Your “Veteran” Stories…

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If you’d like to share stories of veterans in your life, we’d love to hear about those men and women that sacrificed themselves, their families, and in many cases, their lives. Or even just the stories of the men and women that fought in wars here and abroad and their courage and character.

No matter what we think politically or the viewpoints on many of the past and present wars, we need to respect and honor the people that served the country. If you’ve got a great story that could touch our readers, please do share!

One of the organizations we support – and feel strongly about – is the Wounded Warrior project. Too many soldiers come home injured, unable to find work, and finding it very difficult to put their lives back together after service. This organization is doing some wonderful things and if you can get involved, donate, or support in other ways, there are hundreds of thousands of men and women that would appreciate it!

Also, if you have another charity that you support that helps Veterans and their families, please do share it with our readers.

5 Deals for Less Than $3K

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In the month of October, we put 5 deals under contract and will be out of pocket less than $3000!

In fact, we used someone else’s money, so it’s not cost us a penny… just some time!

What exactly did we do?

1. Find the motivated sellers!

We started by sending out a direct mail campaign to about 350 property owners. What is different about this campaign versus our standard “absentee owner marketing” campaign is the fact that we found owners of VACANT land that had owned the property for more than 10 years!

2. Screen the leads…

Out of 350 letters that went out, we had about 70 calls! Yes… that’s right! Twenty percent of the people responded to our letter. Typically with other real estate direct mail, I’ll get between 8 – 15%, so this market is definitely hot!

Oh! And by the way… we actually send all of these leads to our virtual assistant who called them all back, filled out lead sheets, and gathered all the preliminary information. In some cases, she even pre-negotiated the price down!

3. Evaluate the deals…

Obviously with 70 deals (give or take), the due diligence took a little time. The great part, however, is that since you’re mailing in clusters, you can duplicate your homework across lots of properties! We hand picked the very best of the best and decided to make offers.

4. Make offers…

Next, we had to put our offers together. Some of the sellers, we called over the phone. Others, we simply dropped offers in the mail and hoped for the best! We gave them 10 days to get the contracts back to us and had 6 contracts back in that time period.

5. Additional due diligence…

The executed contract is just the first piece of the puzzle. Now, I would never suggest you go into a contract on a deal you don’t have every intention of closing on, but you aren’t going to do all the due diligence required on every deal until you have a contract in hand. For example, when we buy real property, we don’t pay for inspections and appraisals until after we have a signed contract. The same holds true for land. There are going to be additional calls to make and some more homework to do, but now it only takes you a short while since it’s the deals you’re actually going to close on.

NOTE: You may have noticed I said that we got SIX contracts back, but that we were closing on 5 deals. Why?

Because during the due diligence, we found some issues that were deal breakers for us. We simply decided to get out of the contract, which was completely within the terms of the contract, prior to closing. THAT’S what this secondary period is for!

6. Closing…

The last step in the acquisition process is closing on the deals! Since we wanted to use someone else for the financing (remember… the more you leverage OPM, the better your ROI is). So, we actually assigned the contracts to the LLC we set up with the partner on these deals. He put up all the money and we did the work!

7. BONUS: Pre-sold one…

We actually run regular ads for our properties on Craigslist and happened to be running a group of ads for seller financing. A potential buyer contacted us and the more we got to talking, the more I realized that one of these new properties was much more appropriate for their needs and pre-sold it while we waited for the deed to be signed off on! They are currently deciding between 2 of these BRAND NEW DEALS!

The Numbers

One of the lots, we picked up for a flat $500. It’s one block away from the lake and would have lake view with a two-story home on it. They are looking at that one for $4900 with seller financing option which will be $900 down and the balance seller financed at 8% for 12 months.

Total profit potential = $4575.44 (5075.44 – $500 purchase price = $4575.44)
Total potential ROI = 915%! (Our ROI is infinite because we had nothing invested)

If they choose the other lot, the purchase price is $8900. We have a total of $2100 into it will all closing costs and additional expenses incurred. If they choose this one, they’re going to pay $8900 with seller financing. This will be $1000 ad the balance seller financed at 8% for 12 months.

Total profit potential = $7190.36 ($9290.36 – $2100 purchase costs = $7190.36)
Total potential ROI = 342%! (Our ROI is infinite because we had nothing invested)

The best part about these types of deals is that there’s NO SHORTAGE of deals AND there are loads of people that are interested in putting up a few thousand dollars to “test” something when you can show returns like that on their money!

Heck, even when you split the profits… that’s still over 450% ROI on the first scenario and over 170% ROI on the second! Show those numbers to investors and they’ll be lining up to do deals with you.

PLUS… if you want to get started yourself… you can use your own money or even a credit card advance for less than the cost of most home study courses these days!

For more information on how we’re picking up these land deals for next to nothing, check out our Simple Land Investing…

Lessons from Steve Jobs

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Steve Jobs passed away yesterday after his long battle with pancreatic cancer at age 56. And today, a lot of words are being tossed around to find the right words to describe him and the impact he made on the world.

Lots will be said over the coming weeks and months as people share their memories, thoughts, and impressions of the man behind Apple.

His impact reaches far beyond computers, iPhones, and iPads. He’s changed the way people access information, consume entertainment, and communicate with one other. He’s set the bar for product launches, product design, leadership, and more.

I’ve learned a lot just observing and pay attention to Apple and, more specifically, Steve Jobs over the past few years.

Vision – If I had to use one word to describe Steve Jobs, it would be “visionary”. He had a unique ability to see the future, so to speak. He could dial into what people were doing and what they were saying. He wasn’t interested in creating a better widget. He wanted to revolutionize industries. It’s not enough to look at your competition and say, “I want to be just a little better.” You’ve got to think big and take massive action. Apple didn’t create digital music nor was it the first company to come out with a “Smart phone” but through Steve’s vision, they set the standard to which everything else is compared.

Steve Jobs didn’t just have vision. He had MASSIVE vision which created massive movements globally. We all need to think bigger…

Culture – The Apple culture is one of the most successful achievements. The culture extends through the entire company to their customers. It’s no accident that when Apple stores are “destinations”. People go to the Apple store to “hang out”. Others have tried, like Microsoft and now Google, but it’s not the same. It’s not the storefront that makes it successful. It’s the underlying culture, service, and experience (more on that in a minute).

Another note on culture, which certainly extends beyond Steve’s reach… While most companies would have issued a statement about the loss of their CEO, leader, boss, and friend and then moved on to promote the brand new product launch that happened just 24 hours earlier. Yet, Apple has pushed sales to the backburner and made the home page a tribute in memory of Steve Jobs.

Passion – Steve Jobs never gave up. He retired from Apple less than a month before he passed away. Apple wasn’t a job to him. It was his passion. It was an extension of himself. Every product… every presentation… every product launch was personal. The pride he took in every aspect of the company is refreshing and all too uncommon in today’s high-paced world of

Experience – The “experience” that you have when you purchase an Apple product, visit an Apple store, or engage with a device is not by mistake. The customer experience is at the forefront of everything that Apple is and does. It’s not simply about getting a box in the mail with a big user manual that tells you what to do with it. Are you paying careful attention to the experience customers have when it comes to your business?

Leadership – There’s not much to say about this other than the fact that Steve led by example and was a part of the company. He was loved, respected and admired by his employees and managers. A strong leader can inspire an entire company as we’ve seen with Steve Jobs and Apple. He was more than a CEO or a boss to those that worked with him.

Here’s the email Tim Cook sent to Apple employees when it was announced that Steve Jobs had passed away.

Tim Cook’s email to Apple employees:

Team,

I have some very sad news to share with all of you. Steve passed away earlier today.

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

We are planning a celebration of Steve’s extraordinary life for Apple employees that will take place soon. If you would like to share your thoughts, memories and condolences in the interim, you can simply email rememberingsteve@apple.com.

No words can adequately express our sadness at Steve’s death or our gratitude for the opportunity to work with him. We will honor his memory by dedicating ourselves to continuing the work he loved so much.

Tim

Attention to Detail – This is one of the things that has stuck with me since I read the book “Inside Steve’s Brain” years ago. It brought to my attention the details in design, packaging, and experience. It was shortly thereafter that I bought my first Apple computer and monitor. When the package arrived, I went through it with fresh eyes and was impressed by every detail, knowing that it was all by design! Nothing was accidental. Not even how the piece of paper the instructions were printed on was placed in the box.

As the months and years pass, only time will tell what’s in store for Apple. Surely nobody can fill Steve’s shoes, but hopefully there is someone that can walk in his footsteps to keep the vision alive and moving forward, always keeping the core values in place…

Where Were You?

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I remember as a young child when my grandparents would talk about fateful days in history that forever changed the lives of millions of people and the fabric of America. I always wondered if something like that would happen in my life time.

On September 11, 2001, it did…

Like every American, young and old, I can remember that day, and the days and weeks that followed as if it were only yesterday. I received a phone call from a friend of mine as the first tower was hit.

I did not answer the phone. Minutes later, I received a call from another friend. This time I DID answer the phone. She had a strange tone to her voice as she asked if I was watching TV and instructed me to turn it on IMMEDIATELY. I turned it on and stood in front of it for what seemed like hours.

I didn’t understand what was happening. I just watched in disbelief.

And then I kept watching for hours… and then days…

I didn’t leave my tiny one-bedroom apartment for days, weeks in fact, except to walk across the courtyard to my friend’s apartment where we did much of the same. We tried to process. We cried for those that lost our lives. We reached out to friends and family to make sure everyone was okay. We watched as people were on the news desperately hoping to find their loved ones.

We watched as the President declared war on the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. And all the while, there was something that was lost. But at the same time, something gained.

America came together. There was no black or white, democrat or republican, Catholic or Jew… We were Americans first and united; committed to standing by each other and showing the world that we had not been stripped of our resolve and of our courage as a people. It was both a sad time and a proud time to see the good in people.

After about 2 weeks of sadness, confusion, and lots of other emotions, I threw out the newspaper and turned off the TV and said to myself, “This is what they want! It’s time to get up and fight back. Not with guns or force, but with resolve.” My resolve was to finally take full advantage of the American Dream! And it was in that moment that I vowed that I was going to start – and succeed with – my own business.

While the past ten years have surely had their ups and downs in so many ways: economically, socially, politically, to name a few, hopefully the reminder of this tragedy stops people in their tracks and transports us back to a time when we appreciated what this country stood for, when we stood by our neighbors, and we were proud.

Take a moment today to reflect on that day in history and remember where you were, what you were doing, and how it changed your life. If you care to share them, please do.

If not… reflect in silence.

Here’s are a few videos that I watched this morning. NOTE: Any “political” comments will be removed. This is not a post to create a conversation about politics, politicians, conspiracy theories, or anything of that nature. It is a day to remember and reflect.

Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?

(Remember where you were, who you were with, and the impact it made at that moment)

Have You Forgotten?

(A reminder to never forget the people that lost their lives and the families they’ve left behind)

The American Soldier

(Regardless of your feelings about the war, political parties or world politics, let us give honor to the men and women that have sacrificed so much for our freedom and the ability to live the American Dream)

The President’s Speech (9/11/2001)

(This is a transcript of the President’s speech. This is NOT to raise a political debate here and any comments regarding politics will be removed. It is a tribute and a piece of history from this day 10 years ago)

Is Your Real Estate Website Getting Results?

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Most people are getting this wrong when it comes to using the Internet in their real estate business. This goes for investors AND real estate agents alike.

The thing is… it’s not their fault. They don’t know any better.

Let me use a story to illustrate this point…

Last week, a friend of mine wanted to “run something by me” to see if it was a good fit for some stuff we’re doing with investors and agents. In a nutshell, it was a guarantee of a page 1 listing in Google in six months or less.

At first, that sure sounds like a big promise, but there’s more to the story and if you don’t know what to ask, then it could either be a total waste of time or money… OR both!

There are a few things that you want to know the answers to…

#1. Who CONTROLS the Website?

In other words, do you own the website and all of the information? Or are you simply getting a “landing page” on someone else’s site? SO, if you stop paying the monthly fee, is your site wiped off the map, or worse… handed over to someone else?

#2. What keywords/keyword phrases will I show up for on page 1 of Google?

It’s real easy for someone to promise you page 1 of Google, but you’ve got to know what you’re getting to page one of Google FOR!

I could promise you page one of Google for the keyword phrase: “3 ways to find buyers online”. But, is that REALLY going to accomplish your goal(s)? Maybe, maybe not. It depends on what you’re looking to do. If you’re marketing to find pre-foreclosure needs, probably not.

But the point is, page 1 of Google is not for anything and everything related to your website. It is for one specific keyword or keyword phrase.

See #1… If you CONTROL the website yourself, you can have dozens, even hundreds or thousands of “pages” come up on page one of Google for specific keywords.

And YOU want to CONTROL what keywords you’re coming up under on page 1 of Google and you may want to come up for SEVERAL keyword phrases.

#3. What is the PURPOSE of the website (or individual landing pages)?

You’ve got to take a few minutes and think about the types of people you want to attract to your website based on your business. Are you looking for:

  • Motivated sellers?
  • People facing foreclosure?
  • People looking for fixer uppers?
  • People looking for INFORMATION on real estate investing?
  • Credibility to support your marketing campaigns?
  • Etc.

Your website, or at the very least your pages, should be very different for each of these types of leads.

#4. Is your site designed for lead capture?

It’s amazing to me to see the number of real estate sites out there that are just plain junk. They do absolutely NOTHING to capture prospects and provide you the opportunity to follow up with them.

According to the National Association of Realtors® 2009 “Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers”, 90% of all homebuyers use the Internet as a source of information.

And of those, 77% drive by the property prior to ever contacting an owner or agent to see the interior. This means, that you’ve got to capture their contact information to follow up with them or risk losing the lead.

#5. Are you actively generating traffic to your website?

Unfortunately, too many people believe the old adage, “If you build it, they will come.” That is simply NOT the case when it comes to the Internet. You must advertise and market the site consistently. The marketing doesn’t have to be difficult or time consuming, but you must do it. PERIOD.

Sure, if you set your site up properly from the ground up, you will have “some” traffic, but you simply won’t get enough to build a business.

It’s also essential to understand that your website is really your HUB. There are lots of other spokes, so to speak, that are a part of your online presence including social media, content marketing, classified advertising, and more.

So to recap…

It is CRITICAL to have an online presence if you want to be doing anything in real estate these days. PERIOD.

Over 90% of all homebuyers start their search online (and for motivated sellers, the numbers are also comparable).

When it comes to your website, you MUST:

  1. CONTROL your own website…
  2. Understand the basics of KEYWORDS and KEYWORD PHRASES and how to effectively use them in your web marketing strategy…
  3. DEFINE the purpose of your website (and/or individual pages on your site)…
  4. Ensure your site is optimized for LEAD CAPTURE…
  5. Actively GENERATE traffic to your website…

To use this article on your own website, include the following:

Looking to use the Internet CORRECTLY in your real estate business?

Visit http://realestatemoneymagnet.com to get my HANDWRITTEN Money Magnet Model and a Comprehensive video that explains each magnet! You’ll discover how to SUCCESSFULLY use social media for you real estate business. You’ll also learn the 2 real estate social media sites you MUST be using if you’re serious about leads!

“I Quit”

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I recently read “The Dip”, by Seth Godin. It was a quick read, but one of those books that forces you to think… I mean REALLY think!

The concept in a nutshell is that it’s okay to quit if you’re on a dead end path. There’s a lot more to it, but that’s the gist of it.

The challenge I was then faced with after reading the book was what to focus on – and what to give up on… Now, I don’t really like the term quit or the concept of “giving up”, but there is a point where you make an educated – unemotional – decision about your life and your business. You cut all the ties that are holding you back and suddenly, you’re released from all the baggage and can focus!

Entrepreneurs often have similar strains of the same disease. We’re easily excited by new ideas, and consequently, easily distracted by the latest and greatest shiny object abandoning those things that we should be putting our effort into.

In the 18 months, we’ve:

• Created 19 different information products (in real estate and Internet Marketing)

• Acquired multiple properties

• Started negotiating short sales

• Started a new company for Realtors

• Launched a done for you product creation system for Internet Marketing

• Liquidated lots of real estate

• Launched a email service company

And more…

So, with the economy being set at a new “reality” and some things that have happened in our personal life, we realized that we had no choice but to cut things out (to “quit” if you will) and to re-focus our direction on 2-3 things that we not only love, but can really spend our time and effort to build and grow.

You see, we’ve spent the last 10 years working morning, noon, and night. We’ve made a ton of money and we’ve lost a lot of money. But, we’ve neglected a lot of the things that are important and we’ve gotten stuck in a rut because it’s consistent.

What’s even more important to realize is that things have changed. Things have changed in the marketplace. Things have changed for us personally. And things have changed in the economy.

I know that we always hear “Never Quit” or “Quitting Is Not An Option”. But that refers to giving up because you don’t want to do the work or because you’re struggling through something and you’ve got to keep on barreling through.

Think about it… If you own stock in a company that’s falling apart and it’s bankruptcy is inevitable, then you’re going to cut your losses and not hang on until the bitter end simply because you don’t want to be labeled a quitter!

Quitting is emotional.

HOWEVER, when you take emotion OUT of the equation and decide to cut your losses, you are making a well thought out CHOICE. You are not acting out of emotion but responding to factors and data that help you to make an informed and rational change in your life.

If you’re quitting because it’s uncomfortable, that’s a different story!

So, for now, start by picking up a copy of the book, “The Dip” and give it a quick read. Then, take a look at everything in your life that is taking your attention and decide where you are going to focus.

Once you’ve made that decision, then eliminate everything else. QUIT all the stuff that’s getting in the way and go for it! Give it everything you’ve got.

Stay focused. Occasionally pause to evaluate your course of action.

And then keep on going.

This is NOT a permission slip to give up and quit because things get hard, but rather permission to cut your losses when the time is right or when you wind up on a sinking ship!

Take some time to really look at where you are now and where you’re headed and what it’s going to take you to push through the “Dip” and reach your goals.

CAUTION: Once you’ve made your decision, stick with it. Close the door on everything else because there’s no turning back. Commit to you plan and follow through.

Facebook Real Estate: 10 Ways to Get Real “Likes”

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Once you’ve created a great Facebook page, it’s time to get REAL people to starting “liking” the page.

Here are 10 ways that you can get people to your new Facebook real estate page:

  1. Invite all of your existing friends (that are related to real estate in some way).
  2. Put a link to your Facebook page on your existing website.
  3. Use Facebook comments on your blog.
  4. Include your Facebook URL on your business cards (BONUS: Give them a special offer for “liking” the page).
  5. Tweet it to all your Twitter followers.
  6. Add the link to your other social media profiles.
  7. Include your Facebook link in your email signature file.
  8. Include your Facebook link on all flyers and other advertising that you’re currently doing.
  9. Run ads on Facebook’s ad platform.
  10. Post comments on real estate-related sites using your Facebook profile as the signature.

The key is to incorporate your social media activities into all of your marketing and make your Facebook page as seamless as, let’s say, a link to your website or email address.

To use this article on your own website, include the following:

Looking to use Social Media for your real estate business? Visit www.RealEstateTrainingAcademy.com/SSMS to get your Simple Social Media System for Real Estate. Inside, you’ll discover how to SUCCESSFULLY use social media for you real estate business. You’ll also learn the 2 real estate social media sites you MUST be using if you’re serious about leads!

Virtual Tours (Video)

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We’re not talking about the Virtual Tours Realtors® were using in the late 90s and early 2000s. What I’m referring to here is creating videos and posting them to sites like YouTube.com and Google Video, among others.

With the increasing popularity of these types of sites, it’s impossible to deny the power of video especially given research that shows between 84%-93% of all buyers start their search online! And of those, you increase your chances of buyers looking at YOUR property when you have a virtual tour, video or slide show.

FACT: Most Realtors® are CLUELESS about how to use video effectively.

FACT: Effective virtual tours do not require any fancy equipment or video editing skills

Virtual tours can be as simple as creating a slide show with some music and narration or as complex as you’d like to make them. Keep in mind, you’re trying to sell prospects on not only the house, but the neighborhood, community, city, and lifestyle. If you’ve got a particular personality that you like to infuse, you may also be selling that in the video. Just remember, your goal is to separate your house from the competition and grab the prospect!

This is why it’s so important to know who your target buyer is. You see, it may not be the house itself that’s the dealmaker. It may be the local schools, the community or proximity to nightlife. Whatever these features are, include them your virtual tour. When possible, it’s best to create an actual video and infuse the personality of someone “just like them”. And keep in mind, a touch of humor is always a welcome element!

Here are a few of the main advantages of using video to market your deals.

  1. Target Market Specific. You can create a video that pinpoints your target buyer and cater to the things that are most important to that person. If it’s lake living, include a clip of the family taking the boat out for the day. If it’s a first time home buyer, focus on the pride that they’ll have when they finally own their own home and stop renting.
  2. 24×7 Open House. One of the best uses for a virtual tour is to simply walk through the property as you would guide a potential buyer through the home. Keep in mind, however, that they cannot experience all of the senses, so add in a few touches that make them laugh or remember you (For example, you could pull back the shower curtain to reveal rubber duckies. Then cut to a screen with a message from the duck!).
  3. Inexpensive. With video posting sites, you can get your videos out for the world to view for free! To create a full video, you can purchase a “Flip” video camera for under $150. With that, all you do is plug it into your computer and click a couple of buttons, and your video is up on YouTube! It’s that simple.


We could go on and on about video for real estate because we are only just beginning to scratch the surface of what’s going to be possible and how video plays into real estate marketing, both for buyers and sellers. We actually cover this in more detail in our Selling Deals System along with 57 other ways to find buyers.

By the way, if you haven’t grabbed your copy of our Selling Deals System: 57+ Ways to Find Buyers In the Current Market, we cover over 50 different ways to find buyers…

To use this article on your own website, include the following:

Need to Find Real Estate Buyers to Sell Your Houses? Claim Your FREE Whitepaper Entitled “10 Ways to Find Real Estate Buyers In the Current Market” at http://www.realestatetrainingacademy.com/SellingDealsSpecial.php. Inside, You’ll Discover Simple Strategies That Work In Today’s Market to Sell Your House Fast – and How to Find Ready, Willing, and Able Cash Buyers, Investor Buyers, and End Buyers For Every Deal.

3 Ways to Find Buyers Online

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One of the big areas of questions we get surrounds the topic of finding buyers.

Today, I want to talk about 3 ways to find buyers using the Internet (and this goes for any kind of deal you have: fixer upper, rental, pretty home, land, etc.).

#1: Facebook Ads

With over 500M users worldwide… and with Facebook occupying so much of the users’ conversation around personal events, marketing actual properties on Facebook is a no brainer. You can target prospects by location, age, interests, and more! Plus, you can easily set up a Facebook “page” for your deal and post open houses, photos, and other things about the property. Facebook also allows you to post an image in your ads.

#2: Google Local

I’m not usually a big proponent of pay per click advertising to “build a buyers list” simply because when people are searching on Google, they’re typically searching for something SPECIFIC. Well, when you are advertising a specific property, you meet those criteria. The key here is your copywriting! You need to be able to attract the person to your ad, and away from giants like Realtor.com and other similar sites that offer hundreds or thousands of properties.

#3. Craigslist

I’ve long since been a proponent of Craigslist. We’ve sold pretty houses AND fixer uppers, rented long term rentals and vacation rentals, and even sold land on Craigslist. The ads that tend to work best for actual properties are “plain” text ads as opposed to “pretty text”, or flyer types of ads. It’s not uncommon to get between 8 and 15 contacts from a single ad!

The key with any online advertising it to know what your buyers are looking for and convey that in your advertising message, whether it’s 4 lines on Google or 40 lines with 4 photos on Craigslist!

By the way, if you haven’t grabbed your copy of our Selling Deals System: 57+ Ways to Find Buyers In the Current Market, we cover over 50 different ways to find buyers…

To use this article on your own website, include the following:

Need to Find Real Estate Buyers to Sell Your Houses? Claim Your FREE Whitepaper Entitled “10 Ways to Find Real Estate Buyers In the Current Market” at http://www.realestatetrainingacademy.com/SellingDealsSpecial.php. Inside, You’ll Discover Simple Strategies That Work In Today’s Market to Sell Your House Fast – and How to Find Ready, Willing, and Able Cash Buyers, Investor Buyers, and End Buyers For Every Deal.