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Your “Veteran” Stories…

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…

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)

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.

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.
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!).
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:

Real Estate Listing Sites

Free posting sites are the Holy Grail for real estate investors!

Why? Because not only are the free, they get results. And they get results FAST!

I’m talking… You can literally post an ad in 5 minutes and start getting emails from prospects in 10! These sites work exceptionally well for ? nding all types of buyers.

In fact, I gave an agent in my real estate of?ce a speci?c process for using just ONE of these sites to ?nd buyers, and within just a few days, he had 3 buyers for $300,000+ deals!

The best part is that they are super simple to use!

You just have to know which ones are the best for your target market and come up with a consistent strategy for posting. Since they ARE FREE, it’s critical that you post frequently because many other people are also posting their ads and, consequently, moving your property down the list. (Most are displayed newest ?rst).

It seems as though there are new websites popping up daily, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed trying to ?gure which ones – and how many of them – you should be posting to on a regular basis.

So, for now, let’s stick with the ones that have proven to work. But always keep your eyes open for new sites that are getting visitors and gaining traction!

Craigslist (www.Craigslist.org)

Craigslist is a great place for posting a variety of free classi? eds, real estate in particular. You can post properties for sale, properties for rent, vacation rentals, etc. And this should be your ? rst stop when it comes to using free posting sites.

Pay careful attention to your headline, pricing and location.

There are a number of strategies that you can use to increase the chances of prospects getting TO your actual advertisement such as including extra characters, changing the last few digits of the price, etc.

Learn how to Crush It with Craigslist Real Estate ads…

Zillow (www.Zillow.com)

Zillow is also a great site to post and advertise your home. Zillow was initially used as a “comp” tool. Zillow also allows people to list their properties for sale as well.

The good news is that Zillow has a substantial amount of traf?c and you can capitalize on that for free. Not to mention, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on Zillow because they’re de? nitely adding some new tools that will be valuable resources for investors and homeowners alike.

Postlets (www.Postlets.com)

It doesn’t get much better than Postlets. This site allows you to submit your classi? ed ad, for free, and will distribute it to a number of other free positing sites.

In addition, you can create your own property webpage that they will host for free. So, not only can you submit you ad for free to their site, but they’ll do lots of the other work for you (also for free!).

In addition, you’ll also get the code to post it right on your own blog. This is one of the best tools for selling deals (and most investors and Realtors® haven’t got a clue about it).

If you want to take it further, upgrade to their premium package which gives you a multiple page website for your property, integrates Google mapping, allows for enhanced photos, and video/virtual tours as well as external website links potential buyers can be directed to for even more information.

Here is a partial list of sites to which Postlets will aggregate your ads:

Backpage
Craigslist
Enormo
FrontDoor
HotPads
Oodle
Trulia
Vast
Zillow

These are just a small handful of sites that you can post your properties on absolutely free! When it comes to these types of sites, the old adage: “You get what you pay for” is not true! These sites pack a big punch…

The only caveat is that they require an investment of your time to post. And the best part is that you can always outsource that part for pennies ;-).

Tips for Effective Online Classified Ads

Write Attention-Grabbing Headlines.
You are ?ghting for your prospect’s attention and you’ve got loads of competition! So, you’ve got to grab their attention in order to get them to click through to your actual ad. The ENTIRE goal of your headline (or title) is to get the person to click through to read the rest of your ad. That’s it!
Use “odd” Number Prices.
For example, if your property is $150,000, by simply changing the last three digits to something other than “000” or “900”, you will increase your click-throughs. To keep it simple, we recommend using the last 3 digits of the property address, so if the address is 1234 Main Street, your price would look like this: $150,234. It just breaks up the pattern as the prospect skims down the page.
Describe the Features and Bene?ts.
Always include the features and bene? ts in your actual ad. Most people remember the “features” and leave out the “bene? ts”. This is extremely important!
Include the Maximum Number of Photos.
Always include the most photos that the site will allow. When people are sur? ng the Internet looking for properties, you can never have enough pictures.
Bonus Tip: include a link to your own website where you have more photos of the property. To see the pictures, ask for a name and email address! Now, you’ve started building your list.

Real Estate Market Trends

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I know we always hear that “THIS” is the best real estate market in HISTORY to invest in! (We heard in 2000, we heard it in 2003, in 2007, and even now in 2011). Yet, the real estate cycle has looked somewhat like a heart monitor in the emergency room!

So, what’s the real answer?

IS IT a good time to invest, and SHOULD you get started now in, arguably, the worst economy since the Great Depression?

The answer is YES!

And I’m not going off of any media reports or exhaustive expert research. I’m going off of what real people are thinking and doing.

For example, I’ve had 3 friends contact me from all across the country (Nevada, Texas, Virginia, and Florida) asking for some advice about investing now.

These are people that are SUCCESSFUL business owners and savvy with finances. They’re NOT real estate investors, but they ARE looking at the opportunities that are out there.

THIS is the time to get in… (Before the media jumps on the bandwagon. Before the experts reveal the market’s taking off. It’s when the “real people” are starting to get in the game). And you can too!

Why do I share this with you?

Because when my personal friends call me and ask for advice, I share with them the same fundamental process and system. It’s this exact system…

I’m not giving them a strategy to make $11 Million dollars in the next 7 days… I’m not giving them advice on how to “beat the system”.

It comes down to the fundamentals… But too many investors have lost sight of them which is why they’re losing their shirts or have never gotten off the ground in the first place. Well, you don’t have to!

If you’re FINALLY ready to make real estate work, THIS is the complete roadmap… It’s the same information I paid $3997 for in 2003. And it’s the same stuff that’s worked for decades all across the country.

By the way, people have asked me what training I took when I started?

Here’s the truth. I took a Robert Allen class offered by a training company. I went on to IMPLEMENT, and then to teach that same training alongside my own instructors. And here’s your chance to get your hands on the SAME information. SO, it all comes down to this:

The RIGHT System + Focused Action!

What’s the Biggest Obstacle That’s Holding You Back from GREATER Success In Real Estate?

Foreclosure Investing: Persistence Pays Off

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We’re currently working on a short sale for a property on which the owner hasn’t made a payment since February of 2008. (Yes, the banks CAN take that long to foreclose!).

There had been a few offers along the way, but they were either refused by the lender or the Realtor® she was using didn’t know what to do in order to get the deal closed. In addition, the lender is AHMSI, who is difficult to say the least.

Offers came and went because the bank simply didn’t respond. When we finally got involved, we moved right up the chain of command, contacted the Attorney General for the State of Florida and a few other agencies. Amazingly enough, we got a reply within a few days. Continue reading →

5 Steps to Absentee Owner Marketing Profits

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The truth of the matter is that working with absentee owners is one of the easiest markets in real estate.

There are essentially only 5 steps you need to take to be successful with absentee owner marketing:

1. Determine Your Absentee Owner Lead Source.
There are a number of places that you can find absentee owner leads. Ultimately, the success of your campaign comes down to finding accurate leads and the right type of leads. In other words, you don’t want data that’s 2 years old. It needs to be up to date and current within the last 3-6 months. Continue reading →

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Your “Veteran” Stories…

5 Deals for Less Than $3K

Where Were You?