry and specially in real estate investing. Even if you know some of the basic techniques in real estate, then you can successfully buy the best property or home without any down payment. However, increasing knowledge among people has no longer kept real estate investing a specialty of wealthy businessmen only. Today, real estate investing has become a very common financial motion for almost every individual. This change is basically because of the concentration and elimination of company pension plans. Personal investing guides have also replaced these plans as they have become the preferred plans to retirement.
Real Estate Investing Books: Real estate investing books would literally increase your potential knowledge and information in the real estate investing field. Generally speaking, the people who write these books are the ones with experience in real estate industry, and thus they write from personal experiences. There are also real estate investing guide books that are published in electronic format, which are known as Real estate E-books. Real estate investing books would offer you almost all the possible information that is used by professional real estate investors. If you have only recently entered the real estate market then it is important that you posses the required important information which can be found in these real estate investing books.
Real Estate Online Information Sources: Real estate investing includes various categories and sub-categories and there is plenty to learn in the real estate investing market. Although you might find real estate investing books a good source, finding information over the internet is a better idea. There are tons of websites on the internet, where you can find the desired information. You can even find real estate companies online who would keep you alert with the latest happenings in the real estate industry. If you are planning to buy a property or need to invest in real estate, then an online source would then be your best option. Most of the online real estate companies have a great source of real estate listings that you can refer to. Apart from this, you can also invest in one of the listed properties if the prices and the location match your requirements. These online companies would offer you various real estate investing tips and guidelines on how you could make great profits through the various properties that you have.
Other Sources of Real Estate Information: Apart from these information sources, you can also opt for a real estate investing course. You probably could get the most out from a real estate investing course, but you just have to choose the right one. If you are really interested in discovering all the inside secrets of real estate investing, then a real estate investing course can teach you just that. The best part is that that are a number of real estate workshops, classes and courses that educate and offer the required information about the real estate investing market. You just have to choose the right course that would fulfill your need and make you a better real estate investor or help you make a great decision.
Real Estate Investing Books: Real estate investing books would literally increase your potential knowledge and information in the real estate investing field. Generally speaking, the people who write these books are the ones with experience in real estate industry, and thus they write from personal experiences. There are also real estate investing guide books that are published in electronic format, which are known as Real estate E-books. Real estate investing books would offer you almost all the possible information that is used by professional real estate investors. If you have only recently entered the real estate market then it is important that you posses the required important information which can be found in these real estate investing books.
Real Estate Online Information Sources: Real estate investing includes various categories and sub-categories and there is plenty to learn in the real estate investing market. Although you might find real estate investing books a good source, finding information over the internet is a better idea. There are tons of websites on the internet, where you can find the desired information. You can even find real estate companies online who would keep you alert with the latest happenings in the real estate industry. If you are planning to buy a property or need to invest in real estate, then an online source would then be your best option. Most of the online real estate companies have a great source of real estate listings that you can refer to. Apart from this, you can also invest in one of the listed properties if the prices and the location match your requirements. These online companies would offer you various real estate investing tips and guidelines on how you could make great profits through the various properties that you have.
Other Sources of Real Estate Information: Apart from these information sources, you can also opt for a real estate investing course. You probably could get the most out from a real estate investing course, but you just have to choose the right one. If you are really interested in discovering all the inside secrets of real estate investing, then a real estate investing course can teach you just that. The best part is that that are a number of real estate workshops, classes and courses that educate and offer the required information about the real estate investing market. You just have to choose the right course that would fulfill your need and make you a better real estate investor or help you make a great decision.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Real Estate Investment Experience
Real estate investment is one of the most accessible ways to make a family fortune. It is one of the safest forms of investment. That is why so many people have chosen to become wealthy through real estate investing. With good financial education and a little luck, any of us can make a good fortune – you only need to find our some details about procedures concerning foreclosure real estate investment.
If you are looking towards the area of real estate investment to build your own fortune, you are well inspired. This domain has proven more efficient and risk-free for some time now. It is an easy and safe way to build a fortune and pass it down to the future generations of your family. Take the example of the two notorious names like Trump and Hilton; you might have a chance to obtain results similar to those they did.
The best way to make good money nowadays is to get a new and great idea of a product or service and sell it on the market. This is rather difficult and only some people become successful on today’s crowded market. However, real estate investing is not so demanding as the great money making idea is already very popular and it is accessible for most people.
This great method to make money is foreclosure real estate investment. Foreclosure is a legal term and it concerns the fact that the bank has the right to sell a property if the buyer is not able to pay the mortgage he or she has assumed to pay for it. Any surplus money from the transaction goes to the buyer. This is a great way to make easy profit if you have found the property at a very low price.
The difficult part is in the selection of the property that is surely to bring you a considerable profit. Becoming successful in real estate investing is all about knowing how to appreciate the value of a property and buying under-priced, good quality real properties. Real estate investment education and experience are great assets to a real estate investor; they will guarantee his or her success.
Therefore, the first step into real estate investing would normally be to obtain the necessary information and to gather experience in evaluating a house or a piece of land. Aside from that, general knowledge about finance and trading in general will also prove helpful. You will need to understand fully the concept of foreclosure before you set out on any investment adventure.
This is easy to do in parallel with your current job. We have put at your disposal some great guides and advice and secret books that you can read. Written by some experienced real property investors, they target specifically those who wish to begin their activity in the real estate domain. They make a great opportunity to grow accommodated with the vocabulary, but also a source for some great tips.
Once you think you have gained enough experience, you need to get your hands on some good deals to put the bases of a flourishing real estate investing experience. Another aspect to consider is that you need the courage to take action at the right time. This will be rather difficult to do in the beginning, but it will become easier once you have gained some experience.
Real property investment is one of the safest ways to build a considerable fortune; this is why so many people that have famously large fortunes are passionate about it. If you are determined and patient enough to obtain the necessary information, you have the chance to earn considerable profit. Start here by going through one of our stepwise real estate investment guides.
If you are looking towards the area of real estate investment to build your own fortune, you are well inspired. This domain has proven more efficient and risk-free for some time now. It is an easy and safe way to build a fortune and pass it down to the future generations of your family. Take the example of the two notorious names like Trump and Hilton; you might have a chance to obtain results similar to those they did.
The best way to make good money nowadays is to get a new and great idea of a product or service and sell it on the market. This is rather difficult and only some people become successful on today’s crowded market. However, real estate investing is not so demanding as the great money making idea is already very popular and it is accessible for most people.
This great method to make money is foreclosure real estate investment. Foreclosure is a legal term and it concerns the fact that the bank has the right to sell a property if the buyer is not able to pay the mortgage he or she has assumed to pay for it. Any surplus money from the transaction goes to the buyer. This is a great way to make easy profit if you have found the property at a very low price.
The difficult part is in the selection of the property that is surely to bring you a considerable profit. Becoming successful in real estate investing is all about knowing how to appreciate the value of a property and buying under-priced, good quality real properties. Real estate investment education and experience are great assets to a real estate investor; they will guarantee his or her success.
Therefore, the first step into real estate investing would normally be to obtain the necessary information and to gather experience in evaluating a house or a piece of land. Aside from that, general knowledge about finance and trading in general will also prove helpful. You will need to understand fully the concept of foreclosure before you set out on any investment adventure.
This is easy to do in parallel with your current job. We have put at your disposal some great guides and advice and secret books that you can read. Written by some experienced real property investors, they target specifically those who wish to begin their activity in the real estate domain. They make a great opportunity to grow accommodated with the vocabulary, but also a source for some great tips.
Once you think you have gained enough experience, you need to get your hands on some good deals to put the bases of a flourishing real estate investing experience. Another aspect to consider is that you need the courage to take action at the right time. This will be rather difficult to do in the beginning, but it will become easier once you have gained some experience.
Real property investment is one of the safest ways to build a considerable fortune; this is why so many people that have famously large fortunes are passionate about it. If you are determined and patient enough to obtain the necessary information, you have the chance to earn considerable profit. Start here by going through one of our stepwise real estate investment guides.
Selecting a Real Estate Investing Guide
Many people have the desire to invest in real estate as it can be a very lucrative venture but in order to be successful you should seek the help of a real estate investing guide. Successfully investing in real estate can build your credit rating, create cash flow, and eventually net you a lot of money. But the world of real estate investing is not one that should be entered into lightly as it takes a lot of knowledge to be able to profit from real estate investing. A good real estate investing guide will help you to succeed in your real estate investing ventures. Many people who jump in to the world of real estate investing end up failing, incurring debt, and ruining their credit, all because they did not arm themselves with the proper knowledge before they started. A real estate investing guide is a great way to learn about the business before you dive and will increase your chances of success.
There are many real estate investing guides available on the market today, and you can benefit from the knowledge and advice contained in most of them. A good real estate investing guide will include the risks and benefits of real estate investing and will give you information on how to minimize the risks increase your chances for success. A real estate investing guide that does not realistically portray the amount of time and work involved in real estate investing is probably not the best choice as the world of real estate can be extremely rewarding but not without a lot of work. The real estate investing guide you choose should also give you a good idea of what to expect throughout the process and what type of loss or gain you can expect from various situations.
You should also look for a real estate investing guide that is tailored to your individual investing needs. Simply buying your first home is an investment, and reading a real estate investment guide that is designed for homebuyers looking to purchase a primary residence will help you to select a home that will build you the most equity. It is easy to learn the basics of home buying from a real estate investing guide and you will gain the knowledge you need to build your credit and maximize the equity in your new home if you read one prior to buying.
There are also many other types of real estate investments, and all have unique risks and benefits and should be approached differently. It is important to pick a real estate investing guide that is written with your unique needs in mind so that you can learn about the specific investment type you are interested in. Flipping real estate is much different than investing in a duplex or apartment building, and buying land or an empty lot is different still. After you have decided which investment type you are looking to explore, you should then pick a real estate investing guide that will teach you about your specific type of investment. A good real estate investing guide will help you to understand everything you need to know about purchasing properties, working with tenants, making improvements and renovations, and determining the value of the property as well as estimating its future value.
There are many real estate investing guides available on the market today, and you can benefit from the knowledge and advice contained in most of them. A good real estate investing guide will include the risks and benefits of real estate investing and will give you information on how to minimize the risks increase your chances for success. A real estate investing guide that does not realistically portray the amount of time and work involved in real estate investing is probably not the best choice as the world of real estate can be extremely rewarding but not without a lot of work. The real estate investing guide you choose should also give you a good idea of what to expect throughout the process and what type of loss or gain you can expect from various situations.
You should also look for a real estate investing guide that is tailored to your individual investing needs. Simply buying your first home is an investment, and reading a real estate investment guide that is designed for homebuyers looking to purchase a primary residence will help you to select a home that will build you the most equity. It is easy to learn the basics of home buying from a real estate investing guide and you will gain the knowledge you need to build your credit and maximize the equity in your new home if you read one prior to buying.
There are also many other types of real estate investments, and all have unique risks and benefits and should be approached differently. It is important to pick a real estate investing guide that is written with your unique needs in mind so that you can learn about the specific investment type you are interested in. Flipping real estate is much different than investing in a duplex or apartment building, and buying land or an empty lot is different still. After you have decided which investment type you are looking to explore, you should then pick a real estate investing guide that will teach you about your specific type of investment. A good real estate investing guide will help you to understand everything you need to know about purchasing properties, working with tenants, making improvements and renovations, and determining the value of the property as well as estimating its future value.
4 Ways To Increase Your Property Investment Returns
Have you tried your luck at foreign exchange, bonds and stocks, but to no avail? Are you perplexed as to what to put your money on? Consider real estate investment, as several people have turned into millionaires through shrewd investments in real estate. By means of this article, we will elaborate four common real estate investing tips, which would help you realize significant profits via property investment. Be it a newbie or a seasoned investor, these tips are sure to be of help to one and all alike.
Real estate investing tip #1 - Perhaps the most lucrative investment technique is to buy a run down property, fix it up, and then sell at a significant profit. Since the property is shabby, you might be able to acquire it for a low price. However, you must ensure that the cost incurred in the repair is restricted to a minimum so as to guarantee a profit. You can do this by making sure that the basic amenities are in place, without going overboard with the renovation. Such a buy-fix-sell scenario demands excellent property valuation skills and a rather frugal attitude while renovating.
Real estate investing tip #2 - Purchase properties that are about to face a foreclosure. A property typically faces foreclosure when the homeowner is financially distressed and is unable to repay the loan. Another common reason for foreclosures is dissolution of marriage with the abandonment of the house by either of the couple. Such a distressed property can be bagged for a low price by an articulate investor, who can convince the homeowner to sell the property prior to the foreclosure sale. Then the investor may sell the newly bought property at a significant gain.
Real estate investing tip #3 - Locality is a paramount aspect in real estate investment. Two similarly built houses may have varying valuations if they are situated in different locations. So, you must be abreast of the hot locations in your concerned region. If you are just about to start you real estate venture, I suggest you look for places that offer high rentals. Purchasing a property in such a region would result in a healthy monthly source of income.
Real estate investing tip #4 - Ever heard of Warren Buffett? The acclaimed stock investor made billions through a contrarian's approach to stock investment. You may take a contrarian's view to real estate investment as well. For instance, you may buy a property when it is out of favor with the majority of investors. That is, acting in opposition to the majority opinion. A contrarian's approach is not a sure shot path to real estate success. Moreover, it's complicated and therefore beginners are advised against it.
All in all, there are several avenues that you could realize profit in real estate. However, it is imperative that you be prepared to put in extra work hours, especially at the beginning of your real estate career. Putting your shoulder to the wheel is what's required to make substantial profits in real estate.
Real estate investing tip #1 - Perhaps the most lucrative investment technique is to buy a run down property, fix it up, and then sell at a significant profit. Since the property is shabby, you might be able to acquire it for a low price. However, you must ensure that the cost incurred in the repair is restricted to a minimum so as to guarantee a profit. You can do this by making sure that the basic amenities are in place, without going overboard with the renovation. Such a buy-fix-sell scenario demands excellent property valuation skills and a rather frugal attitude while renovating.
Real estate investing tip #2 - Purchase properties that are about to face a foreclosure. A property typically faces foreclosure when the homeowner is financially distressed and is unable to repay the loan. Another common reason for foreclosures is dissolution of marriage with the abandonment of the house by either of the couple. Such a distressed property can be bagged for a low price by an articulate investor, who can convince the homeowner to sell the property prior to the foreclosure sale. Then the investor may sell the newly bought property at a significant gain.
Real estate investing tip #3 - Locality is a paramount aspect in real estate investment. Two similarly built houses may have varying valuations if they are situated in different locations. So, you must be abreast of the hot locations in your concerned region. If you are just about to start you real estate venture, I suggest you look for places that offer high rentals. Purchasing a property in such a region would result in a healthy monthly source of income.
Real estate investing tip #4 - Ever heard of Warren Buffett? The acclaimed stock investor made billions through a contrarian's approach to stock investment. You may take a contrarian's view to real estate investment as well. For instance, you may buy a property when it is out of favor with the majority of investors. That is, acting in opposition to the majority opinion. A contrarian's approach is not a sure shot path to real estate success. Moreover, it's complicated and therefore beginners are advised against it.
All in all, there are several avenues that you could realize profit in real estate. However, it is imperative that you be prepared to put in extra work hours, especially at the beginning of your real estate career. Putting your shoulder to the wheel is what's required to make substantial profits in real estate.
Monday, October 13, 2008
10 Mistakes Made By Real Estate Investors
Real estate investment is perhaps one of the most lucrative forms of investment today. But it is also equally risk bound especially when one is not well versed with the trends and nuances of the real estate market. So if you are contemplating on investing in real estate, it is best to avoid costly mistakes in real estate investment especially when you invest your hard earned money into it. Knowing the most common mistakes made by real estate investors helps one steer away from making such mistakes in the future and ensures good return on investment.
Here are the top ten mistakes made by real estate investors, according to bankrate.com. Bankrate has put together the top ten mistakes after speaking to established, full-time real estate investors and other professionals involved in real estate investment such as bankers. Read on to know them and avoid them.
1. Not planning up ahead. Lack of a proper plan is the biggest mistake made by novice investors. Finding a house after forming a proper investment strategy is the right way instead of looking for a house to fit the plan. Many make the mistake of buying a house because it seems to be a good deal and then trying to see how they can fit it into their plan. Instead of buying a house and thinking one can plan in due course, investors should rather concentrate on the numbers and try to make offers on multiple properties. This will ensure a good property that not only matches their investment model but also works out well with the numbers they had planned for.
2. To believe you can make money quickly. The second major mistake that real estate investors make is to think it is very easy to get rich in real estate. This is only a myth and the reality is that investing in real estate is a long term project.
3. Doing it single-handedly. For becoming a successful real estate investor one needs to build a team of professionals who would assist the investor in his deals. This would ideally include a real estate agent, an appraiser, a home inspector, a closing attorney and a lender.
4. Making excess payment. One another reason that investors in real estate goof up in their investment is by paying too much for the properties they buy. Paying too much and locking up all the funds in the erred property deal will leave you with no money to redeem yourself.
5. Leaving out the groundwork. Not doing your homework could be a costly mistake if you were a real estate investor. Every field of business needs sufficient amount of homework to be done, and real estate investment is no exception. Learn the fundamentals and then venture into investing in properties.
6. Throwing caution to the winds. Investors have to exercise a certain degree of caution and take earnest efforts while making a deal. New investors often fail in this regard and sign a deal without doing adequate research on the property.
7. Miscalculating money flow. Investors whose strategy is to buy, hold and rent out properties need to ensure sufficient cash flow for maintenance. Property managers could be expensive and the owner has to incur more expenses such as mortgage, taxes, insurance, advertising costs etc. Investors have to allocate their budget such that all these expenses are taken care of, or end up having their asset turn into a liability.
8. Lowering the volume. A larger volume of deals or transactions helps in increasing the profits by reducing the impacts of marginal deals.
9. Getting trapped in your own deal. Having more number of options at hand for the property you buy is a wise strategy. This helps one to be prepared for fluctuations in the real estate market. Plans to rent out the house could go awry when the rental market slumps. Having alternative plans helps you cut down losses and tackle unexpected situations.
10. Making incorrect estimates. People who plan to rehab their house need to check if they will still reap the benefits at double the time that they had estimated. This ensures they do not miscalculate and lose money on the deal.
Here are the top ten mistakes made by real estate investors, according to bankrate.com. Bankrate has put together the top ten mistakes after speaking to established, full-time real estate investors and other professionals involved in real estate investment such as bankers. Read on to know them and avoid them.
1. Not planning up ahead. Lack of a proper plan is the biggest mistake made by novice investors. Finding a house after forming a proper investment strategy is the right way instead of looking for a house to fit the plan. Many make the mistake of buying a house because it seems to be a good deal and then trying to see how they can fit it into their plan. Instead of buying a house and thinking one can plan in due course, investors should rather concentrate on the numbers and try to make offers on multiple properties. This will ensure a good property that not only matches their investment model but also works out well with the numbers they had planned for.
2. To believe you can make money quickly. The second major mistake that real estate investors make is to think it is very easy to get rich in real estate. This is only a myth and the reality is that investing in real estate is a long term project.
3. Doing it single-handedly. For becoming a successful real estate investor one needs to build a team of professionals who would assist the investor in his deals. This would ideally include a real estate agent, an appraiser, a home inspector, a closing attorney and a lender.
4. Making excess payment. One another reason that investors in real estate goof up in their investment is by paying too much for the properties they buy. Paying too much and locking up all the funds in the erred property deal will leave you with no money to redeem yourself.
5. Leaving out the groundwork. Not doing your homework could be a costly mistake if you were a real estate investor. Every field of business needs sufficient amount of homework to be done, and real estate investment is no exception. Learn the fundamentals and then venture into investing in properties.
6. Throwing caution to the winds. Investors have to exercise a certain degree of caution and take earnest efforts while making a deal. New investors often fail in this regard and sign a deal without doing adequate research on the property.
7. Miscalculating money flow. Investors whose strategy is to buy, hold and rent out properties need to ensure sufficient cash flow for maintenance. Property managers could be expensive and the owner has to incur more expenses such as mortgage, taxes, insurance, advertising costs etc. Investors have to allocate their budget such that all these expenses are taken care of, or end up having their asset turn into a liability.
8. Lowering the volume. A larger volume of deals or transactions helps in increasing the profits by reducing the impacts of marginal deals.
9. Getting trapped in your own deal. Having more number of options at hand for the property you buy is a wise strategy. This helps one to be prepared for fluctuations in the real estate market. Plans to rent out the house could go awry when the rental market slumps. Having alternative plans helps you cut down losses and tackle unexpected situations.
10. Making incorrect estimates. People who plan to rehab their house need to check if they will still reap the benefits at double the time that they had estimated. This ensures they do not miscalculate and lose money on the deal.
Real Estate Photography
The photography which is done on Real Estate Development Company is known as real estate photography. The concept is very much popular in European and western countries/ companies. Because according to the real estate photography the market has to be established! Real estate photography is done in different ways such as in close-ups. The real which is to be marketed has to be identified first. The product is then suited by professional photographer from different angles from which the product is most likely to be a sellable hotcake. Since the real estate is govern by the products which are only shown in hypothetical manner, the real estate has to be marketed accordingly. Since, the real estate is depends upon the projected outcomes, is covered by the photography part. So, a photographer must be analyzer in nature!
The photographer must know what the product will be after its completion of project. So, the photograph and actual product should match. Real estate photography makes a difference that good photos can make in the process of house for sale.
Importance of real estate photography
Digital presentation of real estate photographs is the key to good seller in the property market. In the present property marketplace, real estate photography became the essential tool of property firms! Digital photos are becoming popular and can be readily available in the market. Digital photos make real estate photography more natural and practical. If you want to search real estate photography for your property business, then you can find many online real estate photography professional websites online. By just surfing the internet you can gather some real estate photography tips and hints. For a professional real estate agent, it is must to take well-composed and exposed real estate photographs. By trying true methods of real estate photography you can produce real estate photos without the need of buying expensive tools.
Good online companies offer stunning real estate photography for both interactive and print use as well as three hundred sixty degree Panoramic virtual tour images, video production, multimedia presentations and image management. It is an important for you those great photographic images for marketing your position. Blur photos of real estates are never acceptable. To take better images of your real estates you should choose real estate photography. Over the past few years there are dramatic changes happened with introduction of digital camera has brought to the Real Estate photography industry. With such latest technology, a real estate photography transfer images to a web page on the internet, and flyers printed all within minutes. Nowadays, listings are quickly available to other real estate firms and purchasers worldwide who have access to a computer.
The photographer must know what the product will be after its completion of project. So, the photograph and actual product should match. Real estate photography makes a difference that good photos can make in the process of house for sale.
Importance of real estate photography
Digital presentation of real estate photographs is the key to good seller in the property market. In the present property marketplace, real estate photography became the essential tool of property firms! Digital photos are becoming popular and can be readily available in the market. Digital photos make real estate photography more natural and practical. If you want to search real estate photography for your property business, then you can find many online real estate photography professional websites online. By just surfing the internet you can gather some real estate photography tips and hints. For a professional real estate agent, it is must to take well-composed and exposed real estate photographs. By trying true methods of real estate photography you can produce real estate photos without the need of buying expensive tools.
Good online companies offer stunning real estate photography for both interactive and print use as well as three hundred sixty degree Panoramic virtual tour images, video production, multimedia presentations and image management. It is an important for you those great photographic images for marketing your position. Blur photos of real estates are never acceptable. To take better images of your real estates you should choose real estate photography. Over the past few years there are dramatic changes happened with introduction of digital camera has brought to the Real Estate photography industry. With such latest technology, a real estate photography transfer images to a web page on the internet, and flyers printed all within minutes. Nowadays, listings are quickly available to other real estate firms and purchasers worldwide who have access to a computer.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Stages of a Real Estate Market
The stages of a real estate market are most often recognized only after the fact. Even when all the historical data confirms that a downturn is in progress, most speculators won't stop gambling. Real estate speculators call themselves investors because they believe they are taking calculated and controllable risks when purchasing homes.
In the mid to late 1990's real estate investing was virgin territory because it was easy to use formulas of 60% to 70% of Fair Market Value minus repair costs to determine an offering price for a seller. The "chant" was "Get as many properties under contract because they can only go higher!" In the earlier years, buying properties cheaply enough allowed them to be rented and they supported themselves while the investor simply collected checks. In only three years, a groundswell of speculation led to frenzied buying. Families looking for a home to live in got caught up in the buying panic because of the scarcity of homes for sale. The market quickly and efficiently climbed with the help of lending institutions who were offering low interest rates, 100% financing, with no proof of the buyer's income. Almost no other speculative opportunity in history caught on as fast because of real estate investors needing little or no money down and ease of loan qualification for "retail buyers".
Even when many of the potential borrowers had credit issues and minimal down payments, the lenders created more lenient loan requirements. The number of single family homes that were owned by investors rose from 2.5% in 1995 to almost 29% by the end of 2006. Effectively, these investors took away at least 26.5% of available single family homes with the intent of selling them at higher prices to retail home buyers.
Here is a summary of the stages of a real estate cycle:
Stage #1 – This is where supply closely equals demand and home prices fluctuate between +/- 3% per year and prices are basically stable over a five year period.
Stage #2 – Here demand out-strips supply, or a "sellers' market" develops because of fewer homes on the market. This can be created by investor speculation.
Stage #3 - Here demand far out-strips supply with resulting large annual price increases. Homes now offer new speculators more attractive yields than stocks and money market instruments. More so called "investors" begin buying multiple properties with expectations of selling for huge profits because of the low down payments required for mortgages or using creative financing. The market begins to feed on itself as homeowners begin to rush to take profits.
Stage #4 – As home prices become unaffordable, interest rates increase making financing costs too expensive for homeowners to purchase, and investors have inventory that can't be sold. Seemingly everyone tries to sell and the market readjusts to former market conditions by pulling back as much as 30% to 60% of peak values as the market begins to stabilize for 3 – 8 years.
Summary - Based on the current market conditions and continuing available data, the real estate market is well into Stage #4. There is no way to determine how long this swing will last but historically they have lasted for 6 to 15 years. This stage offers huge opportunities for real estate investors and homeowners alike that want to purchase homes either for living in for 5 years+ for homeowners, or for "flipping" for investors. Both homeowners and investors looking to buy a property need to be very selective about how much they pay for a property, the amount of costs to rehab it, how they will be financing it, how long they intend to stay in it, the carrying costs, other properties currently listed on the MLS®, and neighborhood conditions. Unfortunately, retail buyers who wait to get the lowest possible price often wind up paying higher mortgage rates which offsets the cost savings by waiting, especially when you include their cost to rent, and the interest tax-deduction that they lose by not owning. Investors will have to buy low and sell low, while the retail buyer has become "king of the mountain" in picking the best possible home for the lowest price.
In the mid to late 1990's real estate investing was virgin territory because it was easy to use formulas of 60% to 70% of Fair Market Value minus repair costs to determine an offering price for a seller. The "chant" was "Get as many properties under contract because they can only go higher!" In the earlier years, buying properties cheaply enough allowed them to be rented and they supported themselves while the investor simply collected checks. In only three years, a groundswell of speculation led to frenzied buying. Families looking for a home to live in got caught up in the buying panic because of the scarcity of homes for sale. The market quickly and efficiently climbed with the help of lending institutions who were offering low interest rates, 100% financing, with no proof of the buyer's income. Almost no other speculative opportunity in history caught on as fast because of real estate investors needing little or no money down and ease of loan qualification for "retail buyers".
Even when many of the potential borrowers had credit issues and minimal down payments, the lenders created more lenient loan requirements. The number of single family homes that were owned by investors rose from 2.5% in 1995 to almost 29% by the end of 2006. Effectively, these investors took away at least 26.5% of available single family homes with the intent of selling them at higher prices to retail home buyers.
Here is a summary of the stages of a real estate cycle:
Stage #1 – This is where supply closely equals demand and home prices fluctuate between +/- 3% per year and prices are basically stable over a five year period.
Stage #2 – Here demand out-strips supply, or a "sellers' market" develops because of fewer homes on the market. This can be created by investor speculation.
Stage #3 - Here demand far out-strips supply with resulting large annual price increases. Homes now offer new speculators more attractive yields than stocks and money market instruments. More so called "investors" begin buying multiple properties with expectations of selling for huge profits because of the low down payments required for mortgages or using creative financing. The market begins to feed on itself as homeowners begin to rush to take profits.
Stage #4 – As home prices become unaffordable, interest rates increase making financing costs too expensive for homeowners to purchase, and investors have inventory that can't be sold. Seemingly everyone tries to sell and the market readjusts to former market conditions by pulling back as much as 30% to 60% of peak values as the market begins to stabilize for 3 – 8 years.
Summary - Based on the current market conditions and continuing available data, the real estate market is well into Stage #4. There is no way to determine how long this swing will last but historically they have lasted for 6 to 15 years. This stage offers huge opportunities for real estate investors and homeowners alike that want to purchase homes either for living in for 5 years+ for homeowners, or for "flipping" for investors. Both homeowners and investors looking to buy a property need to be very selective about how much they pay for a property, the amount of costs to rehab it, how they will be financing it, how long they intend to stay in it, the carrying costs, other properties currently listed on the MLS®, and neighborhood conditions. Unfortunately, retail buyers who wait to get the lowest possible price often wind up paying higher mortgage rates which offsets the cost savings by waiting, especially when you include their cost to rent, and the interest tax-deduction that they lose by not owning. Investors will have to buy low and sell low, while the retail buyer has become "king of the mountain" in picking the best possible home for the lowest price.
Making BIG Profits with Wholesale Real Estate
The beautiful thing about being a real estate investor is that there are unlimited ways to make BIG cash all the time in any type of economy. Real Estate is one of those things that everybody needs. It is not quite water, but it is something that everybody needs. Even the homeless guy has established his piece of real estate under the bridge or in the alley, etc. So you can see how you can take advantage of this wonderful resource and make lots of money.
Creativity is the key to making lots of money in real estate. After all, we want to be able to make money no matter what, so we need to come up with many options to make this happen in any economy and environment. This is where I like to look at one of the easier techniques known as “wholesaling.” Wholesaling is the art of finding a seller who is in a bit of a state of emergency. The state of emergency or distress can be many different things. It can be foreclosure, divorce, death, military move, and there are many others out there. The challenge here is to find them, or in fact make them find you.
The basics of wholesaling are fairly simple. You simply find a good deal from a distressed seller who needs to get out of the home as soon as possible. When you find this deal, you have many options to choose from. You can rent it out and make a couple extra bucks a month, rehab the property and resell it, lease options, etc. You can also do what I like to do and wholesale the property. You simply get the rights to the property and sell it to another investor for a more than you have rights to the property for. This does a couple of things. This insures that you will be paid on the front end of the deal at the closing table and you do not have to do any of the rehab work on the property. The investor that you sold it to will be the one that is taking on that responsibility. So, you do not have to deal with any of the contractors involved or any rehab period, all you have to do is get your check at closing and move on to the next one.
Wholesaling is great and fun and some even call it addictive, however I will add this word of caution. Make sure you protect yourself in your deal. The last thing you want is to find a good deal, and show other investors and they go behind your back and cut you out of the deal. So make sure you protect yourself. Get out there and get those deals and make lots of money. Anybody can do this. The only thing stopping you is YOU!
Creativity is the key to making lots of money in real estate. After all, we want to be able to make money no matter what, so we need to come up with many options to make this happen in any economy and environment. This is where I like to look at one of the easier techniques known as “wholesaling.” Wholesaling is the art of finding a seller who is in a bit of a state of emergency. The state of emergency or distress can be many different things. It can be foreclosure, divorce, death, military move, and there are many others out there. The challenge here is to find them, or in fact make them find you.
The basics of wholesaling are fairly simple. You simply find a good deal from a distressed seller who needs to get out of the home as soon as possible. When you find this deal, you have many options to choose from. You can rent it out and make a couple extra bucks a month, rehab the property and resell it, lease options, etc. You can also do what I like to do and wholesale the property. You simply get the rights to the property and sell it to another investor for a more than you have rights to the property for. This does a couple of things. This insures that you will be paid on the front end of the deal at the closing table and you do not have to do any of the rehab work on the property. The investor that you sold it to will be the one that is taking on that responsibility. So, you do not have to deal with any of the contractors involved or any rehab period, all you have to do is get your check at closing and move on to the next one.
Wholesaling is great and fun and some even call it addictive, however I will add this word of caution. Make sure you protect yourself in your deal. The last thing you want is to find a good deal, and show other investors and they go behind your back and cut you out of the deal. So make sure you protect yourself. Get out there and get those deals and make lots of money. Anybody can do this. The only thing stopping you is YOU!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Negotiate Real Estate Deals On the Internet
Negotiating a successful real estate contract, whether in person or on the Internet, requires communication skills and the ability to create an environment of trust and cooperation. As much of consumerism shies away from personal or direct selling, real estate is one product that most predict will hold on strongly to the personal approach.
'Seeing' the product and 'trusting' those who rent it are significant success factors in the industry. Internet marketing standards are of precise importance to real estate because many of the obstacles reflected in these principles are particularly high for this industry. A first principle is that Internet marketing must be calculated to reach the target market. It is not sufficient to set up a nice home page and hope that the right audience will find it, and appreciate the product.
Create Credibility
The bigger the need for credibility, the greater the need to follow the unwritten principles of Internet marketing when presenting your product. Effectively promoting real estate requires the instantaneous formation of trust and comfort: To miss doing this on the Internet will end customer relationships before they can start forming, and creates a bad precedent for future transactions.
Always remember not use intrusive or pushy messages that invite an immediate sale. Let the web visitor be interested in your real estate product by properly, and slowly guiding him or herself through the pertinent information provided, to fully answer their queries and concerns. Patiently, and concretely dealing with an online real estate client 'invites' interest.
Be Transparent With Customers
It is imperative to provide full information, and clearly explain how the details can be obtained. Do not hide or conceal significant information about your real estate product, even if it tilts towards the negative. The importance of straight talk, honest and factual information will develop the confidence required.
For example, by clearly stating early in your message whether or not you ban pets or if your building is adult-only will narrow your market to authentic potential clients. Respecting the Internet customer by providing 'filtering' information is polite and makes plain good marketing sense. Busy consumers would be delighted to be able to get useful information faster and more concise.
When dealing with real estate on the Internet, Ensure that you provide some extra information that would be of real use to your guest. Offer an 'apartment or house assessment' feature that provides a form to enable clients to make comparisons, or an article on the community that would provide relevant useful information and links for new buyers or sellers.
Offer immediate choices, which show the guest that he/she is in charge and is not being tricked or enticed into something flawed, or suspicious. You must explain the choices clearly and provide check boxes if a guest confirmation is needed to 'proceed' with something that involves a commitment. Do not overwhelm your guest with bright lights and colored animation when your page pops up: You would want to create enough credibility to build some trust as your guest uses your page, and not see a carnival or a fireworks display of flashing lights and colors.
Real Estate Website
Most successful businesses these days have a web presence of some sort, whether it is a blog, MySpace profile, or a personalized website. The importance of having a website for your business in this day and age cannot be understated. The number of households in America that have their own internet connection has been growing exponentially since the mid-90's, and has become a standard medium for research, networking, and communicating around the world.
If you are a real estate agent who is looking to increase your business, now is the time to start a website, or upgrade the one that you already have.
If you do not have a website, it is imperative that you get one as soon as possible. You can continue to use tried-and-true marketing tactics such as mail-out campaigns, billboard and bus stop advertising, and purchasing newspaper ads. Cold calling is still done on occasion as well, but there are many realtors who see this strategy as being outdated and ineffective.
Having a website supplement your current strategies is a great way to expand your reach, and become noticed by potential clients who may not respond well to other promotional methods. As opposed to flyers that come in the mail, and often end up in the recycling bin, a website is a place where the client finds you, and not the other way around. People who are interested in buying or selling a home will be the ones that come to your site, which means that you just need to convince them to hire you as their agent instead of someone else.
If you are new to the world of web pages, you might want to start with a single-page website. You first need to choose a domain name that will be easy for users to remember. Try to keep it short, readable, and absent of dashes.
Treat a one-page website like a brochure or online business card. Make sure to include all the crucial information such as your contact information and areas of expertise. In terms of the contact information, make it bold and easy to find. You want visitors to get in touch with you, so make it really easy for them.
Keep the layout and design clean and attractive. Don't overload the page with unnecessary off-site links or cheesy exclamation points and gimmicky speech. You want your site to be sleek and professional looking.
When you have the time and money to put towards creating a more dynamic website, it's best to hire a reputable web development company that will be able to translate your vision to a web page. Ask colleagues for referrals or check real estate forums online to find recommendations.
In terms of content for a full website, make sure that everything is spell-checked and easy to navigate. This is your opportunity to really demonstrate your knowledge about the real estate market. Write about the areas you service, or about your expertise and special services. Offer useful information to include would be buying and selling tips, or how to get the best interest rates on a home loan.
While a website serves as an in-depth textual and visual sales pitch, you don't want to overwhelm your visitors with sales rhetoric. It is engaging and easy-to-read content that will help turn website visitors into clients.
In addition to having quality content on your site, having property listings in your local market is one of the most valuable things you can add to your website. Because most users searching for real estate on the internet want to check out available inventory, it is wise to provide that information right on your own website. Users will find this feature convenient, and will be far more likely to become a client than if your website is just an online business card.
By adding property listings and up-to-date real estate information, visitors will see you and your company as knowledgeable and technologically savvy. If they are trying to sell a home, they will be impressed by your marketing skills, as you not only present the inventory well, but you also present yourself well as a true real estate professional. Buyers will appreciate the amount of information on your site, and will see you as an expert in your market. The web is rapidly changing the real estate profession, so make sure that you don't get left behind.
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