Real Estate Investments’ Guideline

Investing in real estate can be profitable if you know the correct ways to do business in this field. As real estate investment experts say there are several keys to making significant profits in real estate investment deals. And when the deals are profitable, you will certainly be well on your way to success.

For real estate investment neophytes, don’t be afraid of the challenges and pitfalls you may encounter along the way. There is definitely a lot to learn, but in the long run after you have gained some experience, you’ll hopefully become a master at closing profitable real estate deals.

There are 5 core skills that are necessary for building a real estate investment business. These will be the key factors in creating a profitable real estate investment portfolio. These are the 5 core skills of real estate investment:

1) You should totally understand the meaning and concept of investing in real estate, including all of the financial risks and benefits.

2) You must learn when and where to find the right kind of sellers.

3) You must become an expert in all areas of real estate investment and understand such terms as lease options, cash sales, wrap mortgages, short sales and other terminology common in the real estate investment trade.

4) You must be able to quickly and accurately analyze each real estate investment deal so you’ll know exactly when to proceed and when to pull the plug.

5) You must learn the art of being a master negotiator when it comes to closing your real estate investment deals.

After considering these five skills, it is time to consider investing in real estate. There are great potential rewards and the effort you put forth can yield enormous monetary returns on your investment. Your confidence level will grow when you’ve gained some experience and closed on your first few real estate deals. But, don't stop there... You should continue to learn about real estate investing and to develop your investment skills. In a short time you may find yourself managing a profitable and growing portfolio of investment properties.

Moreover, you should also continue to follow your real estate investment "game plan" and always keep an eye out for the hidden investment opportunities. The opportunities are definitely out there and with a little knowledge and desire can be yours for the taking. So, why not get started in what might be a new and exciting (and profitable) career today?


By: Dr. Drew Henry

Tips to Sell Your House Quickly

Every individual looks for distinct ways to sell house quickly and fast. It probably may occur due to number of reasons like Relocation, Financial Difficulties, Negative Equity, Divorce or Separation, Repossessions. In such a situation one wishes the process of selling a house to be hassle free. Here are some of the tips that may help to achieve a quick house sale in Berkshire.

Once selling a house is decided, you must see what you want to include in its sale. Generally, the fittings and fixtures are included in basic price but movables can be negotiated. To sell property fast and to avoid clutter later, dispose of any items that you do not need any longer before you start with the sale process.

You have to give certain useful documents connected with your property to your agent like gas & electrical certificate checks, building regulations certificates, council tax, insurance bills, etc. Such documents are required to present to your potential buyers and if you have these at hand then it will allow for you to sell your house fast.

To calculate the correct value of your house, a survey is the most accurate means as it is carried out by a qualified individual namely a RICS survey. Speaking to some local estate agents can be a good idea to get an idea but do bear in mind that an agent will only ever be able to give their opinion and they do tend to inflate the price in order to generate business.

Selling the property through an estate agent involves many significant risks. In fact it could be expensive and time consuming as well. If you decide to involve an estate agent, they will ask you for information regarding the property before requesting for viewings should there be interest. Any potential buyer will want to see the house in a prestige and tidy condition to help them visualize a property that they could see themselves living in. If you decide to go with an agent then do bear this in mind and if you can get things tidied up and neat then this will help a great deal.

Many people do not realise just how long it can even take for a house to be sold. According to www.house.co.uk the average time for a property to sell is 207 days, that is over 6.5 months. Can you afford to wait that long? With the residential market at record lows, selling your house on the open market is more difficult than ever, and with lenders changing lending criteria many people are simply finding it difficult to get a mortgage which has resulted in many broken chains; Is this happening to you?

There are many things to consider when looking at selling your property. If you need to sell quickly then maybe an estate agent is not the best means. If you can afford to wait then great, you can give it a try however if you feel you do not want to risk the uncertainty of not selling and want a guaranteed solution then maybe a cash buyer would be a suitable solution for you. A cash buyer typically is able to raise cash finance quickly resulting in a quick sale of usually 28 days. They also agree to pay all your fees and are happy to complete within a time to suit you.

in reference to:

"Tips to Sell Your House Quickly Edit Article |"
- http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/tips-to-sell-your-house-quickly-4102925.html (view on Google Sidewiki)

How to Avoid Home Buying Stress

Buying a home is a stressful and emotional affair. You can avoid the home buying blues by keeping your cool at closing.

I've just come from a settlement table at which a friend bought a new condo. It's beautiful, convenient and just what she wanted. However, at the settlement table she and a relative whom she clearly loves got into a tiff with each other. What should have been a happy occasion was almost spoiled. Thank heavens they got themselves together and the situation was saved, but arguments and hurt feelings are frequent at settlement tables and on moving day. It doesn't have to be that way.

The Trauma of Change

Changing one's home is right up there with the big changes in life - birth, death, divorce, and retirement. Most of us recognize the trauma of the first three. Many of us recognize the need to prepare mentally and emotionally for retirement. Few of us realize how badly buying and moving into a new home frays our nerves and shortens our tempers. It can have serious consequences. I've seen deals blow up, and almost blow up, because of it. (Sometimes the protagonists are the buyer and seller.)

Mitigating Moves

There are a number of things you can do to ensure that the day you buy or sell your home is calm, sane and happy. Let's consider some of them. Some are easy. Some harder. You're apt to think of some which will be unique to you and your family.

First of all, simply realizing that these are flash points and discussing it with family members is a good starting point. There are many decisions to be made and much work to be done. Life is about to change for everyone who is a party to the process. It helps to just acknowledge that you'll need to work together so that it's a good experience for everyone in the end. Remember the expression, "I need to take a deep breath and get my equilibrium back." Clue in family members when you feel the tension rise.

Get a good night's sleep the night before the settlement. Have a good, unrushed breakfast. Have someone you know well look after small children and pets until after settlement; you don't need distractions during a large financial transaction.

At settlement, ask questions about anything you don't understand. Use a quiet, neutral voice. Don't sound like you are accusing someone of something. Simply ask for information and clarity. Don't feel rushed. Take the time to understand. Many of the arguments I've seen at the settlement table happened because someone assumed something and didn't ask about it. They just pitched into an irritated tirade. Not a good idea.

What if your questions turn up an unexpected and unacceptable answer? Let it be known that you expected it to be handled another way and why. Listen to any explanation calmly. Evaluate it. Does the other person have a valid point? How much difference does it make to you?

Remember, it isn't necessary to have everything exactly as you'd like in order to have the transaction go well for you. Keep the big picture in mind. You don't have to be right about everything, nor do you have to win every point in order to be pleased with the final outcome.

Whether you call it settlement or closing, the final meeting will be stressful even if absolutely everything goes perfectly. Make sure you get through it by minimizing the stress...


by: BMA Editorial Team 3

in reference to:

"How to Avoid Home Buying Stress"
- http://real-estate-management.bestmanagementarticles.com/a-42424-how-to-avoid-home-buying-stress.aspx (view on Google Sidewiki)

Buy Investment Property Without Seeing It

Why would you buy investment property without seeing it? It's a numbers game. Whether or not you see the property before you make an offer isn't nearly as important as making sure the numbers make sense.

A man in California used to just send out offers on a hundred MLS listings at a time, offering 25% less than the asking price on each one. Occasionally a few sellers would accept his offers. He never had to look at the homes beforehand. Including an "inspection and approval" clause in the offer meant he could always back out of the deal later when he saw the house. Meanwhile, he efficiently found the truly motivated sellers.

This true story demonstrates that with a good clause or two in the contract, you don't have to worry about making an offer before you see a property. It's true when you buy investment property or your next home. When it isn't everything the seller says it is, you can reject the deal with little or no loss. So why wouldn't you want to look at the property?

Buy Investment Property By Numbers

The main reason you might skip looking at a property before making an offer is time. This is certainly true if the property is far away. If you don't get a price that makes sense, why spend your time traveling to look at real estate investments? A price and terms that make sense - this is what is important. Of course you'll probably want to look at the actual property eventually, but looking at the numbers is how you invest.

Investors value income property according to current cash flow (or should if they want safe and viable investments), so start by verifying income. Get the actual income figures for the past 12 months. Always consider the potential income if rents are raised, vending machines are added, etc., but base your offer on the current income.

Verify all expenses with investment properties. If any expenses listed by the seller seem unusually low, they most likely are. Just substitute your own best guess in place of any suspicious numbers.

After you determine the net operating income, apply the appropriate capitalization rate to arrive at the value. If you're not sure how to do this, get help. However, you really should understand the principle of how to figure a cap rate. This is a numbers game you're playing.

Calculate loan payments (talk to your banker), and see how much cash flow you'll have. Then you can figure your cash-on-cash return based on how much of your own money you put into the deal. Just divide the cash flow by your investment.

When the numbers work, you can safely make an offer. Inspections will tell you if there are problems that will affect the cash flow. You can always renegotiate if there are such problems (assuming you made your approval of all inspections a contingency of the offer). Of course, you can even go take a look now that you are truly ready to buy that investment property.

From Isnare.com

Real Estate Agents In A Changing Market

Despite what may seem like the obvious, a slow market is what a new real estate agent needs to be successful. There are many reasons that support this train of thought. First, a slow market means you have to work harder, which means all the passive real estate agents will wash out and reduce competition. Secondly, FSBO's (for sale buy owner) will now seek a professional for advice, giving you entry into new markets. Finally, the market never really slows down; it merely shifts from one sweet spot to another.

For those real estate agents that can make it through the market slow down, when the market picks up again they will be the leaders. The experience and hard work of getting though the slow times will be valued by buyers and sellers in their market. With that being said, it will be easier for the experienced agents to get through the slow times on top, but they will still be competing with the new agents that work hard and do all the right things.

An important factor in a slowing market for a real estate agent is the support of his or her company. Ongoing training for new marketing and prospecting ideas is key to being competitive during slow times. It is going to take more than duty time to sustain now. Prospecting and marketing technique that are effective and low cost will also be important. Basically, agents will need to think outside of the box. Of course, that is much easier said than done. The correct training and seminars offered by the agents company will come into play for that kind of thinking.

It will not only be real estate agents working harder during a market slow down, but also other professionals in the real estate industry such as lenders, insurance agents, home inspectors, and appraisers. Real estate agents can use these other professionals to leverage their costs to grow business and hopefully it will end in a win-win situation for everyone. For example, the agent and a mortgage lender, sharing the cost, can host open houses and hopefully both gain business by the effort.

It would benefit the newer agents in this market to speak with agents that have suffered through slow times before and are still in the business. A truly successful agent will be more than happy to share tips and ideas that got them through and put them ahead of the crowd when the market turned around. Local REALTOR® associations usually sponsor panels of local successful agents, if not ask them to hold an event that is similar.

One thing newer agents may find difficult, but is absolutely necessary, is to ask for business. Everyone that the agent comes in contact with needs to know what they do and that they should tell everyone they know about the agent. Word of mouth is the best advertisement (positive or negative). Be sure the word of mouth is positive!

The Internet cannot be forgotten. Out of town buyers do not know who is the top agent in town, they know the top agent listed on the Internet search engines. A great website not only brings in buyers but also creates validity with sellers in your local market.

From Goarticles.com

Tips For Closing the For Sale By Owner Deal

Once the buyer signs the sales contract, you might feel the urge to relax. Don't sit back and kick your feet up just yet. Your work is not complete just yet. The buyer can still back out of the deal if certain things go wrong in these last steps of the for sale by owner process. Buyers tend to get cold feet at this point. They see other for sale by owner homes they like for a lower price. You have to take steps to make sure the buyer doesnt back out of the deal.

After the for sale by owner sales contract has been signed, the buyers lender will have an appraisal done to ensure that the borrower isnt asking for more money than your home is actually worth. The lender will not provide a loan if the home is appraised for less than the sale price. You can avoid this by having your own appraisal done when you are setting your price in the for sale by owner process. Alternatively, you can make sure that your price is comparable to that of similar homes sold in your neighborhood.

The lender might have your for sale by owner land surveyed to establish the property boundaries. In most cases, this doesnt present a problem. If your [for sale by owner property has not been surveyed in the last 50 years, has recently been subdivided between other people, or has a boundary that changes like a creek, then you should pay attention during this part of the process.

The buyer might have his own inspections done as allowed by the sales contract. These inspections are done at the buyers expense and include termite, roof, and general inspection. Be available during the inspection. Ask questions about anything you do not understand. If you so choose, you can have your own inspection completed. It could prove helpful if you need to dispute a report, but is not necessary. Your primary concern should be to fix problems and keep the buyer from backing out of the for sale by owner contract.

You should notify your lender that you will be paying off the balance of your mortgage and ask for a statement of your balance. Collect appliance instruction books and warranty information to give to the buyer. Finally, when you know the closing date, you should notify service providers like electricity, water, cable, and trash of your final billing date.

The for sale by owner closing date will be about 30 to 45 days from the date the sales contract is signed. Depending on your state, your real estate attorney might handle the closing. Alternatively, the lenders attorney might handle it and your attorney will act as your representative.

At the for sale by owner closing, the settlement statement is reviewed. This statement details the money received. This includes: the lenders check for the mortgage amount, buyers down payment, and the buyers earnest money deposit. The settlement statement also includes money that must be paid out: balance on the sellers current mortgage, real estate agent fees (if applicable), and closing costs. Finally, the statement will detail the amount you get to keep.

The title to the house is then transferred to the buyer and the process is complete. Your hard work has paid off.

From Goarticles.com

FSBO - You Can Sell Your Home Yourself

If it's time to buy a new home and you already decided to sell your house, wait a bit before you turn to a real estate agency.

Maybe this is your first time home selling, and you think it would be better to entrust the whole stuff to a professional. But what makes you think you can't do it on your own?

FSBO means 'For Sale By Owner' and it is used to describe home owners who sell their homes themselves and don't use a real estate company when they sell their homes and land.

Believe it or not, with the proper knowledge and the right help just about anyone can successfully sell (or buy) without using a real estate agency. Sometimes an owner can even do a better job than many real estate agents.

FSBO makes selling a home on your own easy. A growing percentage of homeowners are realizing how easy and economical it is to sell your own home without using real estate agents and agencies. You can save a lot on real estate commissions every time you sell your house. It is very important that your home's selling price is determined by you, not a real estate broker who takes a x% fee for selling your home.

It is recommended to get information about prices from as many sources as possible, for instance with the help of Real Estate Websites.

An agent may tell you that the main reason to use them rather than FSBO is that they can place your home in the Multiple Listing Service, and you can not. They may imply that your chances of selling without being in the MLS are next to nothing. Don't believe it. The truth is that up to one in 3 homes sell by owner and very few, if any, of those were MLS listed.

Usually buyers look at For Sale By Owners as well as listed homes. They don't only browse ads that are in the MLS, though realtors dreaming of that.

Honestly, you don't need a real estate agent to sell or purchase property - that's clear. Keep your money for something else and give a trial to rely on your own skills.

From Goarticles.com