Tag Archives: real estate

Getting Started in Real Estate

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Real estate investing is really simple if you simply follow the basics. The problem is that we have the tendency to complicate things more than they really need to be AND that we over-think things too much. We get “too much” specialized knowledge that it begins to cripple us.

When I started out in the business, I made a commitment that I had to implement at least one thing from any home study course I purchased, event I attended, or book that I read before I could buy something else. You see, we tend to keep looking for the “magic pill” to riches in real estate and no such thing exists. You need to actually take action and apply the specialized knowledge that you are getting — not simply go from strategy to strategy, never actually implementing anything. Continue reading →

Firefox for Real Estate

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You’re probably already familiar with browsers like Internet Explorer or Netscape… or even the built in browser in AOL if you use AOL.

But, you may have never even heard of “FireFox”. It’s a great organizational tool for your business in that it’s a browser that uses a tab system (similar to the new Internet Explorer interface).

Save different tab sets for different purposes. For instance, if you regularly research a handful of websites for new properties for sale, you might have one tab set entitled “Finding Properties”. Then, let’s suppose you follow several educational blogs (like Continue reading →

Classified Ads for Real Estate

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Let’s get right to the point here!

Classified ads work IF YOU DO THEM CORRECTLY!

There are hundreds of classified ads in any of your publications on a daily basis. Most of them look identical to one another and don’t do anythingto grab the attention of your prospects.

Your only goal in marketing is to get apotentially motivated seller (or buyer) to contact you. Nothing else! (Despite what some say).

Just as in any training that I do on marketing, I will tell you Continue reading →

Following A System…

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Recently, we had a guest expert on our Interviews with the Expert series. The topic was investing in land. (Here’s the webinar link in case you want to check it out).

During the webinar, I had kind of an “aha” moment and I decided to do a “challenge”.

I was going to take Jack’s system (Note: I had NEVER gone through the materials personally prior to this) and implement it. My goal was to get a parcel of land under contract in 30 days or less.

Here’s What I Did…

I committed to spending 60 minutes/day on the system. Continue reading →

Short Sale Attorney

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More and more investors and real estate agents are using attorneys and negotiators to get their deals done.

It’s the perfect answer to the “I don’t want to deal with banks and short sales” issue. OR IS IT?

If you are a homeowner trying to get a short sale approved on your home, whether you’re a homeowner or an investor, you might want to think twice about the hands-off negotiations. There are far too many people that over promise and under deliver. Continue reading →

Flipping Houses: How to Evaluate Any Deal In 10 Minutes or Less

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When you’re flipping houses, it’s critical to be able to evaluate deals quickly and effectively.

One of the most important characteristics of successful real estate investors is their ability to take fast – and massive – action. And the one thing that holds people back in real estate is FEAR of taking the wrong action! In the next step, I’ll cover how to create RISK FREE contracts 100% of the time that actually get accepted, so no worries there… but for now, understand that you have to be able to quickly evaluate deals or else someone else is going to snatch up all the really good deals before you have a fighting chance.

So, for right now, I’m going to cover Continue reading →

Before You File Your Corporation or Limited Liability Company (LLC): 5 Things to Consider!

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POINT # 1: Many investors believe that they can create a limited liability company (LLC) or file a corporate charter with the state and always have liability protection. This is SIMPLY NOT TRUE. The truth is that each of these business entities (the LLC, the corporation and even the limited partnership) require certain key steps after the structure is created. I always like to compare business entities to a fancy Italian sports car or a new baby…they WILL DEMAND PROPER CARE AND FEEDING!

They are fun on the first day, but you had better know how to maintain Continue reading →

Understanding Corporations, Limited Liability Companies (LLC’s) and Limited Partnerships

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The best way to understand a corporation, limited liability company (or even a limited partnership) is to realize that each creates a special legal relationship or privilege between the business owner(s) and the government. These areas of government include:

1. State Government (including state taxing authorities and the state court system)
2. The Federal Government (specifically the IRS and the Bankruptcy court system)

You may be saying, alright Darius, I still don’t understand what you mean by a relationship or privilege. The best way that I can put it is this:

A business entity is a legal relationship which allows for certain privileges. Continue reading →

Real Estate Investing Mistake #2: Inspections and Repairs

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The only real solution for real estate investing mistakes is consistent action! You’ve got to stick with it and realize that part of learning process. You WILL make mistakes… and you will continue to make them for as long as you choose to invest.

The key is to learn from each and move on. Add it to a policy and procedure manual so to speak! And avoid that particular real estate investing mistake in the future!

When I first started in real estate, I would document every real estate deal in detail. I would be sure to document: (1) What went well, (2) What didn’t go well!, Continue reading →

Real Estate Investing Mistake #1: Farm Area

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When I first got started in real estate investing, I was the poster child for mistakes! The one thing I did PROPERLY was that I took action. And success favors the people that take action.

The key is to keep moving and not dwell on each individual real estate investing mistake that you make, especially early on! Just keep on going… and take a few minutes to figure out what the lesson was, add it to your knowledge and experience bank, and move on to the next!

In this article series, I’ve highlighted 17 real estate investing mistakes that I made early on and share with you what you can do to avoid making the same real estate investing mistakes I made…

The first mistake new real estate investors make is always thinking the grass is greener on the other side! That “another” market will have better deals, more motivated sellers, and more qualified buyers. Once your business is established with duplicatable systems in place, it can be easy to expand into additional markets. But in the beginning, stick with your targeted farm area. Continue reading →