Have you heard of an Orlando condo before? While a large number of individuals associate Orlando condos with rentals, did you also know that you could buy your own Orlando condo? Although that sounds pretty nice, you may be wondering whether or not you really should by yourself a condo in Orlando. If that is the case, you may want to take the time to examine the benefits of doing so. Just a few of the many benefits to owning an Orlando condo are outlined below.
One of the greatest benefits to owning an Orlando condo is the multiple uses. For instance, a large number of Orlando condo owners choose to reside fulltime inside their condos, but other only use them when they regularly travel to the Orland area, whether that travel is for business or for pleasure. Should you choose to buy an Orlando condo, you can use it as however you see fit. Essentially, this means that whether you would like to live in your Orland condo year round or only on occasion, it is your right to do so.
Another one of the many benefits to owning an Orlando condo is the selection that you have to choose from. Orlando condos come in all different sizes, shapes, and styles. In fact, in the Orlando area, there are a large number of condo complexes, which each hold numerous condo units. Whether you are looking for a condo that has one bedroom or four of them, you should be able to find at least one condo in the Orlando area that can give you what you need.
In keeping with the above mentioned benefit of choice, you also have a choice when it comes to deciding where in Orlando you would like to buy a condo. As it was previously mentioned, condo complexes can be found all over the city of Orlando. If you are looking to live in Orlando fulltime, you may want to find an Orlando condo that is located close to your place of business. Should you only be interested in visiting Orlando while on a vacation or even if you are looking to retire in an Orlando condo, it may be a good idea to examine local activities or attractions that you would be interested in participating in or visiting. A conveniently located condo is one of the best ones to have.
Cost is another benefit to buying an Orlando condo. While many individuals consider the cost of condos, including Florida condos, to be quite high, it is important to remember what you are getting. It has been said that condos represent a combination of a house and an apartment. They have many of the rooms that a traditional home would have, but they are compact like many apartments are. For that reason, you will find that many Florida condo prices are consistent with the average selling prices of homes in the area. When compared to renting an Orlando apartment, you may very well find yourself saving money, overtime, with the purchase of an Orlando condo.
Isn't it amazing that there are so many benefits to buying an Orlando condo. What is even more amazing is that the above mentioned benefits are just a few of the many that exist. If you are interested in buying a Florida condo, particularly an Orlando condo, it is advised that you do a little bit of research to first get your search started. When doing so, you will want to examine Condodomain.com. Condodomain.com is your one stop resource for buying a Florida condo, including a condo in Orlando.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Real Estate Values after a Flood
For those currently in the midst of dealing with water damage, it might not seem like time to worry about real estate values but the fact is…the decisions you make now regarding water damage repair and restoration can dramatically impact your future. Learn how to preserve the value of your home during this critical time period with these important considerations:
1. Protect the value of your home! When faced with major water damage restoration it can be tempting to save money by doing some of the work yourself or trying to take a few short-cuts. It could be one of the most costly mistakes you ever make. Remember, the largest single investment most people make is in their home. Cutting corners might save a little money today but could hurt the resale values of your home for years to come.
2. Set the record straight. In the past, major work performed on a home was rarely reported but with modern technology, insurance companies, building departments and other agencies and institutions responsible for the safety and security of a home keep track of everything done to a home…or not done to a home. For example, the C.L.U.E Report stays with a house forever – so anyone selling a flood damaged home in the future will need to demonstrate that all work was performed to the highest standards. Working with a reputable water restoration company is also a good way to help keep insurance rates low after a major loss; insurance companies want to know the work was done right – without the risk of mold or mildew claims arising at a later date.
3. Remember the write-offs. This is one tax deduction that most people never want to qualify for but keep track of receipts and water damage repair documentation just the same. It might help with annual taxes as well as keeping track of the cost basis for the property when it comes time to calculate Capital Gains taxes on the sale of the home in the future.
4. Go with quality. Without a doubt, the most important decision you can make when it comes to Galveston water damage services is going with a company like Kiwi Services known for quality. Not only will it make submission (and payment) of insurance claims much easier but working with a vendor who is certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration is vital to protecting the value of your real estate in the future.
1. Protect the value of your home! When faced with major water damage restoration it can be tempting to save money by doing some of the work yourself or trying to take a few short-cuts. It could be one of the most costly mistakes you ever make. Remember, the largest single investment most people make is in their home. Cutting corners might save a little money today but could hurt the resale values of your home for years to come.
2. Set the record straight. In the past, major work performed on a home was rarely reported but with modern technology, insurance companies, building departments and other agencies and institutions responsible for the safety and security of a home keep track of everything done to a home…or not done to a home. For example, the C.L.U.E Report stays with a house forever – so anyone selling a flood damaged home in the future will need to demonstrate that all work was performed to the highest standards. Working with a reputable water restoration company is also a good way to help keep insurance rates low after a major loss; insurance companies want to know the work was done right – without the risk of mold or mildew claims arising at a later date.
3. Remember the write-offs. This is one tax deduction that most people never want to qualify for but keep track of receipts and water damage repair documentation just the same. It might help with annual taxes as well as keeping track of the cost basis for the property when it comes time to calculate Capital Gains taxes on the sale of the home in the future.
4. Go with quality. Without a doubt, the most important decision you can make when it comes to Galveston water damage services is going with a company like Kiwi Services known for quality. Not only will it make submission (and payment) of insurance claims much easier but working with a vendor who is certified by the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration is vital to protecting the value of your real estate in the future.
Real Estate Shutterbugs
The majority of today's home buyers are starting their search for real estate on the internet. They are able to look at the available inventory from the comfort of their home, 24 hours a day. And with so many properties on the market right now, buyers can be exceedingly selective with which properties they choose to view in person. They're able to save a great deal of time by shopping online for desirable houses rather than relying on their agents to find ones that may or may not be what they're looking for. With this is mind, it's imperative that you grab the attention of buyers, and make them interested enough in a property to make the trek to view the estate in person. To do this you not only need a well-written description of the property, but you also need quality listing photographs.
Photographs enable buyers to instantly decide whether a property is worth considering or not. Photographs reveal so much more about the character of a home than words can, and they provoke an immediate emotional response from viewers. People know right away whether a property is a hit or miss when they see a photograph.
While you can't influence everything, you can control your listing photographs, and what kind of first impression they make. Real estate agents have two choices: to take all photos themselves, or to hire a professional photographer. Certainly it costs more on the outset to hire someone, but in the end a photographer's skills can directly impact how quickly a property is sold, and for how much.
Studies have shown that well composed listing photographs can make potential buyers think that the property is worth more than if the photos are mediocre. In addition, if the photos are of poor quality, then no one will be interested in calling the agent and touring the home. If no one sees the property, no one will buy the property.
The importance of quality photos seems to be lost on some agents, as there is still a prevalence of poorly lit, out-of-focus shots displayed on the Multiple Listing Service. Here are a few things to keep in mind when taking your listing photos:
1.) Prepare the house before you start snapping pictures. Have the homeowners clean the house as thoroughly as possible, and remove personal items such as cereal boxes, shampoo bottles, and the like. Personal effects remind potential buyers that the house is currently being lived in by someone else, which can make it hard for them to visualize themselves in that space.
2.) Think about the picture before you take it. You want to be able to capture as many architectural features as possible, while keeping the photo well composed. Make sure that there is adequate lighting when taking inside shots. If there is too much light outside the windows, the room can appear dark, but if your shot is cluttered with house lamps, you may give the impression that the room doesn't get any natural light.
3.) Update your listing photos regularly to avoid suggesting that the property is difficult to sell. If your shots were taken in the winter and the property hasn't sold by July, it's time to update your listing to reflect the current season. In a similar vein, try to take your pictures on nice sunny days, as weather can have a huge effect on first impressions. If, for example, your shots are taken on a rainy day, the house will appear gloomy and uninviting.
4.) The debate about wide angle lenses. Wide angle lenses allow you to get much more inside a photo than a regular lens, which can make a place look more spacious than it actually is. This can lead to disappointment if the buyer visits the house in person and sees that the pictures were deceiving. You want your listing photographs to show the property in its best light, but also in an accurate light. Don't use too much Photoshop and other technologies to make the house seem like something that it's really not.
Be thoughtful and plan ahead when getting ready to take your photos, and if possible, hire a professional photographer so you can concentrate your efforts on other marketing strategies.
Photographs enable buyers to instantly decide whether a property is worth considering or not. Photographs reveal so much more about the character of a home than words can, and they provoke an immediate emotional response from viewers. People know right away whether a property is a hit or miss when they see a photograph.
While you can't influence everything, you can control your listing photographs, and what kind of first impression they make. Real estate agents have two choices: to take all photos themselves, or to hire a professional photographer. Certainly it costs more on the outset to hire someone, but in the end a photographer's skills can directly impact how quickly a property is sold, and for how much.
Studies have shown that well composed listing photographs can make potential buyers think that the property is worth more than if the photos are mediocre. In addition, if the photos are of poor quality, then no one will be interested in calling the agent and touring the home. If no one sees the property, no one will buy the property.
The importance of quality photos seems to be lost on some agents, as there is still a prevalence of poorly lit, out-of-focus shots displayed on the Multiple Listing Service. Here are a few things to keep in mind when taking your listing photos:
1.) Prepare the house before you start snapping pictures. Have the homeowners clean the house as thoroughly as possible, and remove personal items such as cereal boxes, shampoo bottles, and the like. Personal effects remind potential buyers that the house is currently being lived in by someone else, which can make it hard for them to visualize themselves in that space.
2.) Think about the picture before you take it. You want to be able to capture as many architectural features as possible, while keeping the photo well composed. Make sure that there is adequate lighting when taking inside shots. If there is too much light outside the windows, the room can appear dark, but if your shot is cluttered with house lamps, you may give the impression that the room doesn't get any natural light.
3.) Update your listing photos regularly to avoid suggesting that the property is difficult to sell. If your shots were taken in the winter and the property hasn't sold by July, it's time to update your listing to reflect the current season. In a similar vein, try to take your pictures on nice sunny days, as weather can have a huge effect on first impressions. If, for example, your shots are taken on a rainy day, the house will appear gloomy and uninviting.
4.) The debate about wide angle lenses. Wide angle lenses allow you to get much more inside a photo than a regular lens, which can make a place look more spacious than it actually is. This can lead to disappointment if the buyer visits the house in person and sees that the pictures were deceiving. You want your listing photographs to show the property in its best light, but also in an accurate light. Don't use too much Photoshop and other technologies to make the house seem like something that it's really not.
Be thoughtful and plan ahead when getting ready to take your photos, and if possible, hire a professional photographer so you can concentrate your efforts on other marketing strategies.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Best Real Estate Financing Tips
Whether you're seeking a home mortgage for the first time or you're a seasoned buyer, you want to save every penny you can. Often people don't realize they can save money on their real estate loans by doing some comparison shopping, which I'll get to further on in this article.
You want to keep in mind when financing any real estate that lenders will be able to tell you only what you MIGHT be able to afford based on your salary and level of debt including your credit card debt. And what seems like real estate financing mumbo-jumbo when you first start out will gradually make sense to you. Besides being the average person's biggest lifetime financial transaction, buying or selling a home is one of those areas where mistrust and misconceptions can easily be present.
An adjustable rate mortgage only sometimes may be a good choice because on the average, most people move or refinance within seven years. Now if you have a less-than-perfect or a 'bad credit' credit report, don't worry too much about it because with some lenders it isn't going to influence them. Finding the best loan program for you depends on a few things including: how long you think you'll stay in the home, how much money you plan to put down and how you plan to finance the closing costs.
Your income and your debts will typically play the biggest roles in determining the price range of the house you can get approved for. Now some of the advantages of adjustable rate mortgages include: lower costs - because they're usually priced lower than fixed-rate mortgages so you can increase your buying power and lower your initial monthly payments. If the interest rates go down, you'll have lower payments, but if the interest rates go up you could be headed for a problem if you're just getting by. You don't want to get in a foreclosure situation.
You might want to consider buying a house in a lower price range where you don't have to struggle whether or not you have an adjustable rate mortgage or a fixed rate mortgage. You may not want to take a step down to do this but you will be less stressed about making monthly payments and you'll be accruing appreciation on your property. Then after a couple of years or so you can re-evaluate and then step up to a higher priced property if you can do it. It also may give you some time to time to pay off some debts that have accumulated.
Now if you get turned down for any reason you can submit a mortgage application several times; it's not uncommon for this to happen either. There are many competing lenders now for your business and they will look for ways to get you the real estate financing you need many times.
If you're having a problem getting a home mortgage and the seller still owes money on the home you can check with your lender and see if you can get a wraparound mortgage; although it isn't legal in all states, it will allow you to pay the monthly payment on the existing mortgage and an additional payment to pay the difference; make sure that a wraparound mortgage will not trigger a due-on-sale clause and make sure you can afford to do it.
A FICO credit score, good or bad, is not a requirement for most conventional or government loans such as FHA loans or VA loans. And if you do borrow money for a down payment it must be disclosed to the lender or if any of your money for your down payment was a gift, you have to provide proof for it. Know that any money you receive from any lending institutions will show up on your credit report and your monthly payments will factor into your debt-to-income ratio
Most adjustable rate mortgage programs offer what is called "rate cap" protection, which limits the amount the rate can be increased, both each year and over the life of the loan, double check with your lender on this. All adjustable rate mortgages are amortized over a 30-year period.
Check with your CPA before you buy to make sure your property taxes are deductible. Also find out from your CPA or other financial advisor what other real estate financing expenses can be deducted when you file your income tax return in a few months. Knowing what deductions you can take may free up more for your income tax refund which you can apply to future loan payments or pay off debts.
Now if you get a 20-year fixed rate mortgage term it will mean higher payments, when compared to the more common 30-year fixed rate mortgage and you may not be able to swing it if this is your first home or job security isn't there. So don't get in over your head on this. Going the safer route is always the better way to go.
20-year fixed-rate mortgages allow you to make consistent higher monthly payments throughout all of the 20 years you have the mortgage; the shorter term means you pay the loan off quicker and therefore pay less interest and build equity faster than with a 30-year loan, BUT you need to know you have complete job security or a sure way to make the payments. It's better to be careful and opt for the 30-year loan even though you can save a lot of money with a 20-year loan.
A fixed-rate mortgage means the interest rate and principal payments remain the same for the life of the loan but the taxes will probably change. Your taxes may be written into the monthly payment or paid separately and sometimes you have no choice over this. The lending institution may be the final word on how the taxes are going to be paid. Home loan borrowers can submit information about income, assets and equity to determine how much a down payment should be, which is usually processed through an automated underwriting system.
One good way to save money on points, that is not commonly known, is that if you check around you can find real estate companies that have their own mortgage companies, sometimes in the same building. They often will shave off a point or more on your home loan if you buy from their real estate company and save you some money there.
Make sure you call around to several lenders or mortgage brokers before you apply for a home loan to get an idea what points and other fees they would be charging you. This can vary quite a bit. Some charge more points than others. Make sure you go with a quality lender however.
Work with your mortgage broker or lender to develop an individual loan or mortgage program based on your credit worthiness. And whatever you do don't get yourself into a situation where you can't make the mortgage payments; think far ahead. Thinking positive about your future and how it relates to your real estate financing is important but you must be realistic. Also don't be afraid to ask a few real estate agents if they know of any tips to save you money when you go for a home mortgage and what to avoid. Ask homeowners how they're doing, how they've saved money on their loans and what real estate and mortgage pitfalls to avoid too.
You want to keep in mind when financing any real estate that lenders will be able to tell you only what you MIGHT be able to afford based on your salary and level of debt including your credit card debt. And what seems like real estate financing mumbo-jumbo when you first start out will gradually make sense to you. Besides being the average person's biggest lifetime financial transaction, buying or selling a home is one of those areas where mistrust and misconceptions can easily be present.
An adjustable rate mortgage only sometimes may be a good choice because on the average, most people move or refinance within seven years. Now if you have a less-than-perfect or a 'bad credit' credit report, don't worry too much about it because with some lenders it isn't going to influence them. Finding the best loan program for you depends on a few things including: how long you think you'll stay in the home, how much money you plan to put down and how you plan to finance the closing costs.
Your income and your debts will typically play the biggest roles in determining the price range of the house you can get approved for. Now some of the advantages of adjustable rate mortgages include: lower costs - because they're usually priced lower than fixed-rate mortgages so you can increase your buying power and lower your initial monthly payments. If the interest rates go down, you'll have lower payments, but if the interest rates go up you could be headed for a problem if you're just getting by. You don't want to get in a foreclosure situation.
You might want to consider buying a house in a lower price range where you don't have to struggle whether or not you have an adjustable rate mortgage or a fixed rate mortgage. You may not want to take a step down to do this but you will be less stressed about making monthly payments and you'll be accruing appreciation on your property. Then after a couple of years or so you can re-evaluate and then step up to a higher priced property if you can do it. It also may give you some time to time to pay off some debts that have accumulated.
Now if you get turned down for any reason you can submit a mortgage application several times; it's not uncommon for this to happen either. There are many competing lenders now for your business and they will look for ways to get you the real estate financing you need many times.
If you're having a problem getting a home mortgage and the seller still owes money on the home you can check with your lender and see if you can get a wraparound mortgage; although it isn't legal in all states, it will allow you to pay the monthly payment on the existing mortgage and an additional payment to pay the difference; make sure that a wraparound mortgage will not trigger a due-on-sale clause and make sure you can afford to do it.
A FICO credit score, good or bad, is not a requirement for most conventional or government loans such as FHA loans or VA loans. And if you do borrow money for a down payment it must be disclosed to the lender or if any of your money for your down payment was a gift, you have to provide proof for it. Know that any money you receive from any lending institutions will show up on your credit report and your monthly payments will factor into your debt-to-income ratio
Most adjustable rate mortgage programs offer what is called "rate cap" protection, which limits the amount the rate can be increased, both each year and over the life of the loan, double check with your lender on this. All adjustable rate mortgages are amortized over a 30-year period.
Check with your CPA before you buy to make sure your property taxes are deductible. Also find out from your CPA or other financial advisor what other real estate financing expenses can be deducted when you file your income tax return in a few months. Knowing what deductions you can take may free up more for your income tax refund which you can apply to future loan payments or pay off debts.
Now if you get a 20-year fixed rate mortgage term it will mean higher payments, when compared to the more common 30-year fixed rate mortgage and you may not be able to swing it if this is your first home or job security isn't there. So don't get in over your head on this. Going the safer route is always the better way to go.
20-year fixed-rate mortgages allow you to make consistent higher monthly payments throughout all of the 20 years you have the mortgage; the shorter term means you pay the loan off quicker and therefore pay less interest and build equity faster than with a 30-year loan, BUT you need to know you have complete job security or a sure way to make the payments. It's better to be careful and opt for the 30-year loan even though you can save a lot of money with a 20-year loan.
A fixed-rate mortgage means the interest rate and principal payments remain the same for the life of the loan but the taxes will probably change. Your taxes may be written into the monthly payment or paid separately and sometimes you have no choice over this. The lending institution may be the final word on how the taxes are going to be paid. Home loan borrowers can submit information about income, assets and equity to determine how much a down payment should be, which is usually processed through an automated underwriting system.
One good way to save money on points, that is not commonly known, is that if you check around you can find real estate companies that have their own mortgage companies, sometimes in the same building. They often will shave off a point or more on your home loan if you buy from their real estate company and save you some money there.
Make sure you call around to several lenders or mortgage brokers before you apply for a home loan to get an idea what points and other fees they would be charging you. This can vary quite a bit. Some charge more points than others. Make sure you go with a quality lender however.
Work with your mortgage broker or lender to develop an individual loan or mortgage program based on your credit worthiness. And whatever you do don't get yourself into a situation where you can't make the mortgage payments; think far ahead. Thinking positive about your future and how it relates to your real estate financing is important but you must be realistic. Also don't be afraid to ask a few real estate agents if they know of any tips to save you money when you go for a home mortgage and what to avoid. Ask homeowners how they're doing, how they've saved money on their loans and what real estate and mortgage pitfalls to avoid too.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Property Investment Seminars
Property investment seminars are property developers and realestate agent’s brochures which is produced to discuss on property development or property market in order to get the investor to part on the property investment seminars which gives own housing projects. Property investment seminars provide property investment information on a wide variety of topics. UK property experts in the property marketplace, stands at the top to represent the best investment properties in UK.
In property investment seminars you can get valuable property investment information. To check about property Investment Seminars search online. You will get more details on how to attend, schedule or learn more about such property investment seminars and opportunities.
Property investment seminars are of one and a half hour presentation which aims to wealth building through real estate. Property investment seminars are usually conducted free of cost. Property investment seminar will provide an insight overview to investing in commercial and industrial properties. Property investment seminars will mainly focus on the valuation and pricing methods related to the field of investment Properties, with specific reference to UK. Property investment seminars features a number of renowned speakers, who will tackle major practical issues related to the realestate, industrial and commercial properties which are important area of capital growth. Additionally, property investment seminars will address the issue of how to evaluate Intellectual Property Rights by adopting international best practices. The property investment seminars many make discussions at length a range of topics relevant to properties in the UK and the importance of Intellectual Property Valuation in Intellectual Asset Management.
England is the home of large number of companies with intangible assets such as trademarks. 'Moreover, several indigenous companies in the UK are expanding their presence beyond their homeland and are going global, which accentuates the need to adopt international best practices in evaluating the companies' worth'. So, London is the best place to conduct such great property investment seminars in a big level.
From property investment seminars, property builders find a good way to get suitable investment properties. Property investment seminars are generally a great opportunity to purchase a investment property at below market prices. You just need to attend the property investment seminars to understand the property marketplace.
Property investment seminars gather both the newer property investor and the investor that feels like they require some help in these areas, and much more! Property investment seminars will act as a workshop to allow property builders time to get their questions answered in a group setting and also expand their connections in this field.
In property investment seminars you can get valuable property investment information. To check about property Investment Seminars search online. You will get more details on how to attend, schedule or learn more about such property investment seminars and opportunities.
Property investment seminars are of one and a half hour presentation which aims to wealth building through real estate. Property investment seminars are usually conducted free of cost. Property investment seminar will provide an insight overview to investing in commercial and industrial properties. Property investment seminars will mainly focus on the valuation and pricing methods related to the field of investment Properties, with specific reference to UK. Property investment seminars features a number of renowned speakers, who will tackle major practical issues related to the realestate, industrial and commercial properties which are important area of capital growth. Additionally, property investment seminars will address the issue of how to evaluate Intellectual Property Rights by adopting international best practices. The property investment seminars many make discussions at length a range of topics relevant to properties in the UK and the importance of Intellectual Property Valuation in Intellectual Asset Management.
England is the home of large number of companies with intangible assets such as trademarks. 'Moreover, several indigenous companies in the UK are expanding their presence beyond their homeland and are going global, which accentuates the need to adopt international best practices in evaluating the companies' worth'. So, London is the best place to conduct such great property investment seminars in a big level.
From property investment seminars, property builders find a good way to get suitable investment properties. Property investment seminars are generally a great opportunity to purchase a investment property at below market prices. You just need to attend the property investment seminars to understand the property marketplace.
Property investment seminars gather both the newer property investor and the investor that feels like they require some help in these areas, and much more! Property investment seminars will act as a workshop to allow property builders time to get their questions answered in a group setting and also expand their connections in this field.
Property Management
The idea of property management (sometimes referred to as 3rd party management) has been around since the dawn of time. But, before property management was a job or career, a title or a company, property management has been an action that many people attended to around the land or buildings that they owned themselves or leased from someone else. Property management can mean different things to different people. For some, property management might mean keeping their own property safe, secure and pleasant to the eye. For others, property management could mean paying someone else to make sure your property is in tip top shape. Some types of properties that may need property management are; houses, condos, duplexes, town homes, apartments, shopping centers, malls, offices buildings, airports and public transportation buildings, hospitals and many more. Property management is very similar to the role of management in any business.
One important role that property management has is to act as the middle person between the tenant and the property management landlord. Property management should provide the property management landlord with a sense of security, knowing that everyday needs from the renter can be resolved without involving said property management landlord unnecessarily. Hand and hand with that security, the tenant can be assured that the property will be maintained to some set of standards which can be reviewed with the property management team before an agreement is reached. Property management is a delicate balance between pleasing the property management landlord and keeping the renter happy as well. The task of property management can prove to be harder than it sounds. Maintaining an open line of communication in property management and being able to address the needs of both property management parties will make a successful property management business. Other duties for property management but are not limited to; collecting rent, posting and showing vacancies, maintenance issues, evictions, failure to pay rent issues, harassment, and background checks on the application forms. It is very important that a profitable property management staff or team be knowledgeable in the current laws of the city, state and county concerning tenant rights vs. landlord rights. Be sure your property management team is up to date on current property management codes, and other items that will benefit your property management business. Getting caught up in property management legal matters is no way to run a property management business.
The following is the definition of property managers/property management as posted by Wikipedia on their website. Property management is a person or firm responsible for the operation of a real estate property for a fee, when the owner of the property cannot or is not interested in managing the property themselves. The property manager or the property management company has a primary responsibility to the landlord and a secondary responsibility to the tenant. Relationships the property manager or property management team have with the landlord and with the tenant are crucial in forming the expectations of both parties to the lease since both parties will seek and expect certain rights and benefits out of it. Owner's expectations from the property manager/ property management team are to carry out the owner's instructions, control costs and maximize revenue to maintain a stabilized cash flow as a return on capital invested, exercise control over the building to safeguard the capital invested, provide a duty of care through proper maintenance of the building, to be professional and well informed, enhance the value of the property by making improvements that will increase its market value, retain and enhance pride of ownership. The tenant's expectations from the property manager/ property management team are the "quiet enjoyment" 'assurance of the use and enjoyment of the premises for the intended purposes without interference from the landlord, comforta living environment properly heated, cooled and ventilated with as many amenities as possible compatible with the rental level, security and safetyto live or work in a building in which there are no inherent defects or conditions that might be hazardous to health or to property, statusaccommodation and facilities that meet social-economic and cultural standards for the tenant's and their guest.
Property management can be a very lucrative business when handled correctly. Property management takes an organized, well communicated, and dedicated individual or staff to be able to pull off a successful property management company. Typically property management companies will charge their landlords a percentage of the gross rent collected each month. This percentage for property management fees can range from 3 to 10% depending on the property management market. Sometimes a flat fee is more appropriate when the property is a condominium or a type of cooperative complex for property management. Some states might require that property managers have a property management license or a real estate license to be able to claim the title of property manager or property management business.
A cousin to property management is facility management. Facility management is like property management but the focus is the management of buildings and services. One definition from a large facility/property management association says, "A profession that encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure functionality of the built environment by integrating people, place, process and technology." Australians prefer the term: Commercial Services to property management, this term replaces facilities management in some organizations. Besides keeping the property up to date, commercial services can also include duties such as waste disposal, parking, security, landscaping and more.
A homeowner may provide his or her own property management, but property management is not limited to the duties of house cleaning, lawn care and landscaping, building maintenance, trash and waste disposal and interior upkeep. Property management can be all of these, and can be hired out to a professional that can provide better property management services than the homeowner can or would provide themselves. These property management services come with a price and if the homeowner is willing to pay for outside property management, the sky is the limit on what they can have managed. Some property management companies even manage home owners associations (HOAs). In this instance the property management company is the middle person between the homeowners and the land developer. Once the developer has completed his contracted tasks, the neighborhood is then turned over to the HOA. The property management company may stay on board for a fee to help the HOA. A landlord may also provide property management services himself or have it hired out to a property management company. A large company or corporation might have internal structures in place to provide property management on site or they may choose to hire an outside property management company to provide the property management services that they would need on a day to day basis. Both of these operations are a reasonable and effective way to tackle the issue of property management on a large scale.
With the world of technology growing everyday, it makes perfect sense to have applicable property management software and property management computer systems that deal with property management in place to help with property management or facility management. You can have your home wired and programmed to turn the lights on and off when entering a room. Constant temperature and humidity levels can be monitored along with major appliance functions. Watering of lawns and security systems has become high tech and available to the everyday homeowner who wants property management. Some passenger vehicles now include a "remote" that when programmed can turn the lights on, turn the TV on your favorite station and more, all from the comforts of your car. Heaven forbid you will have to walk into your dark and quite home. Home builders, architects and engineers saw the potential for using large scale property management ideas in the home. Beyond the home, large commercial properties, computer aided facility management (CAFM) has been a natural progression of the marriage between technology and facility/ property management. In the late 1980's CAFM evolved to allow larger properties to manage their property management sites more efficiently. Most often, CAFM systems track and maintain; floor plans, LAN and telecom information, business continuity and safety information, workplace assets, employee and occupancy data, building and property information and space characteristics and usage. Being able to supervise the goings on of your with a property management company in an efficient and well structured way will help your property management bottom line.
If you need information about property management, the internet is a great place to start.
One important role that property management has is to act as the middle person between the tenant and the property management landlord. Property management should provide the property management landlord with a sense of security, knowing that everyday needs from the renter can be resolved without involving said property management landlord unnecessarily. Hand and hand with that security, the tenant can be assured that the property will be maintained to some set of standards which can be reviewed with the property management team before an agreement is reached. Property management is a delicate balance between pleasing the property management landlord and keeping the renter happy as well. The task of property management can prove to be harder than it sounds. Maintaining an open line of communication in property management and being able to address the needs of both property management parties will make a successful property management business. Other duties for property management but are not limited to; collecting rent, posting and showing vacancies, maintenance issues, evictions, failure to pay rent issues, harassment, and background checks on the application forms. It is very important that a profitable property management staff or team be knowledgeable in the current laws of the city, state and county concerning tenant rights vs. landlord rights. Be sure your property management team is up to date on current property management codes, and other items that will benefit your property management business. Getting caught up in property management legal matters is no way to run a property management business.
The following is the definition of property managers/property management as posted by Wikipedia on their website. Property management is a person or firm responsible for the operation of a real estate property for a fee, when the owner of the property cannot or is not interested in managing the property themselves. The property manager or the property management company has a primary responsibility to the landlord and a secondary responsibility to the tenant. Relationships the property manager or property management team have with the landlord and with the tenant are crucial in forming the expectations of both parties to the lease since both parties will seek and expect certain rights and benefits out of it. Owner's expectations from the property manager/ property management team are to carry out the owner's instructions, control costs and maximize revenue to maintain a stabilized cash flow as a return on capital invested, exercise control over the building to safeguard the capital invested, provide a duty of care through proper maintenance of the building, to be professional and well informed, enhance the value of the property by making improvements that will increase its market value, retain and enhance pride of ownership. The tenant's expectations from the property manager/ property management team are the "quiet enjoyment" 'assurance of the use and enjoyment of the premises for the intended purposes without interference from the landlord, comforta living environment properly heated, cooled and ventilated with as many amenities as possible compatible with the rental level, security and safetyto live or work in a building in which there are no inherent defects or conditions that might be hazardous to health or to property, statusaccommodation and facilities that meet social-economic and cultural standards for the tenant's and their guest.
Property management can be a very lucrative business when handled correctly. Property management takes an organized, well communicated, and dedicated individual or staff to be able to pull off a successful property management company. Typically property management companies will charge their landlords a percentage of the gross rent collected each month. This percentage for property management fees can range from 3 to 10% depending on the property management market. Sometimes a flat fee is more appropriate when the property is a condominium or a type of cooperative complex for property management. Some states might require that property managers have a property management license or a real estate license to be able to claim the title of property manager or property management business.
A cousin to property management is facility management. Facility management is like property management but the focus is the management of buildings and services. One definition from a large facility/property management association says, "A profession that encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure functionality of the built environment by integrating people, place, process and technology." Australians prefer the term: Commercial Services to property management, this term replaces facilities management in some organizations. Besides keeping the property up to date, commercial services can also include duties such as waste disposal, parking, security, landscaping and more.
A homeowner may provide his or her own property management, but property management is not limited to the duties of house cleaning, lawn care and landscaping, building maintenance, trash and waste disposal and interior upkeep. Property management can be all of these, and can be hired out to a professional that can provide better property management services than the homeowner can or would provide themselves. These property management services come with a price and if the homeowner is willing to pay for outside property management, the sky is the limit on what they can have managed. Some property management companies even manage home owners associations (HOAs). In this instance the property management company is the middle person between the homeowners and the land developer. Once the developer has completed his contracted tasks, the neighborhood is then turned over to the HOA. The property management company may stay on board for a fee to help the HOA. A landlord may also provide property management services himself or have it hired out to a property management company. A large company or corporation might have internal structures in place to provide property management on site or they may choose to hire an outside property management company to provide the property management services that they would need on a day to day basis. Both of these operations are a reasonable and effective way to tackle the issue of property management on a large scale.
With the world of technology growing everyday, it makes perfect sense to have applicable property management software and property management computer systems that deal with property management in place to help with property management or facility management. You can have your home wired and programmed to turn the lights on and off when entering a room. Constant temperature and humidity levels can be monitored along with major appliance functions. Watering of lawns and security systems has become high tech and available to the everyday homeowner who wants property management. Some passenger vehicles now include a "remote" that when programmed can turn the lights on, turn the TV on your favorite station and more, all from the comforts of your car. Heaven forbid you will have to walk into your dark and quite home. Home builders, architects and engineers saw the potential for using large scale property management ideas in the home. Beyond the home, large commercial properties, computer aided facility management (CAFM) has been a natural progression of the marriage between technology and facility/ property management. In the late 1980's CAFM evolved to allow larger properties to manage their property management sites more efficiently. Most often, CAFM systems track and maintain; floor plans, LAN and telecom information, business continuity and safety information, workplace assets, employee and occupancy data, building and property information and space characteristics and usage. Being able to supervise the goings on of your with a property management company in an efficient and well structured way will help your property management bottom line.
If you need information about property management, the internet is a great place to start.
The Global Property Guide
The Global Property Guide today re-launched its web site to make its data more accessible. The home page has been simplified. Major categories have been spelled out. The new Home Page has been organized around an expanded menu, to help the reader navigate the site. Key data items are easier to find, more obvious.
The Global Property Guide
The Global Property Guide is the authoritative source of information on buying residential property. It covers every investible country in the world, from the perspective of income, tax, and capital gains. We provide research and information on 131 countries to residential property investors, with brief information on 85 countries.
Property, as an asset class, is highly susceptible to booms and busts. Across the Western world major countries have experienced a prolonged residential property boom.
Like stock prices (but with markedly different dynamics) residential property prices are now coming back down to earth. We help investors make sense of these swings by providing tools of analysis, and displaying data in a clear, comprehensive and accurate format.
Our fundamental residential property market data includes
• Price change 1 year
• Price change 5 year
• Price change 10 year
• Square metre price city centre
• Total round-trip transaction cost
• Gross yield
• Price to rent (P/R) ratio
• Price to Gross Domestic Product
• Change in interest rates
• Taxes on income (effective rates)
• Capital gains tax (effective)
• Inheritance taxes (effective)
• Buying process (graded by quality)
• Tenant legislation (graded as landlord-friendly)
• Residence (high tax / low tax)
• Economic growth
• Competitiveness
• GDP per capita
• Competitiveness rank, improvement over 5 years
• Stage of economic cycle
“Our aim is to be the Bloomberg of international residential property,” says publisher Matthew Montagu-Pollock, referring to the financial site on trading desks around the world (http://www.bloomberg.com/). “Bloomberg provides data - but also makes it easy to use.”
“It’s important for a residential investor be able to see what his likely return on investment will be. What his taxes will be. To be able quickly to check whether the laws are landlord-friendly. To survey the inheritance laws. All this is now available, for almost every country in the world, on our site, without any marketing material or any attempt to sell you anything – just the facts.”
The Global Property Guide
The Global Property Guide is the authoritative source of information on buying residential property. It covers every investible country in the world, from the perspective of income, tax, and capital gains. We provide research and information on 131 countries to residential property investors, with brief information on 85 countries.
Property, as an asset class, is highly susceptible to booms and busts. Across the Western world major countries have experienced a prolonged residential property boom.
Like stock prices (but with markedly different dynamics) residential property prices are now coming back down to earth. We help investors make sense of these swings by providing tools of analysis, and displaying data in a clear, comprehensive and accurate format.
Our fundamental residential property market data includes
• Price change 1 year
• Price change 5 year
• Price change 10 year
• Square metre price city centre
• Total round-trip transaction cost
• Gross yield
• Price to rent (P/R) ratio
• Price to Gross Domestic Product
• Change in interest rates
• Taxes on income (effective rates)
• Capital gains tax (effective)
• Inheritance taxes (effective)
• Buying process (graded by quality)
• Tenant legislation (graded as landlord-friendly)
• Residence (high tax / low tax)
• Economic growth
• Competitiveness
• GDP per capita
• Competitiveness rank, improvement over 5 years
• Stage of economic cycle
“Our aim is to be the Bloomberg of international residential property,” says publisher Matthew Montagu-Pollock, referring to the financial site on trading desks around the world (http://www.bloomberg.com/). “Bloomberg provides data - but also makes it easy to use.”
“It’s important for a residential investor be able to see what his likely return on investment will be. What his taxes will be. To be able quickly to check whether the laws are landlord-friendly. To survey the inheritance laws. All this is now available, for almost every country in the world, on our site, without any marketing material or any attempt to sell you anything – just the facts.”
Friday, October 17, 2008
Top 20 Real Estate Foreclosure Markets
Stockton, California reported the highest foreclosure rate among the nation's 100 largest metro areas from Jan to Jun 2007, according to RealtyTrac, an online marketplace for foreclosure sales. Detroit and Las Vegas documented the next highest foreclosure rates. RealtyTrac's 2007 Midyear Metropolitan Foreclosure Market Report showed the foreclosure activity in the top 100 metro areas for the first half of 2007. As foreclosure rates continue to rise, 82 out of 100 metro areas recorded year-over-year increases in foreclosures.
Stockton reported one foreclosure filing for every 27 households with a total of 8,169 foreclosure fillings on 4,239 properties. The rate of foreclosure has increased exponentially to three times more than the number reported last year, for the same period.
Detroit, with one in 29 households going for foreclosure, recorded the second highest foreclosure rate. A total of 28,705 foreclosure filings were made on 20,231 properties, which is almost double the number reported from Jan-June 2006.
Las Vegas documented one foreclosure filing for every 31 households, making it the third highest in foreclosure activity among the 100 metro areas. It reported 22,928 foreclosure filings on 13,028 properties, double the number reported during the first half of 2006.
Six of the top 20 metro areas with the highest foreclosure rates were in California and four in Ohio.
The following are the top 20 U.S. housing foreclosure markets from Jan to Jun 2007, the total number of foreclosure filings and households per foreclosure filing.
1. Stockton, California: 8,169 foreclosure filings; one foreclosure filing for every 27 households.
2. Detroit/Livonia/Dearborn, Michigan: 28,705 foreclosure filings; one filing per 29 households.
3. Las Vegas/Paradise, Nevada: 22,928 foreclosure filings; one filing per 31 households.
4. Riverside/San Bernardino, California: 41,351 foreclosure filings; one filing per 33 households.
5. Sacramento, California: 20,516 foreclosure filings; one filing per 36 households.
6. Denver/Aurora, Colorado: 23,842 foreclosure filings; one filing per 42 households.
7. Miami, Florida: 20,275 foreclosure filings; one filing per 46 households.
8. Bakersfield, California: 5,365 foreclosure filings; one filing per 47 households.
9. Memphis, Tennessee: 10,800 foreclosure filings; one filing per 49 households.
10. Cleveland/Lorain/Elyria/Mentor, Ohio: 8,844 foreclosure filings; one filing per 50 households.
11. Fort Lauderdale, Florida: 15,720 foreclosure filings; one filing per 50 households.
12. Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Marietta, Georgia: 36,502 foreclosure filings; one filing per 54 households.
13. Fort Worth/Arlington, Texas: 13,221 foreclosure filings; one filing per 57 households.
14. Fresno, California: 4,867 foreclosure filings; one filing per 60 households.
15. Indianapolis, Indiana: 11,677 foreclosure filings; one filing per 62 households.
16. Dayton, Ohio: 5,966 foreclosure filings; one filing per 63 households.
17. Dallas, Texas: 23,284 foreclosure filings; one filing per 65 households.
18. Akron, Ohio: 4,378 foreclosure filings; one filing per 70 households.
19. Oakland, California: 13,482 foreclosure filings; one filing per 70 households.
20. Columbus, Ohio: 10,706 foreclosure filings; one filing per 70 households.
Stockton reported one foreclosure filing for every 27 households with a total of 8,169 foreclosure fillings on 4,239 properties. The rate of foreclosure has increased exponentially to three times more than the number reported last year, for the same period.
Detroit, with one in 29 households going for foreclosure, recorded the second highest foreclosure rate. A total of 28,705 foreclosure filings were made on 20,231 properties, which is almost double the number reported from Jan-June 2006.
Las Vegas documented one foreclosure filing for every 31 households, making it the third highest in foreclosure activity among the 100 metro areas. It reported 22,928 foreclosure filings on 13,028 properties, double the number reported during the first half of 2006.
Six of the top 20 metro areas with the highest foreclosure rates were in California and four in Ohio.
The following are the top 20 U.S. housing foreclosure markets from Jan to Jun 2007, the total number of foreclosure filings and households per foreclosure filing.
1. Stockton, California: 8,169 foreclosure filings; one foreclosure filing for every 27 households.
2. Detroit/Livonia/Dearborn, Michigan: 28,705 foreclosure filings; one filing per 29 households.
3. Las Vegas/Paradise, Nevada: 22,928 foreclosure filings; one filing per 31 households.
4. Riverside/San Bernardino, California: 41,351 foreclosure filings; one filing per 33 households.
5. Sacramento, California: 20,516 foreclosure filings; one filing per 36 households.
6. Denver/Aurora, Colorado: 23,842 foreclosure filings; one filing per 42 households.
7. Miami, Florida: 20,275 foreclosure filings; one filing per 46 households.
8. Bakersfield, California: 5,365 foreclosure filings; one filing per 47 households.
9. Memphis, Tennessee: 10,800 foreclosure filings; one filing per 49 households.
10. Cleveland/Lorain/Elyria/Mentor, Ohio: 8,844 foreclosure filings; one filing per 50 households.
11. Fort Lauderdale, Florida: 15,720 foreclosure filings; one filing per 50 households.
12. Atlanta/Sandy Springs/Marietta, Georgia: 36,502 foreclosure filings; one filing per 54 households.
13. Fort Worth/Arlington, Texas: 13,221 foreclosure filings; one filing per 57 households.
14. Fresno, California: 4,867 foreclosure filings; one filing per 60 households.
15. Indianapolis, Indiana: 11,677 foreclosure filings; one filing per 62 households.
16. Dayton, Ohio: 5,966 foreclosure filings; one filing per 63 households.
17. Dallas, Texas: 23,284 foreclosure filings; one filing per 65 households.
18. Akron, Ohio: 4,378 foreclosure filings; one filing per 70 households.
19. Oakland, California: 13,482 foreclosure filings; one filing per 70 households.
20. Columbus, Ohio: 10,706 foreclosure filings; one filing per 70 households.
Real Estate In A Slow Market
The real estate market tends to be cyclical with some periods favoring buyers and other periods favoring sellers. As with other free markets, the pricing and availability of real estate is directly related to the forces of supply and demand. While many real estate markets in the United States are experiencing a substantial slowdown, other markets remain robust, and some even continue to grow. What makes the situation even more complicated is that even within a particular city or county, there may be some areas that are hot and others that are cold.
In regions of the country in which the real estate market is slowing, there are some things homebuyers can do to increase their chance of getting the property that they want on terms that are favorable. Below are some strategies to consider:
1. Clarify What You Want. Be sure to understand what kind of property you want (e.g. bedrooms, bathrooms, size, yard, location, etc.). Identify items that you "must have" and items that you would be willing to forego if your other priorities were met.
2. Consult Experts. You've no doubt heard the saying that "all real estate is local," so arm yourself with the best information available. Consult a local real estate expert who can guide you about what communities are hot and which ones are not. Obviously, you are more likely to find deals in communities that have excess supply and limited demand than vice versa.
3. Understand Market Data. Obtaining and evaluating data can be one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. Identify communities that you find desirable and ask your real estate agent to provide you relevant sales statistics. For example, your agent can provide you:
a. A summary of how many properties are available in communities that you deem desirable.
b. How long properties are taking to sell this month, last month, last quarter, last year, etc.
c. How many properties have sold this month, last month, last quarter, last year, etc.
d. Changes in the median and average price of properties for a community this month, last month, last quarter, last year, etc.
e. Data on the sales price to list price ratio (SP: LP). This ratio provides information about how much, on average, sellers are reducing their price.
f. Detailed data on properties that are similar to the type of property you desire (often known as "comparables" or "comps").
4. High Inventory Communities. Identify, or ask your agent to identify, communities that appear to be particularly slow, and that have an unusually large inventory of homes. You will have a broader variety of options in these communities, and you may increase the likelihood of finding a better deal.
5. Loan Pre-Approval. Be sure to consult with your bank or mortgage broker and obtain a loan pre-approval document. This not only let's you know how much you can afford, but it also demonstrates to sellers that you are a serious buyer and that your offer is worthy of serious consideration.
6. Seller's Motivation. While information about why a seller is selling is usually confidential, there are situations in which the seller will allow their agent to disclose important factors regarding their personal situation. Be sure to ask your agent to inquire about any information that the seller has disclosed to his/her agent that can be conveyed to your agent. This information may help you decide on making an offer on a property and the price you wish to offer.
7. Home Inspection. A home inspection conducted by a qualified inspector can provide you valuable information about the condition of a property. Moreover, if there are items that need repair or replacement, you can use this information to modify your offer price or terms.
8. Expand Search Scope. As mentioned above, even within a particular city or county, there may be some areas that are hot and others that are not. Be sure to provided detailed information about what you want to your agent, so that he/she can provide you a variety of community options.
9. Be Patient. Time is on your side when there is excess supply and insufficient demand. Try not to "fall in love" with a house so much that you cannot be objective. It may be that multiple offers and counter-offers occur before you either get the property you want or decide to walk way from a deal. You may also want to look at more properties than you normally would, so that you are exposed to a variety of options.
While the above is not an exhaustive list of strategies, it is a good starting point of issues to consider when buying real estate, particularly in a market that favors buyers. Obtain the services of a knowledgeable Real Estate agent who can provide you with additional strategies to help you reach your real estate objectives.
In regions of the country in which the real estate market is slowing, there are some things homebuyers can do to increase their chance of getting the property that they want on terms that are favorable. Below are some strategies to consider:
1. Clarify What You Want. Be sure to understand what kind of property you want (e.g. bedrooms, bathrooms, size, yard, location, etc.). Identify items that you "must have" and items that you would be willing to forego if your other priorities were met.
2. Consult Experts. You've no doubt heard the saying that "all real estate is local," so arm yourself with the best information available. Consult a local real estate expert who can guide you about what communities are hot and which ones are not. Obviously, you are more likely to find deals in communities that have excess supply and limited demand than vice versa.
3. Understand Market Data. Obtaining and evaluating data can be one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal. Identify communities that you find desirable and ask your real estate agent to provide you relevant sales statistics. For example, your agent can provide you:
a. A summary of how many properties are available in communities that you deem desirable.
b. How long properties are taking to sell this month, last month, last quarter, last year, etc.
c. How many properties have sold this month, last month, last quarter, last year, etc.
d. Changes in the median and average price of properties for a community this month, last month, last quarter, last year, etc.
e. Data on the sales price to list price ratio (SP: LP). This ratio provides information about how much, on average, sellers are reducing their price.
f. Detailed data on properties that are similar to the type of property you desire (often known as "comparables" or "comps").
4. High Inventory Communities. Identify, or ask your agent to identify, communities that appear to be particularly slow, and that have an unusually large inventory of homes. You will have a broader variety of options in these communities, and you may increase the likelihood of finding a better deal.
5. Loan Pre-Approval. Be sure to consult with your bank or mortgage broker and obtain a loan pre-approval document. This not only let's you know how much you can afford, but it also demonstrates to sellers that you are a serious buyer and that your offer is worthy of serious consideration.
6. Seller's Motivation. While information about why a seller is selling is usually confidential, there are situations in which the seller will allow their agent to disclose important factors regarding their personal situation. Be sure to ask your agent to inquire about any information that the seller has disclosed to his/her agent that can be conveyed to your agent. This information may help you decide on making an offer on a property and the price you wish to offer.
7. Home Inspection. A home inspection conducted by a qualified inspector can provide you valuable information about the condition of a property. Moreover, if there are items that need repair or replacement, you can use this information to modify your offer price or terms.
8. Expand Search Scope. As mentioned above, even within a particular city or county, there may be some areas that are hot and others that are not. Be sure to provided detailed information about what you want to your agent, so that he/she can provide you a variety of community options.
9. Be Patient. Time is on your side when there is excess supply and insufficient demand. Try not to "fall in love" with a house so much that you cannot be objective. It may be that multiple offers and counter-offers occur before you either get the property you want or decide to walk way from a deal. You may also want to look at more properties than you normally would, so that you are exposed to a variety of options.
While the above is not an exhaustive list of strategies, it is a good starting point of issues to consider when buying real estate, particularly in a market that favors buyers. Obtain the services of a knowledgeable Real Estate agent who can provide you with additional strategies to help you reach your real estate objectives.
U.S. Real Estate Forecast
On any given day, people can easily find articles and news stories describing an impending bust of the so-called real estate bubble. Despite this gloomy prediction, many experts believe that the recent slowdown in housing will be a gradual and modest readjustment rather than sharp bust or decline. These experts believe that factors that lead to a sharp decline in the real estate market are just not present in the current economic outlook. In fact, a recent study by the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University noted that "despite the current cool-down, the long-term outlook for housing is bright."
The rise and fall of the real estate market is subject to the forces of supply and demand, and these factors point to stable and positive growth in the real estate segment.
SUPPLY FACTORS
Limited supply of real estate makes it scarce and usually pushes home prices up. In contrast, an oversupply of real estate tends to put downward pressure on home prices. Despite the current slow down in the real estate market, factors that impact limited supply favor continued growth in the real estate market. Some of these factors include:
1. Builders have readjusted growth plans in regions that have an oversupply of new housing. Over time, any excess inventory is likely to be depleted and equilibrium achieved between supply and demand.
2. The availability of land in certain regions, as well land use regulations and associated compliance costs will continue to restrict the supply of new homes.
DEMAND FACTORS:
Housing located in regions with high demand tend to be more expensive than homes in regions with low demand. Factors that impact the demand for housing suggests a favorable long-term housing outlook. Some of these factors include:
1. No current evidence of significant and across-the-board job losses; forecasts of relatively low unemployment rates.
2. Long-term increased demand for second homes, vacation homes and senior housing by baby boomers.
3. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by the children of baby boomers.
4. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by immigrants.
5. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by second-generation Americans.
6. Forecasts that the outflows and inflows of the U.S. population in and out different regions will not significantly impact the overall U.S. real estate housing market.
7. Relative stability in interest rates.
8. Continued stability in long-term home appreciation rates.
9. Overall, rising rate of wealth across all age groups.
SUMMARY
In summary, strong household growth, overall rising incomes and wealth, and a stable economy all bode well for continued long-term growth in the real estate market. While the overall housing outlook is favorable, affordability will continue to be a challenge, as wages, especially in the lower income levels, have not kept up with housing costs.
The rise and fall of the real estate market is subject to the forces of supply and demand, and these factors point to stable and positive growth in the real estate segment.
SUPPLY FACTORS
Limited supply of real estate makes it scarce and usually pushes home prices up. In contrast, an oversupply of real estate tends to put downward pressure on home prices. Despite the current slow down in the real estate market, factors that impact limited supply favor continued growth in the real estate market. Some of these factors include:
1. Builders have readjusted growth plans in regions that have an oversupply of new housing. Over time, any excess inventory is likely to be depleted and equilibrium achieved between supply and demand.
2. The availability of land in certain regions, as well land use regulations and associated compliance costs will continue to restrict the supply of new homes.
DEMAND FACTORS:
Housing located in regions with high demand tend to be more expensive than homes in regions with low demand. Factors that impact the demand for housing suggests a favorable long-term housing outlook. Some of these factors include:
1. No current evidence of significant and across-the-board job losses; forecasts of relatively low unemployment rates.
2. Long-term increased demand for second homes, vacation homes and senior housing by baby boomers.
3. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by the children of baby boomers.
4. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by immigrants.
5. Long-term increased demand for entry-level homes by second-generation Americans.
6. Forecasts that the outflows and inflows of the U.S. population in and out different regions will not significantly impact the overall U.S. real estate housing market.
7. Relative stability in interest rates.
8. Continued stability in long-term home appreciation rates.
9. Overall, rising rate of wealth across all age groups.
SUMMARY
In summary, strong household growth, overall rising incomes and wealth, and a stable economy all bode well for continued long-term growth in the real estate market. While the overall housing outlook is favorable, affordability will continue to be a challenge, as wages, especially in the lower income levels, have not kept up with housing costs.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Real Estate Investing
“How to get rich”: there are few more written upon topics in the history of history than how to get rich. Is Real Estate Investing the Number One Way to leverage yourself and build wealth easily? If you’re an entrepreneur who is constantly striving to get to that next level in your life, your business, and your finances, you’ll likely agree with me when I say that we entrepreneurial personality types have an insatiable appetite for consuming material on how to get rich, and how to leverage yourself to build wealth easily. As a real estate entrepreneur who writes often on investing, I’m not going to focus on how to get rich in real estate investing with this article. In fact, I’m exploring if there could be something even better for building wealth easily. An even more powerful way to leverage yourself!? Let’s see!
Build Wealth Easily?
But despite our best efforts and intentions and goals, that doesn’t mean each of us is able to figure out the why, where, who, when, and most frequently the what of how to get rich. Not all of us can drive every vehicle capable of shuttling them to success equally or as quickly as they might another vehicle. That’s why I wrote this article. Real estate investing is my passion. Real estate investing can build and keep wealth like nothing else. But I won’t claim it’s the best vehicle to build wealth easily. In fact, I’m not sure it is!
This article will help some of you see the types of actions and scenarios likely to take someone reading about how to get rich and propel them into a future full of success and sharing with others how to get rich— just by taking each of these vehicles for a mental test drive.
I believe one of the fundamentals of how to get rich is becoming a master of leverage, learning to leverage yourself by learning and applying systems of duplication and delegation and automation. By using creativity and the creation of value to multiply your results with the systems, efforts and resources of other people and organizations, you can be sure that every minute and every dollar you spend in pursuit of your goals learning how to get rich will come back at you in droves.
In real estate investing, I’m familiar with a lot of these methods to leverage yourself, as you can see from visiting the website -- but what about these other plans for how to get rich?
That brings me to the top 13 ways in my opinion to get rich in today’s world— without having to be someone special, have special knowledge or look like a million bucks— as I see them, with an emphasis on how much LEVERAGE you have.
How to Get Rich Top 13 Answers
13. Steal the money
Whatever your religious beliefs, or whether you are consciously aware that there is a God or not, stealing money from others is not a great strategy on how to get rich. Humans are hard-wired with a conscience that in most cases knows right from wrong. Few people can live a full and happy life knowing that their fortune was built on robbery, theft, deception, trickery, or lying. It may appear the “easy route” but in the end karma always wins.
12. Winning the lottery
We do not value that which we did not work to earn. Sure it’s nice to fantasize about what we would do with a hundred million dollars, or fifty, or twenty, or ten. Some people say they play the lottery as an “investment vehicle”. The only more ridiculous statistics than the odds stacked against you winning are the statistics of what happens in the financial futures of the average lottery winner: 4 in 5 are BROKE or in debt within 10 years. How? When you have a paycheck to paycheck mentality (as much of the world does) lottery winnings are just a much bigger paycheck. For most people, as one’s income increases so too do the expenses—but faster. Lottery winners who did not have some financial success already are doomed to lose it all.
11. Being born rich
Napoleon Hill once said, in paraphrase, “there is nothing more dangerous than unearned riches”. What did he mean by that? It’s a simple factor of human nature that the more we are given the less we appreciate. Or know the value of. Or how to get it on our own. There’s a reason predators bring meat to their young early on but later set them loose to learn how to feed themselves. The worst possible position to be in, should you lose all your wealth, is that of never having had to learn how to get rich in the first place. The only reason this is better than winning the lottery is because if you are determined to make it happen, you’ve already been exposed to wealth— so you’re not mentally limited as to how much you think you can earn. That’s a huge limitation for many people looking to build wealth easily, not having “seen” wealth.
10. The professional/corporate grind
Being a regular 9 to 5 employee with a guaranteed salary, benefits, 401k and stock options, and job security is not a negative— unless you want more than trading your time for dollars, that is! Admittedly, for some people, there’s something to be said for the safety of a secure, well-paying job that makes us feel normal. You can get rich just by living below your means and investing the difference— even teachers who made no more than $30,000 a year have died leaving multi-million dollar estates. This is great if you are patient, disciplined and can wait 30 years— but it’s not MY idea of how to get rich. Nor is ANY job or career exactly so “safe” anymore in today’s world of downsizing, layoffs, outsourcing, off-shoring, corporate mismanagement, and eroding benefits. Worse, you’re not using leverage here— no matter how hard you work, you can leverage yourself to a great degree as an employee! You’re a cog in someone else’s machine as an employee.
9. Unlimited income direct sales
Sales is one of the highest-paying professions in the world. It can also be the lowest-paying profession in the world. Being a commissioned salesperson with no earnings cap on commissions can bring in a lot of money if you’re good. IF you’re good and you bust your hump. And if your product is solid. And if the economy is strong. And if your company stays in business. And on and on. Too much is not in your hands! The main issue though is that the skills that will avail you of a successful career in professional sales can be used much more efficiently when you leverage yourself by using other vehicles to channel your talents.
8. Franchise Owner
2 + 2 = 4 no matter whether you can do math or not. Franchises are set up to be businesses run based on a system already proven profitable. Whether they are as “turnkey” as their promoters claim is debatable, but there is certainly money in the franchise game to be made. It’s no wonder economists have labeled the franchise boom of the 20th century as the McDonaldization of business when the average McDonald’s restaurant franchise grosses $1.9 Million per year for its franchisee owner. Still, the financial barrier to entry can be as high as a normal business and in many cases even higher.
Leverage Yourself
7. Network Marketing
This one could closer to the top of the list if the opportunities available were worthy to be at the top—most aren’t. If you find the right opportunity, however, and work it with a vengeance on a consistent basis you can gain leverage yourself substantially by using other people’s time. Unfortunately, most people never find the right company at the right time and make the right choice to take action. Then, when they fail, as 9 in 10 do within a year, they give up never having gotten past the dream of buying into someone’s plan to teach them how to get rich—and into the reality. However, for the person in sales who can sell and recruit, network marketing is a better answer in many cases than just conventional selling— for the simple fact that you’re building your own business and residual income streams that will continue whether you continue to work or not.
6. Information Product Sales
Internet marketers of today are capitalizing in ever-increasing numbers on human nature tendencies direct marketers have known for many, many long years. There are some “problems” we have as people that there is NO LIMIT to the amount of money we will throw at the problem trying to find the perfect “solution”. The best markets to sell information products to are: (1) Business Owners Seeking Solutions (2) Better Appearance Seekers (3) Business Opportunity Seekers (3) Diet & Fitness Seekers (4) Dating Advice Seekers and 5) Avid Leisure Hobbyists. The best part about information product sales is the low overhead cost to produce the products you deliver, and the high profit margins you can earn.
5. Business Owner
Business ownership has many more benefits than can be touched on in a short paragraph but suffice it to say that if you’re not in business for yourself you should be. There is little more fulfilling than being your own boss, and working to build something that might outlast you. The cash flow, the tax benefits, the respect in the community, the outlet for creativity— all of these things make owning a small business (or growing a large one) a large part of the average human dream. As a business owner, you can incorporate many of these other vehicles in your plan for building wealth easily.
4. Celebrity
Clearly, celebrity sells. There are many mega-millionaires on this planet with no other talent than somehow managing to capture the interest of an audience worldwide (or even regionally) longer than their allotted “15 minutes of fame”. Publicity equals better than advertising and advertising done skillfully equals revenue. Celebrities are money machines who can make money in most of the rest of these categories but there are three reasons this is not nearer the top of the list. Despite the number of “what did they do’s?” out there , there are many more celebrities who are famous for a reason— they worked very hard to become the best (or best promoted) at what they do— be it sports, entertainment, speaking, etc. Secondly, there is a very high barrier to entry to this kind of life, one most people just do not have the look, skills, contacts, nerve, or charisma to break into. Lastly, there’s a huge cost to celebrity that would take it out of the top choices of a “best ways on how to get rich” list: your privacy is nonexistent in today’s world of celebrity.
3. Intellectual Property
With income streams from licensing to franchising to royalties to patents, copyrights, and trademarks— creating intellectual property is a serious method of building wealth easily. Musicians, authors, inventors, creative artists, franchisors, entrepreneurs, and high-level marketers are all making tons of money, residually, for many years from work they completed just once. This is a very high leverage activity! Books, music, ebooks, graphic and multimedia designs, software, copywriting, inventions, franchisable sales systems, the list goes on and on. Is this a vehicle you can put into action tomorrow? Not usually! But as you make your way in the world of wealth do not forget to use intellectual property to leverage yourself!
How to Get Rich: Real Estate Investing the Best?
2. The Real Estate Business
It’s widely accepted that 90% of all the world’s millionaires either made or keep their wealth in real estate. Water is wet. The sky is blue. Over time, real estate goes up. These are simple facts. Contrary to the “get rich quick” infomercials you’ve seen, though, figuring out how to get rich in real estate investing isn’t easy. But it is simple, once you understand the processes involved and actively and consistently pursue the business. Real estate investing is one of the highest forms of leverage we have as entrepreneurs, with savvy investors utilizing not only other people’s money, but also other people’s time and even other people’s credit. The real estate business is full of wealth-building opportunities: foreclosures, rentals, lease options, commercial properties, short sales, tax liens, being an agent or loan officer, investing in notes and mortgages…the list goes on and on! Of these, investing in notes and mortgages is pretty high on the easy scale, getting the benefits of real estate without some of the management headaches.
I obviously believe in real estate investing, but I’m not so sure there isn’t an even better, easier, higher leverage vehicle out there for creative entrepreneurs like you and me!
1. Joint Ventures (A.K.A. Strategic Alliances)
Joint Ventures is the best way to build wealth easily. Scratching your head? Well, soon you’ll see that doing successful joint ventures to make massive cash with minimum efforts and minimum risk is just common sense. Too bad common sense ain’t common! If you can master putting together joint ventures, you can be assured that if you build wealth and lose it all— you can quickly earn it back. When you master joint ventures, everything you need to get started again building wealth easily is now in your thought processes. It’s become as simple as common sense. This is because with successful joint ventures you don’t need products or services or invesntory. You don’t need an office, factory, employees, customers, or anything else traditional businesses need. You just need ideas. Of course, if you have any of these things, it only makes it easier because you bring something even more to the table than your brilliant ideas. The basic formula of how to get rich with joint ventures is answering these questions: “Who do I know?”, “What do they have?”, and “What do they need?” Then you play deal maker. That’s it! Zero risk, high profit potential. The ultimate in way to leverage yourself to build wealth easily.
Build Wealth Easily?
But despite our best efforts and intentions and goals, that doesn’t mean each of us is able to figure out the why, where, who, when, and most frequently the what of how to get rich. Not all of us can drive every vehicle capable of shuttling them to success equally or as quickly as they might another vehicle. That’s why I wrote this article. Real estate investing is my passion. Real estate investing can build and keep wealth like nothing else. But I won’t claim it’s the best vehicle to build wealth easily. In fact, I’m not sure it is!
This article will help some of you see the types of actions and scenarios likely to take someone reading about how to get rich and propel them into a future full of success and sharing with others how to get rich— just by taking each of these vehicles for a mental test drive.
I believe one of the fundamentals of how to get rich is becoming a master of leverage, learning to leverage yourself by learning and applying systems of duplication and delegation and automation. By using creativity and the creation of value to multiply your results with the systems, efforts and resources of other people and organizations, you can be sure that every minute and every dollar you spend in pursuit of your goals learning how to get rich will come back at you in droves.
In real estate investing, I’m familiar with a lot of these methods to leverage yourself, as you can see from visiting the website -- but what about these other plans for how to get rich?
That brings me to the top 13 ways in my opinion to get rich in today’s world— without having to be someone special, have special knowledge or look like a million bucks— as I see them, with an emphasis on how much LEVERAGE you have.
How to Get Rich Top 13 Answers
13. Steal the money
Whatever your religious beliefs, or whether you are consciously aware that there is a God or not, stealing money from others is not a great strategy on how to get rich. Humans are hard-wired with a conscience that in most cases knows right from wrong. Few people can live a full and happy life knowing that their fortune was built on robbery, theft, deception, trickery, or lying. It may appear the “easy route” but in the end karma always wins.
12. Winning the lottery
We do not value that which we did not work to earn. Sure it’s nice to fantasize about what we would do with a hundred million dollars, or fifty, or twenty, or ten. Some people say they play the lottery as an “investment vehicle”. The only more ridiculous statistics than the odds stacked against you winning are the statistics of what happens in the financial futures of the average lottery winner: 4 in 5 are BROKE or in debt within 10 years. How? When you have a paycheck to paycheck mentality (as much of the world does) lottery winnings are just a much bigger paycheck. For most people, as one’s income increases so too do the expenses—but faster. Lottery winners who did not have some financial success already are doomed to lose it all.
11. Being born rich
Napoleon Hill once said, in paraphrase, “there is nothing more dangerous than unearned riches”. What did he mean by that? It’s a simple factor of human nature that the more we are given the less we appreciate. Or know the value of. Or how to get it on our own. There’s a reason predators bring meat to their young early on but later set them loose to learn how to feed themselves. The worst possible position to be in, should you lose all your wealth, is that of never having had to learn how to get rich in the first place. The only reason this is better than winning the lottery is because if you are determined to make it happen, you’ve already been exposed to wealth— so you’re not mentally limited as to how much you think you can earn. That’s a huge limitation for many people looking to build wealth easily, not having “seen” wealth.
10. The professional/corporate grind
Being a regular 9 to 5 employee with a guaranteed salary, benefits, 401k and stock options, and job security is not a negative— unless you want more than trading your time for dollars, that is! Admittedly, for some people, there’s something to be said for the safety of a secure, well-paying job that makes us feel normal. You can get rich just by living below your means and investing the difference— even teachers who made no more than $30,000 a year have died leaving multi-million dollar estates. This is great if you are patient, disciplined and can wait 30 years— but it’s not MY idea of how to get rich. Nor is ANY job or career exactly so “safe” anymore in today’s world of downsizing, layoffs, outsourcing, off-shoring, corporate mismanagement, and eroding benefits. Worse, you’re not using leverage here— no matter how hard you work, you can leverage yourself to a great degree as an employee! You’re a cog in someone else’s machine as an employee.
9. Unlimited income direct sales
Sales is one of the highest-paying professions in the world. It can also be the lowest-paying profession in the world. Being a commissioned salesperson with no earnings cap on commissions can bring in a lot of money if you’re good. IF you’re good and you bust your hump. And if your product is solid. And if the economy is strong. And if your company stays in business. And on and on. Too much is not in your hands! The main issue though is that the skills that will avail you of a successful career in professional sales can be used much more efficiently when you leverage yourself by using other vehicles to channel your talents.
8. Franchise Owner
2 + 2 = 4 no matter whether you can do math or not. Franchises are set up to be businesses run based on a system already proven profitable. Whether they are as “turnkey” as their promoters claim is debatable, but there is certainly money in the franchise game to be made. It’s no wonder economists have labeled the franchise boom of the 20th century as the McDonaldization of business when the average McDonald’s restaurant franchise grosses $1.9 Million per year for its franchisee owner. Still, the financial barrier to entry can be as high as a normal business and in many cases even higher.
Leverage Yourself
7. Network Marketing
This one could closer to the top of the list if the opportunities available were worthy to be at the top—most aren’t. If you find the right opportunity, however, and work it with a vengeance on a consistent basis you can gain leverage yourself substantially by using other people’s time. Unfortunately, most people never find the right company at the right time and make the right choice to take action. Then, when they fail, as 9 in 10 do within a year, they give up never having gotten past the dream of buying into someone’s plan to teach them how to get rich—and into the reality. However, for the person in sales who can sell and recruit, network marketing is a better answer in many cases than just conventional selling— for the simple fact that you’re building your own business and residual income streams that will continue whether you continue to work or not.
6. Information Product Sales
Internet marketers of today are capitalizing in ever-increasing numbers on human nature tendencies direct marketers have known for many, many long years. There are some “problems” we have as people that there is NO LIMIT to the amount of money we will throw at the problem trying to find the perfect “solution”. The best markets to sell information products to are: (1) Business Owners Seeking Solutions (2) Better Appearance Seekers (3) Business Opportunity Seekers (3) Diet & Fitness Seekers (4) Dating Advice Seekers and 5) Avid Leisure Hobbyists. The best part about information product sales is the low overhead cost to produce the products you deliver, and the high profit margins you can earn.
5. Business Owner
Business ownership has many more benefits than can be touched on in a short paragraph but suffice it to say that if you’re not in business for yourself you should be. There is little more fulfilling than being your own boss, and working to build something that might outlast you. The cash flow, the tax benefits, the respect in the community, the outlet for creativity— all of these things make owning a small business (or growing a large one) a large part of the average human dream. As a business owner, you can incorporate many of these other vehicles in your plan for building wealth easily.
4. Celebrity
Clearly, celebrity sells. There are many mega-millionaires on this planet with no other talent than somehow managing to capture the interest of an audience worldwide (or even regionally) longer than their allotted “15 minutes of fame”. Publicity equals better than advertising and advertising done skillfully equals revenue. Celebrities are money machines who can make money in most of the rest of these categories but there are three reasons this is not nearer the top of the list. Despite the number of “what did they do’s?” out there , there are many more celebrities who are famous for a reason— they worked very hard to become the best (or best promoted) at what they do— be it sports, entertainment, speaking, etc. Secondly, there is a very high barrier to entry to this kind of life, one most people just do not have the look, skills, contacts, nerve, or charisma to break into. Lastly, there’s a huge cost to celebrity that would take it out of the top choices of a “best ways on how to get rich” list: your privacy is nonexistent in today’s world of celebrity.
3. Intellectual Property
With income streams from licensing to franchising to royalties to patents, copyrights, and trademarks— creating intellectual property is a serious method of building wealth easily. Musicians, authors, inventors, creative artists, franchisors, entrepreneurs, and high-level marketers are all making tons of money, residually, for many years from work they completed just once. This is a very high leverage activity! Books, music, ebooks, graphic and multimedia designs, software, copywriting, inventions, franchisable sales systems, the list goes on and on. Is this a vehicle you can put into action tomorrow? Not usually! But as you make your way in the world of wealth do not forget to use intellectual property to leverage yourself!
How to Get Rich: Real Estate Investing the Best?
2. The Real Estate Business
It’s widely accepted that 90% of all the world’s millionaires either made or keep their wealth in real estate. Water is wet. The sky is blue. Over time, real estate goes up. These are simple facts. Contrary to the “get rich quick” infomercials you’ve seen, though, figuring out how to get rich in real estate investing isn’t easy. But it is simple, once you understand the processes involved and actively and consistently pursue the business. Real estate investing is one of the highest forms of leverage we have as entrepreneurs, with savvy investors utilizing not only other people’s money, but also other people’s time and even other people’s credit. The real estate business is full of wealth-building opportunities: foreclosures, rentals, lease options, commercial properties, short sales, tax liens, being an agent or loan officer, investing in notes and mortgages…the list goes on and on! Of these, investing in notes and mortgages is pretty high on the easy scale, getting the benefits of real estate without some of the management headaches.
I obviously believe in real estate investing, but I’m not so sure there isn’t an even better, easier, higher leverage vehicle out there for creative entrepreneurs like you and me!
1. Joint Ventures (A.K.A. Strategic Alliances)
Joint Ventures is the best way to build wealth easily. Scratching your head? Well, soon you’ll see that doing successful joint ventures to make massive cash with minimum efforts and minimum risk is just common sense. Too bad common sense ain’t common! If you can master putting together joint ventures, you can be assured that if you build wealth and lose it all— you can quickly earn it back. When you master joint ventures, everything you need to get started again building wealth easily is now in your thought processes. It’s become as simple as common sense. This is because with successful joint ventures you don’t need products or services or invesntory. You don’t need an office, factory, employees, customers, or anything else traditional businesses need. You just need ideas. Of course, if you have any of these things, it only makes it easier because you bring something even more to the table than your brilliant ideas. The basic formula of how to get rich with joint ventures is answering these questions: “Who do I know?”, “What do they have?”, and “What do they need?” Then you play deal maker. That’s it! Zero risk, high profit potential. The ultimate in way to leverage yourself to build wealth easily.
Team Players for Your Next Real Estate Purchase
Buying a house is a major financial and legal process that typically encompasses a wide range of smaller transactions along the way. A single real estate sale – no matter how simple – will usually involve a smorgasbord of different specialties, professions, and areas of expertise, not to mention the potential for myriad emotional and psychological demands and reactions. For most consumers a real estate purchase does, in fact, represent the most comprehensive and complex deal of an entire lifetime.
Those who venture into such undertakings can help ensure their success by enlisting the support of a talented and educated team of pros, and here is a recommended list to use as a starting point when recruiting help for your big home purchase project:
• Real Estate Brokers and Mortgage Lenders
Ask friends for recommendations, and when you interview potential brokers and lenders ask them about their experience and track record. Also find out what particular area of real estate and neighborhoods they specialize in, because this can be incredibly important. If you’re buying a downtown condo, for instance, you want someone who knows that market, not somebody whose experience is primarily in listing and selling suburban houses or mountain lodges. Communication is essential, so only choose those with whom you have a comfortable rapport. If the interpersonal chemistry doesn’t feel right, keep looking.
• Building Inspectors
Just as when you have a question about your car you go to a trusted mechanic, when buying a house or condo you should have a reliable building inspector on your team. But keep in mind that there are different kinds of inspectors. You’ll want one to check for termites and other pests, and another to check for environmental hazards such as radon gas and asbestos. For a general inspection, you’ll hire a licensed general building inspector to study the mechanical and structural components of the house, such as the electrical system, appliances, foundation, roof, and plumbing.
Building inspectors are also the best source of information about how to properly maintain your home. Follow them around as they check your home, and ask them to teach you how to do your own routine inspections after you move in, to look for potential problems before they happen.
• A Real Estate Attorney
Real estate is a specialized legal field, and when buying a house you should enlist the services of someone who only practices real estate law.
• Contractors
Contractors are the ones you’ll call to actually get repair cost estimates and do the work. Folks such as house painters, carpenters, landscapers, and plumbers can help you estimate how much to negotiate with the seller for repairs, and they can also provide insight into how to approach any improvements, updates, or remodeling projects that you might envision.
Get competing bids, but remember that the cheapest bid doesn’t always guarantee the best work. The main thing to look for is a stellar reputation for exceptional quality and attention to detail, and your contractors should all carry appropriate insurance to cover themselves in case they are injured while working on your premises.
• Chimney Sweeps
If you have a chimney, you’ll also need a certified chimney sweep to check it for cracks, leaks, or potentially dangerous build-up of flammable residue. Thanks to modern tools, those in this old-school trade can now snake a tiny video camera into your chimney and make a thorough visual examination of every nook and cranny, no matter how ancient or narrow the air passageway may be. The best chimney sweeps also have powerful vacuum cleaners – often mounted on trucks – that are especially designed to let them capture dust, ashes, and soot without letting any of it escape and settle on your fine white rugs and draperies.
This list is by no means complete, and you may or may not need all of these experts for your particular purchase. On the other hand, you may need to add to the list to bring others on board. For instance, if you are buying property in an historical neighborhood, you might need to hire someone who knows old-fashioned plastering techniques. If you’re looking at farmland, you could need a well digger or an agricultural consultant. Buying a cool urban warehouse loft? You may very well need to call that guy in town who knows how to fix antique elevators or the woman in the neighborhood who sells steam radiators that come in different Crayola crayon colors.
Buying a home can – and typically does – have significant repercussions that last far into the future. A house purchase influences the personal and financial lives of both you and your partner, so it is always wise and prudent to approach the event with as much information, guidance, insight, and reliable professional support as possible.
Those who venture into such undertakings can help ensure their success by enlisting the support of a talented and educated team of pros, and here is a recommended list to use as a starting point when recruiting help for your big home purchase project:
• Real Estate Brokers and Mortgage Lenders
Ask friends for recommendations, and when you interview potential brokers and lenders ask them about their experience and track record. Also find out what particular area of real estate and neighborhoods they specialize in, because this can be incredibly important. If you’re buying a downtown condo, for instance, you want someone who knows that market, not somebody whose experience is primarily in listing and selling suburban houses or mountain lodges. Communication is essential, so only choose those with whom you have a comfortable rapport. If the interpersonal chemistry doesn’t feel right, keep looking.
• Building Inspectors
Just as when you have a question about your car you go to a trusted mechanic, when buying a house or condo you should have a reliable building inspector on your team. But keep in mind that there are different kinds of inspectors. You’ll want one to check for termites and other pests, and another to check for environmental hazards such as radon gas and asbestos. For a general inspection, you’ll hire a licensed general building inspector to study the mechanical and structural components of the house, such as the electrical system, appliances, foundation, roof, and plumbing.
Building inspectors are also the best source of information about how to properly maintain your home. Follow them around as they check your home, and ask them to teach you how to do your own routine inspections after you move in, to look for potential problems before they happen.
• A Real Estate Attorney
Real estate is a specialized legal field, and when buying a house you should enlist the services of someone who only practices real estate law.
• Contractors
Contractors are the ones you’ll call to actually get repair cost estimates and do the work. Folks such as house painters, carpenters, landscapers, and plumbers can help you estimate how much to negotiate with the seller for repairs, and they can also provide insight into how to approach any improvements, updates, or remodeling projects that you might envision.
Get competing bids, but remember that the cheapest bid doesn’t always guarantee the best work. The main thing to look for is a stellar reputation for exceptional quality and attention to detail, and your contractors should all carry appropriate insurance to cover themselves in case they are injured while working on your premises.
• Chimney Sweeps
If you have a chimney, you’ll also need a certified chimney sweep to check it for cracks, leaks, or potentially dangerous build-up of flammable residue. Thanks to modern tools, those in this old-school trade can now snake a tiny video camera into your chimney and make a thorough visual examination of every nook and cranny, no matter how ancient or narrow the air passageway may be. The best chimney sweeps also have powerful vacuum cleaners – often mounted on trucks – that are especially designed to let them capture dust, ashes, and soot without letting any of it escape and settle on your fine white rugs and draperies.
This list is by no means complete, and you may or may not need all of these experts for your particular purchase. On the other hand, you may need to add to the list to bring others on board. For instance, if you are buying property in an historical neighborhood, you might need to hire someone who knows old-fashioned plastering techniques. If you’re looking at farmland, you could need a well digger or an agricultural consultant. Buying a cool urban warehouse loft? You may very well need to call that guy in town who knows how to fix antique elevators or the woman in the neighborhood who sells steam radiators that come in different Crayola crayon colors.
Buying a home can – and typically does – have significant repercussions that last far into the future. A house purchase influences the personal and financial lives of both you and your partner, so it is always wise and prudent to approach the event with as much information, guidance, insight, and reliable professional support as possible.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Real Estate Investing Or Landlording?
Real estate investing is the classic wealth vehicle that has taken people from living hand to mouth to the pinnacle of wealth.
It's the vehicle of choice because it's accessible to all of us. Everone has a least rented a house or apartment, and most of us have bought a house. So knowing what it's like to be renter or homeowner we have first hand knowledge of our customers when we set out to be real estate investors.
The classic real estate investing model is buy a bunch of houses, rent them out and in 30 years the mortgages will be paid off, the properties will have at least doubled in value, the rents will be twice what they were when you started ... with no loan payment.
The goal sounds inspiring. Imagine having 10 properties you bought 30 years ago, each for $80,000, now be worth $350,000 apiece as a result of a average annual appreciation rate of 5%. You would have a portfolio worth about $3,500,000. Monthly rents, on the low side, of $1,200 per house would give you gross monthly rents of $12,000. After T&I you probably put $9,000 in your pocket.
I think you would agree this is an extremely modest goal, but what a payoff!!
What a payoff indeed ... for those who actually stick with it. You see there's a problem with the above scenario, and that is the early years are really tough.
Cashflow is slim, expenses are high, and most investors who take this on don't make it through.
They run out of cash.
The short-term solution is to change your focus from buying and holding to quick-turning houses for cash. Quick-turning houses, getting them under contract super cheap and flipping them to another investor for $5-20,000 or more will take care of your cashflow needs today while you hold your rental properties for long term growth. This is great ... money, cash!
But you are not out of the woods yet.
Your new short-term problem is management. If you are buying houses to hold for the long term you must be prepared for the fact that you will be managing them yourself, whether you take on that job as an individual or create a management company to do it. The fact remains that at some point your occupation will change from real estate investor to landlord.
And I'm afraid gentle reader, landlording is dirty, smelly business. One you do not want to be in.
There are worse things in life than being a landlord, most definitely, but that's not why you got into real estate. You got into real estate because you want the big dollars. The really big ones. The 'buy your own island' big dollars, the 'house on each continent' kind of dollars. The nine figure net worth.
Didn't you?
That net worth is available, in fact it's waiting for you to claim it, but you won't achieve the growth necessary to get there buying single family homes. As a growth vehicle they are very inefficient.
>From a real estate investing standpoint the purpose of a single family home is to give you experience doing deals, and to take care of your immediate cash needs.
After you've paid off all your debts, have 12 months living expenses in the bank, and have a kitty of say, $100,000 to $200,000 there isn't much further use for single family homes.
Unless, of course, you want to be a landlord.
As soon as you are debt free and have some starting capital you should move straight into buying apartments.
There is all kinds of leverage to be achieved by changing your wealth vehicle from single family houses to apartment buildings.
- from a value standpoint when buying apartments you are dealing with much bigger dollars, so as the years go by, you make more through appreciation.
- apartments have a much higher rent per square foot compared to houses, so property management can be brought in take management out of your hands in a cost effective manner.
- apartment buildings make sense from a business standpoint so it is no difficult to attract partner capital. - there is an abundance of apartment financing available from lenders up to 80% loan to value.
- there are many profit centers, like repairing units and increasing rents, filling vancancies, that can be capitalized on to capture upside value.
Also, because apartments are not reliant on your personal attention and can be effectively managed by property management companies you are not restricted to buying in your own local market.
By becoming aware of market cycles and tracking them closely, you can buy quality properties in any market in the US at the bottom of a cycle, and ride the appreciation to the top of the market, where you sell (or exchange out) and take huge profits.
Of course, providing you live in a market (like CA) that appreciates rapidly in an up cycle, you can achieve this with single familiy houses too. But which property would you rather have appreciating at 15% a year, a $300,000 house, or a $10,000,000 apartment building.
After 10 years a $300,000 house will turn into $1.33M. Nothing to sneeze at. But during the same 10 years in the same market a $10M apartment building will turn into $44.4M.
Which would you rather have?
It's an easy choice, and one you simply need to make.
It's the vehicle of choice because it's accessible to all of us. Everone has a least rented a house or apartment, and most of us have bought a house. So knowing what it's like to be renter or homeowner we have first hand knowledge of our customers when we set out to be real estate investors.
The classic real estate investing model is buy a bunch of houses, rent them out and in 30 years the mortgages will be paid off, the properties will have at least doubled in value, the rents will be twice what they were when you started ... with no loan payment.
The goal sounds inspiring. Imagine having 10 properties you bought 30 years ago, each for $80,000, now be worth $350,000 apiece as a result of a average annual appreciation rate of 5%. You would have a portfolio worth about $3,500,000. Monthly rents, on the low side, of $1,200 per house would give you gross monthly rents of $12,000. After T&I you probably put $9,000 in your pocket.
I think you would agree this is an extremely modest goal, but what a payoff!!
What a payoff indeed ... for those who actually stick with it. You see there's a problem with the above scenario, and that is the early years are really tough.
Cashflow is slim, expenses are high, and most investors who take this on don't make it through.
They run out of cash.
The short-term solution is to change your focus from buying and holding to quick-turning houses for cash. Quick-turning houses, getting them under contract super cheap and flipping them to another investor for $5-20,000 or more will take care of your cashflow needs today while you hold your rental properties for long term growth. This is great ... money, cash!
But you are not out of the woods yet.
Your new short-term problem is management. If you are buying houses to hold for the long term you must be prepared for the fact that you will be managing them yourself, whether you take on that job as an individual or create a management company to do it. The fact remains that at some point your occupation will change from real estate investor to landlord.
And I'm afraid gentle reader, landlording is dirty, smelly business. One you do not want to be in.
There are worse things in life than being a landlord, most definitely, but that's not why you got into real estate. You got into real estate because you want the big dollars. The really big ones. The 'buy your own island' big dollars, the 'house on each continent' kind of dollars. The nine figure net worth.
Didn't you?
That net worth is available, in fact it's waiting for you to claim it, but you won't achieve the growth necessary to get there buying single family homes. As a growth vehicle they are very inefficient.
>From a real estate investing standpoint the purpose of a single family home is to give you experience doing deals, and to take care of your immediate cash needs.
After you've paid off all your debts, have 12 months living expenses in the bank, and have a kitty of say, $100,000 to $200,000 there isn't much further use for single family homes.
Unless, of course, you want to be a landlord.
As soon as you are debt free and have some starting capital you should move straight into buying apartments.
There is all kinds of leverage to be achieved by changing your wealth vehicle from single family houses to apartment buildings.
- from a value standpoint when buying apartments you are dealing with much bigger dollars, so as the years go by, you make more through appreciation.
- apartments have a much higher rent per square foot compared to houses, so property management can be brought in take management out of your hands in a cost effective manner.
- apartment buildings make sense from a business standpoint so it is no difficult to attract partner capital. - there is an abundance of apartment financing available from lenders up to 80% loan to value.
- there are many profit centers, like repairing units and increasing rents, filling vancancies, that can be capitalized on to capture upside value.
Also, because apartments are not reliant on your personal attention and can be effectively managed by property management companies you are not restricted to buying in your own local market.
By becoming aware of market cycles and tracking them closely, you can buy quality properties in any market in the US at the bottom of a cycle, and ride the appreciation to the top of the market, where you sell (or exchange out) and take huge profits.
Of course, providing you live in a market (like CA) that appreciates rapidly in an up cycle, you can achieve this with single familiy houses too. But which property would you rather have appreciating at 15% a year, a $300,000 house, or a $10,000,000 apartment building.
After 10 years a $300,000 house will turn into $1.33M. Nothing to sneeze at. But during the same 10 years in the same market a $10M apartment building will turn into $44.4M.
Which would you rather have?
It's an easy choice, and one you simply need to make.
Goals in Real Estate
I want to ask you two questions. One, do you have a Will? And two, do you have written goals for the next one, three, five and ten years? If you answered yes to the first question but no to the second, you are planning more for your death than you are while you are here. Think about it. I want to challenge you to start setting some goals, but remember if a goal is not in writing, it is simply a conversation. It must be in writing and it must have a deadline. Here are a few guidelines for setting goals. Oh, by the way... you need a will also.
Goals Must be Specific
I want you to be specific and include details but start rough. When you start rough for example, you want a Mercedes. You do not have to get into the details about what color, what options, that sort of thing, just write it down. Make your list huge, what kind of home do you want, what you want for your family, college education, spend more time, travel, anything you can think of. You can come back later and prioritize them and set them up as to what you want in one month, three months, six months, twelve months, then three, five, ten, twenty, thirty year goals. The more goals you have, the happier you will be, the longer you will live, and the more prosperous you will be.
Goals Must be Believable
Remember this, your goals must be believable, by you, or you will not pay the price. They must be believable, they must be just out of your reach, but you must know you can reach them, if you really strive to do it.
Goals Must be Measurable
You cannot set a goal to be financially independent. There is no way you can measure that. You need to set a goal for the amount of income you want per month, per year, the amount of equity that you want in properties – one, three, five, ten and twenty years. It must be measurable. That way you can break it down to what I call “reduce it to the ridiculous”. If you know you want to earn $100,000 a year, you know that is $8,333 per month. That’s just one deal a month where I live. One of the things I have learned is, successful people set their goals quickly and they make adjustments as they go along. Just like successful people make decisions quickly, they do not vacillate in indecision or what I call sometimes; get mixed up in a funk of negativity.
Goals Must be Congruent
Your goals must also be congruent with your actions. You cannot set a goal to work harder, longer hours AND a goal to spend more time with your family. Those are not congruent. They must be congruent with your actions.
Visualize What You Want
Another good thing that will help you with your goals is to visualize what you want. If you see yourself as already having achieved the goal, you will fake out your mind and your mind sees the goal as already having been achieved. It’s called “fake it till you make it”. I used to do this all of the time. Just take a minute or two each day and think about life as it is with your goals already accomplished. It’s really easy when you get used to it.
Work Your Goals
The next thing you want to do is work your goals, work on the priority that moves you closer to your goals every day.
Number Your Goals
Number your goals in the order of importance. Not only is the goal important but so is the reason. Sure your want a car, but why do you want the car? Sure your want more money, but why do you want money? You want to be able to spend more time with your family, you want to be able to travel, you want to buy a Hummer, and you want to have an ocean front condo or send your children to the best college. Whatever it is, the reason must be there. The reason is more important than the goal itself.
Review, Monitor and Make Adjustments
Another thing you need to do is review, monitor and make adjustments on your goals. You have to be flexible. Some things are not going to happen, you have to face that; but you need to continuously strive to get better every day. If you will work harder on yourself than you do on your job then you will always be growing. Remember that last sentence and write it down as it is worth repeating.
The Goals Must Have a Deadline
As I mentioned first, your goals must have a deadline. A goal without a deadline is just a conversation. When beginning to set your goals, I want you to set your goals in four basic areas:
Financial
You will set goals based on income, equity or net worth and cash flow. All of these are financial goals.
Fitness
This is your health. If you don’t feel good, chances are that you are not working at your maximum capacity. So, I want you to set some fitness goals to stay healthy. Remember “an apple a day”? What if this is right and you are not doing it? Start small though, you don’t try to tackle all of these at once; but you need to be healthy not only for you but for your family as well.
Family
Set family goals. What is an example of a family goal? Maybe you want to take four vacations a year. Maybe you want to visit a new state, three times a year or five times a year. Maybe you want to go see the Grandparents two or three times a year; but maybe not. Anyway, you get the point.
Faith
You need to set some spiritual goals, some faith goals. I am not going to get into a lot of detail about that but that will help you along your way. Remember, if you slip in one area of your goals, you are probably slipping in some other areas. Another thing I want you to think about is the people you associate with. Take a minute and think about this. If you think about your ten closes friends annual salary and divide it by ten, then that is pretty close to what you make. I’m not telling you to get rid of your friends, all I’m saying is whom you associate with, is who you are like, so please keep that in mind. Don’t get rid of your friends, just get some more that are where YOU want to be financially. Most of the people I hang out with now, we all make over $500,000.00 a year. That just blows me away. I never imagined I could make that kind of money…. Well I guess I could, as we are talking about goal setting and visualization aren’t we?
Goals Must be Specific
I want you to be specific and include details but start rough. When you start rough for example, you want a Mercedes. You do not have to get into the details about what color, what options, that sort of thing, just write it down. Make your list huge, what kind of home do you want, what you want for your family, college education, spend more time, travel, anything you can think of. You can come back later and prioritize them and set them up as to what you want in one month, three months, six months, twelve months, then three, five, ten, twenty, thirty year goals. The more goals you have, the happier you will be, the longer you will live, and the more prosperous you will be.
Goals Must be Believable
Remember this, your goals must be believable, by you, or you will not pay the price. They must be believable, they must be just out of your reach, but you must know you can reach them, if you really strive to do it.
Goals Must be Measurable
You cannot set a goal to be financially independent. There is no way you can measure that. You need to set a goal for the amount of income you want per month, per year, the amount of equity that you want in properties – one, three, five, ten and twenty years. It must be measurable. That way you can break it down to what I call “reduce it to the ridiculous”. If you know you want to earn $100,000 a year, you know that is $8,333 per month. That’s just one deal a month where I live. One of the things I have learned is, successful people set their goals quickly and they make adjustments as they go along. Just like successful people make decisions quickly, they do not vacillate in indecision or what I call sometimes; get mixed up in a funk of negativity.
Goals Must be Congruent
Your goals must also be congruent with your actions. You cannot set a goal to work harder, longer hours AND a goal to spend more time with your family. Those are not congruent. They must be congruent with your actions.
Visualize What You Want
Another good thing that will help you with your goals is to visualize what you want. If you see yourself as already having achieved the goal, you will fake out your mind and your mind sees the goal as already having been achieved. It’s called “fake it till you make it”. I used to do this all of the time. Just take a minute or two each day and think about life as it is with your goals already accomplished. It’s really easy when you get used to it.
Work Your Goals
The next thing you want to do is work your goals, work on the priority that moves you closer to your goals every day.
Number Your Goals
Number your goals in the order of importance. Not only is the goal important but so is the reason. Sure your want a car, but why do you want the car? Sure your want more money, but why do you want money? You want to be able to spend more time with your family, you want to be able to travel, you want to buy a Hummer, and you want to have an ocean front condo or send your children to the best college. Whatever it is, the reason must be there. The reason is more important than the goal itself.
Review, Monitor and Make Adjustments
Another thing you need to do is review, monitor and make adjustments on your goals. You have to be flexible. Some things are not going to happen, you have to face that; but you need to continuously strive to get better every day. If you will work harder on yourself than you do on your job then you will always be growing. Remember that last sentence and write it down as it is worth repeating.
The Goals Must Have a Deadline
As I mentioned first, your goals must have a deadline. A goal without a deadline is just a conversation. When beginning to set your goals, I want you to set your goals in four basic areas:
Financial
You will set goals based on income, equity or net worth and cash flow. All of these are financial goals.
Fitness
This is your health. If you don’t feel good, chances are that you are not working at your maximum capacity. So, I want you to set some fitness goals to stay healthy. Remember “an apple a day”? What if this is right and you are not doing it? Start small though, you don’t try to tackle all of these at once; but you need to be healthy not only for you but for your family as well.
Family
Set family goals. What is an example of a family goal? Maybe you want to take four vacations a year. Maybe you want to visit a new state, three times a year or five times a year. Maybe you want to go see the Grandparents two or three times a year; but maybe not. Anyway, you get the point.
Faith
You need to set some spiritual goals, some faith goals. I am not going to get into a lot of detail about that but that will help you along your way. Remember, if you slip in one area of your goals, you are probably slipping in some other areas. Another thing I want you to think about is the people you associate with. Take a minute and think about this. If you think about your ten closes friends annual salary and divide it by ten, then that is pretty close to what you make. I’m not telling you to get rid of your friends, all I’m saying is whom you associate with, is who you are like, so please keep that in mind. Don’t get rid of your friends, just get some more that are where YOU want to be financially. Most of the people I hang out with now, we all make over $500,000.00 a year. That just blows me away. I never imagined I could make that kind of money…. Well I guess I could, as we are talking about goal setting and visualization aren’t we?
Invest in a Hot Real Estate Market
A frequent question I am asked is:
"How do I find deals in a hot real estate market?"
Actually, there are several ways to find real estate deals in a hot market. The answer depends on your investment goals and the level of risk you are willing to take. Personally, I'm conservative in a hot market. I may make less money than others who speculate and buy just because the market is hot. But your goals and risk-tolerance may be different.
Here are some different temperaments of real estate investments and how they approach finding properties:
The Speculator: In a HOT market the speculator is a genius. A speculator can do no wrong, because whatever he pays today there will be somebody willing to pay more tomorrow. And, just like the stock market, when you're hot, you're hot and everybody's a winner.
The downside for the speculator happens when all good things must come to an end. And sometimes when it does, the speculator might be stuck holding the bag. I have no personal objection to people speculating, but I have zero patience or tolerance for whining when the ride is over! It's like Russian Roulette; your odds of winning are 5 in 6 and that's pretty good, isn't it?
On the upside, a lot of money can be made speculating. If you are in and out quickly, your risk is limited to your holdings at any given time. The flip side of this is that markets often give back some of the artificial profits. There is a risk you could find yourself having paid more than a property is worth, and if the markets turn around quickly it is an ugly position to be in.
In a hot market, many investors are willing to pay retail price and then turn around and sell at higher new market values that result from the rush of buyers. Hopefully you can see the danger in the game. If you choose to play, make sure you understand the risks. I used to trade commodities, and that's a game all about managing risks. With the risk comes the reward, and my hat is off to those that win. :)
The Investor: A market that is on fire is a speculator's dream and an investor's nightmare because methods that used to work no longer get the same results. Your marketing efforts will see decreased efficiency and you'll have fewer opportunities to purchase properties at the discounts you are accustomed to. It's frustrating because even though your marketing results are plummeting, the answer is to market more and become better at marketing!
A hot market can deliver a real blow to an investor's self confidence. It makes the investor stop and ask if they are doing something wrong. They're not, but changes need to be made. Since marketing is less effective in a hot market, more time must be spent on marketing to generate sufficient leads. A possibility is to specialize in a field and dominate a niche.
A few possibilities:
• Pre-foreclosures (and yes, it is a dog-eat-dog world)
• Bankruptcies
• Divorce Filings
• Eviction Notices (disgruntled landlords)
• Quit Claim Properties
• Death Notices
• Tax Liens Filed
And, when the market is hot, look for opportunities to buy "subject to" properties that create cash flow. Anytime property cash flows it's hard to go wrong long term!
What do I do in a HOT real estate market? Personally, I've sold many of my properties to realize cash profits. I am now anxiously waiting for the markets to turn. I know when it does, most investors will be running for cover while I'll be one of the few to pick up deals. The entire investing game changes at this point and I'll explain what to do in this type of a market later.
However, don't think I've stopped buying houses. No way! We're still wholesaling houses and most of the time the profits are a little smaller, but we're in and out the same day and making cash money without risk. Nothing wrong with that and there's still plenty of deals out there.
When will the markets turn? The answer is, "Who knows?" and, "Maybe they won't." And, it doesn't really matter if you know how to invest in your current market. But, let me tell you why I believe the markets will change:
1. Markets Cycle - Nothing is immune to the ups and downs of a market and cycling is a natural part of the process. When there is not enough housing, there is a rush to build houses. Then too many houses are built and everyone stops. Then there are not enough and on and on the cycle continues.
2. Interest Rates - As interest rates rise, consumers will be able to afford less and less of a house. This will affect the market demand, prices, and construction of new homes. When the market turns, some smart investors will be looking to buy entire subdivision projects from bankrupt developers. In a hot market many houses are pre-sold, but when this dries up, many developers are in BIG trouble because they were dependant on deposits and profits from pre-solds when construction is completed.
3. The U.S. Economy - I didn't plan on covering this topic, but it is important to at least note. For the last 100 years, the U.S. has been the financial powerhouse of the world and has been able to push its weight around (and during this time the U.S. markets went through many natural cycles). But, this is changing quickly and the new currency of the world is the Euro. This is demonstrated by the Euro's strength and the number of countries scaling back U.S. dollar investments (T-bonds, etc.) and moving into Euros. In short, the U.S. dollar has taken a beating.
Combine this data with a $50 billion per month deficit, and you should see that something is wrong. Put those two together and you might see a bigger picture beyond just a hot market.
In addition to the US Economy a lot of work is finding its way overseas through services such as www.elance.com. It's an entrepreneur's dream come true, because it is a free market economy, but to the American employee it is a brutal wake-up call.
Will the markets turn? Always, and when they do we'll adjust our investing strategies to the market and make great profits.
"How do I find deals in a hot real estate market?"
Actually, there are several ways to find real estate deals in a hot market. The answer depends on your investment goals and the level of risk you are willing to take. Personally, I'm conservative in a hot market. I may make less money than others who speculate and buy just because the market is hot. But your goals and risk-tolerance may be different.
Here are some different temperaments of real estate investments and how they approach finding properties:
The Speculator: In a HOT market the speculator is a genius. A speculator can do no wrong, because whatever he pays today there will be somebody willing to pay more tomorrow. And, just like the stock market, when you're hot, you're hot and everybody's a winner.
The downside for the speculator happens when all good things must come to an end. And sometimes when it does, the speculator might be stuck holding the bag. I have no personal objection to people speculating, but I have zero patience or tolerance for whining when the ride is over! It's like Russian Roulette; your odds of winning are 5 in 6 and that's pretty good, isn't it?
On the upside, a lot of money can be made speculating. If you are in and out quickly, your risk is limited to your holdings at any given time. The flip side of this is that markets often give back some of the artificial profits. There is a risk you could find yourself having paid more than a property is worth, and if the markets turn around quickly it is an ugly position to be in.
In a hot market, many investors are willing to pay retail price and then turn around and sell at higher new market values that result from the rush of buyers. Hopefully you can see the danger in the game. If you choose to play, make sure you understand the risks. I used to trade commodities, and that's a game all about managing risks. With the risk comes the reward, and my hat is off to those that win. :)
The Investor: A market that is on fire is a speculator's dream and an investor's nightmare because methods that used to work no longer get the same results. Your marketing efforts will see decreased efficiency and you'll have fewer opportunities to purchase properties at the discounts you are accustomed to. It's frustrating because even though your marketing results are plummeting, the answer is to market more and become better at marketing!
A hot market can deliver a real blow to an investor's self confidence. It makes the investor stop and ask if they are doing something wrong. They're not, but changes need to be made. Since marketing is less effective in a hot market, more time must be spent on marketing to generate sufficient leads. A possibility is to specialize in a field and dominate a niche.
A few possibilities:
• Pre-foreclosures (and yes, it is a dog-eat-dog world)
• Bankruptcies
• Divorce Filings
• Eviction Notices (disgruntled landlords)
• Quit Claim Properties
• Death Notices
• Tax Liens Filed
And, when the market is hot, look for opportunities to buy "subject to" properties that create cash flow. Anytime property cash flows it's hard to go wrong long term!
What do I do in a HOT real estate market? Personally, I've sold many of my properties to realize cash profits. I am now anxiously waiting for the markets to turn. I know when it does, most investors will be running for cover while I'll be one of the few to pick up deals. The entire investing game changes at this point and I'll explain what to do in this type of a market later.
However, don't think I've stopped buying houses. No way! We're still wholesaling houses and most of the time the profits are a little smaller, but we're in and out the same day and making cash money without risk. Nothing wrong with that and there's still plenty of deals out there.
When will the markets turn? The answer is, "Who knows?" and, "Maybe they won't." And, it doesn't really matter if you know how to invest in your current market. But, let me tell you why I believe the markets will change:
1. Markets Cycle - Nothing is immune to the ups and downs of a market and cycling is a natural part of the process. When there is not enough housing, there is a rush to build houses. Then too many houses are built and everyone stops. Then there are not enough and on and on the cycle continues.
2. Interest Rates - As interest rates rise, consumers will be able to afford less and less of a house. This will affect the market demand, prices, and construction of new homes. When the market turns, some smart investors will be looking to buy entire subdivision projects from bankrupt developers. In a hot market many houses are pre-sold, but when this dries up, many developers are in BIG trouble because they were dependant on deposits and profits from pre-solds when construction is completed.
3. The U.S. Economy - I didn't plan on covering this topic, but it is important to at least note. For the last 100 years, the U.S. has been the financial powerhouse of the world and has been able to push its weight around (and during this time the U.S. markets went through many natural cycles). But, this is changing quickly and the new currency of the world is the Euro. This is demonstrated by the Euro's strength and the number of countries scaling back U.S. dollar investments (T-bonds, etc.) and moving into Euros. In short, the U.S. dollar has taken a beating.
Combine this data with a $50 billion per month deficit, and you should see that something is wrong. Put those two together and you might see a bigger picture beyond just a hot market.
In addition to the US Economy a lot of work is finding its way overseas through services such as www.elance.com. It's an entrepreneur's dream come true, because it is a free market economy, but to the American employee it is a brutal wake-up call.
Will the markets turn? Always, and when they do we'll adjust our investing strategies to the market and make great profits.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Real Estate Listings
Expired Real Estate Listings have been the near exclusive domain of real estate agents for as long as I can remember. Top producing agents know that expireds don't require a lot of effort to get, yet yield a high return on their time and money invested in marketing them. And all you have to do to find them is log into your MLS system, enter the dates that you're interested in and presto - there they are.
But the days of exclusivity may be drawing to a close, as buyers and investors are competing for those same expireds. They too are starting to realize that expireds offer special opportunities for them as well, but instead of listings they get to bid on properties that are all of a sudden off the market and may be reduced by at least the cost of the real estate listing fee, which is no longer in effect because it expired, too.
But buyers and sellers are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to expired listings- they don't have easy access to the MLS system. They can't just log into the MLS system - they don't have access to it.
Instead, they have to be a little more innovative. Some sign Buyer Broker Agreements, whereby they hire and pay agents to help them buy real estate. And since the agents will get paid by the buyer they can then expand the properties shown to their prospective buyers to include expired real estate listings, fsbos and even properties that are actively listed in MLS systems.
Suddenly, buying options for buyers and investors expand threefold. Agents are now free to show them almost any property on the market and the Buyer Broker contract ensures that they'll get paid.
The concept is a little unorthodox, and is not utilized by many, but those that do know about it are finding that there are more buying options than they would otherwise have.
My first Buyer Broker experience was as an agent and it was a wonderful experience. At the time I was struggling to pay gas to usher clients around town to look at houses, only to have them walk away without buying anything, or go on to another agent and buy something.
And what was so good about it is that I got a pretty sizeable non-refundable retainer fee, so if they had walked away I would have felt adequately compensated for the time spent with them. But I didn't have to worry about that because they ended up buying a home and I got a full fee for my services.
So, listen up buyers and investors. If you're looking for a great deal you might want to seriously retaining an agent to search expired real estate listings for you, which can in some instances be as good as buying foreclosures. Sellers are pretty motivated to get their properties sold and are likely to be very happy to work with your agent to negotiate a sale.
And for you agents out there, a Buyer Broker contract to find expireds can open up a new channel of possibilities. So, what are you waiting on?
Real Estate Brokers and Real Estate Agents
Real estate brokers and real estate agents are two different things. An agent provides their services, independently, to a broker for a fee. A real estate broker sells property owned by others, and may offer management services. Most real estate brokers deal in residential property, but some deal with industrial, commercial and agricultural. The real estate brokers who deal in the latter are often times employed by specialized firms or larger corporations. A real estate broker encompasses many area of property purchasing and has to be extremely knowledgeable. It is the responsibility of a real estate broker to be proficient in the laws governing real estate purchasing in the market they are working in, as well as, financing options. Additionally, a real estate broker handles title searches for properties, and general marketing.
Both real restate brokers and agents have similar job duties. They both obtain listings of properties and do research about the current market to determine the market price for a property and decide what the property needs to be listed at, if they are working for a seller, or if a property has a favorable listing price, if they are working for a buyer. In the case of rental property, both real estate brokers and agents have to be familiar with the region's functionality. A property's accessibility to transportation, they utilities available, and the job market all tie into whether a rental property will be more favorable to a buyer, or seller. The major differences between a real estate broker and an agent is license requirements and client interaction.
In the way of licensing, a real estate broker is required to have obtained a high school diploma, be at least 18 years of age, and pass a written examination. The thoroughly comprehensive test covers basic real estate laws and transactions. Additionally, a real estate broker is required to have 60-90 hours of in-field training as well as a length of time actually selling real estate. This time varies between 1 and 3 years. However, sometimes states will waive the experience length needed if an applicant has obtained a Bachelor's degree in real estate, as well as completed the other licensing requirements.
As for client interaction, it is generally an agent, not a real estate broker, which handles meetings with buyers and sellers. An agent will assess a client's needs, their budget (or desired property listing) and handle filling out contracts. It is also the job of an agent, to present potential properties (or buyers) to the client. An agent also handles negotiations between two parties. So a real estate agent is more the face of a real estate transaction, while a real estate broker is the wheels and gauges.
While the current real estate market is welcoming to real estate brokers, and agents alike, the job outlook for these positions is unstable. Since both jobs depends upon the economy of the nation, and the production of the population, it can be a risky career choice for some.
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
How To Avoid Probate With Estate Planning
When "The King," Elvis Presley died in 1977, his estate was worth an estimated $10 million dollars. Then came probate. After all the fees: legal, appraisal, executor's fees, and estate tax, the Presley estate was reduced to a paltry $3 million dollars. What happened to approximately 73 percent of Elvis' estate? The answer is simple: probate.
So, what is probate? Probate is the process of clearing a will as either valid or invalid and making sure that no one has a challenge against it. Probate also clears the estate of all debt, by paying creditors against the estate. All of this goes through a sometimes very lengthy court process, which can take a lot of money away from the estate. Whether or not a person has a will when he dies or not, the estate must go through probate.
There are ways to avoid some of the pitfalls of the probate process. One of the best ways is to establish a trust. If assets and property are in a trust, they do not have to pass through the probate court and can go directly to the beneficiary, relatively quickly. These assets also can be protected from creditors against the estate by using a trust.
You can also protect your assets from probate costs by regularly updating the beneficiaries to your 401K, IRAs, or life insurance policies. If you will update the beneficiaries regularly, then you can avoid unwanted inheritances, because these designations are not subject to probate.
But these two aren't your only options. You can also choose own property with someone else. If you own something with someone else and anything were to happen to you, the property would automatically pass to the survivor. Some banks also allow you to set up a Transfer on Death (TOD) account, where you can name a beneficiary to your personal banking accounts. Upon death, the accounts would automatically transfer to the person you named.
Another option to avoiding probate pitfalls is to give your assets away to your relatives while you are still alive. You can gift your relatives with the maximum tax-free amount ($11,000 in 2005.) By giving away your assets, you reduce the amount of property that has to pass through probate upon your death.
If you properly plan your estate with the help of an estate planning attorney or other financial professional, you can decrease probate costs greatly. There are not many people who like to think about what will happen when they leave this earth, however the thought of family and friends not getting what you leave to them is distressing also. A little planning ahead of time could save your beneficiaries a lot of money in the end. Elvis Presley's estate was obviously neglected and his untimely death costs his daughter and other beneficiaries millions of dollars. With the help of Priscilla Presley, Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie has managed to rebuild the Presley estate, which now has a net worth of around 250 million dollars. The estate recovered from the devastating blow that probate dealt it.
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