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Archive for November, 2009

Economy Got You Down? Investing in Real Estate Could Bring You Out of Recession

November 30th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

Foreclosure…It’s a word that we’ve all become intimately acquainted with as of late. It’s an epidemic. Thousands of families have lost their home. Extreme measures are being taken by the government and financial institutions to put an end to the epidemic, but will it be enough? All signs point to the fact that the US is on the verge of recession. In fact, economists may look back at this time and say that we are already in a recession. As with all things, the economy will get worse before it gets better. But what should you do while you wait on the economy to turn around?How about real estate investing? I’m not joking. There has never been a better time than now to invest in real estate. Houses are cheap; mortgage rates are at their lowest in history. There are so many opportunities to make money in real estate. You can buy a home for your family or you could purchase a rental property. And you can do all of this for a bargain.Everyone has been affected by the real estate recession. Even if you haven’t lost your home, you have been affected by the chain reaction begun by the real estate recession. People are being laid off, and they are no longer spending money on entertainment, cars and furniture. The effect of the recession has been far reaching. It can be likened to a virus that has infected everyone in the US. Homes are an investment. And even in this time of uncertainty, there is the certainty that prices will stabilize and rise once again. If you are currently renting, you will not be able to cash in on this real estate wave. Investing when prices are down is a smart strategy. Remember the number one rule of investing: Buy low; sell high? Start looking. Track patterns of growth and determine where the most growth will occur once the recession has ended. Look for developing areas that have slowed. Purchase property in this area. This is the property that will recover the quickest once development begins once again. If you already own your home, why not consider buying a rental property? People need a place to live, and with all of the foreclosures, there are more renters than before. Take advantage of low prices and low interest rates. Your payment will be low, but you can still rent the property out for the amount that you would in an up economy. Keep in mind that you may need to put more money down on an investment mortgage than a mortgage for a home that you intend to live in. If you plan to rent to tenants, be sure to purchase a property in an area where people have jobs. You should also pick an area where people want to live. After all, a rental property will not make you any money if it sits empty.

Investing On Real Estate

November 30th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

 

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Investing in Real Estate the Safe Way

November 29th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

Looking to invest in real estate but concerned about the possibility of losing your shirt if the deal falls through? A safer, more efficient option may be investing in REIT mutual funds.

Simply put, a REIT mutual fund is a company that buys, develops, manages, and sells real estate assets, thereby avoiding you the hassle and complication of doing it yourself. Also, with a REIT mutual fund investment, you can invest in many different types of real estate, in many different places, at the same time.

Investing in REIT mutual funds has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the main advantages is the liquidity of REIT mutual funds. Liquidity, which is the ease of converting an asset into actual cash income, is a great perk of REIT mutual funds because they are easily bought, sold, and traded on major exchange markets. So if you wake up one day and decide, “I’ve had it with REIT mutual funds,” you can sell is pretty quickly through a broker or an internet e-market.

Also REIT mutual funds qualify as pass-through entities, which are companies who are able to distribute their income cash flows to investors without taxation at the corporate level. And because REIT mutual funds are pass-through entities, whose main function is to pass profits to investors, most of their business activity is generally restricted to the collection of rental income, making them pretty safe investments.

A brief history of REIT mutual funds

REIT, or Real Estate Investment Trust, (pronounced “reet”) mutual funds date back to the 1880s when investors could avoid double taxation because trusts were not taxed at the corporate level if the income was distributed to beneficiaries.

However, in the 1930s tax laws were passed which reinstated double taxation for REIT mutual funds, decreasing the popularity of this type of investment until the 1960’s when Eisenhower signed the 1960 real estate investment trust tax provision which reestablished the special tax considerations.

REIT mutual funds were good to go again! Since then, REIT mutual funds have increased in popularity throughout the 1980’s, with other reforms and barriers removed throughout the years. This trend of REIT mutual funds reform continued to increase the interest in and value of REIT mutual fund investment.

Today there are over 193 publicly traded REIT mutual funds operating in the United States, with assets totaling over $500 billion! Approximately two-thirds of these REIT mutual funds are currently traded on national stock exchanges.

Who can I trust to tell me more about REIT mutual funds?

A very important thing to remember is, while REIT mutual funds are thought of my many as a real estate investment endeavor; they are actually a form of publicly traded securities.

Legally, your licensed Realtor or broker is not qualified or even allowed to give you any investment advice or direction concerning REIT mutual funds. So don’t be offended if they say they can’t help you!

Your best bet is going to your trusted stock broker. They have the knowledge and the credentials to be able to advise and suggest the best REIT mutual funds choices for you.

Investment In Real Estate – A Growing Sector

November 28th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

Can we really stop wanting to buy houses? We are constantly developing, constantly making progress, and of course, constantly adding to the population. The more the development, the more the place that is needed by the businesses; and of course the growing population only means added demand for housing. In such a scenario, the real estate sector has no choice but to grow!
Real estate investment is considered to be the safest option for investment. Of course there will be detractors who will try to tell you otherwise. The truth is you need to be well aware and purchase the right property so that you may be a success at the business. This you can only do when you know exactly what the demands of the market are, and the ideal property to buy.
Property-buying Tips
So what should you do to make sure you buy the right piece of property? Well, first of all, you need to make sure that your property generates residual income. This is the chief point of consideration when investing in real estate. You have to make sure your property gives you the maximum returns and you make a good profit at the end of the day.
To understand how residual income may be generated through real estate, you must educate yourself well, through various books, websites, and of course a tremendous amount of survey. Online tutorials are also a popular way of educating yourself regarding the real estate business. You need to grab at any bit of knowledge that comes your way because believe it or not, all of it will come of use to you at some point or the other.
Market-Related Information To Gather
Apart from reading, you need to survey the market in the area in which you intend to buy and sell. You need to be tuned in to the demands of the people in the area. The demands of the businessmen will vary from the demands of regular individuals. You need to make sure you understand all of these finer details really well. Once you understand the demands and know exactly what the local trends are likely to be in the coming months, you will know exactly which properties you should invest in, and understand which ones will generate suitable income.
Of course, you can learn a great deal from people whove been in the profession longer than you have. It would help tremendously if you have friends who are real estate agents or real estate brokering mortgagers. If you dont, maybe you should try and befriend a few, or apprentice with a few so that you can learn on the job. Theres nothing like practical experience. Many a professional real estate investor would probably be more than glad to give you beginners tips.
Once youve got the hang of it, start with helping friends and relatives with their real estate investment deals, and if you do well, youll know youre all set to take on the real estate world!

Investing In Real Estate And Overcoming The Fear Of Money

November 27th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

For those investing in real estate, you may find that there are several unknowns that have to be accounted for that are related to money.
This investment relates to both home owners as well as those involved in the real estate business. There are several common fears that are related to money in real estate.
One of the major problems that are part of real estate investing is taking risks.
If you are investing in a property to own a home, you will have to take out a loan. If you are unable to pay taxes or the loan at any time, you will be at risk of loosing the home.
This can cause several levels of fear to occur, which may lead to the wrong loan being purchased for security. Knowing how much risk you are willing to take with your loan will define what type of loan you should get.
Another common fear factor with money is in relation to investing in a property during the wrong time.
If the economy is at a low or if the market price is not good, investing in a certain property may mean a loss. This is a risk factor that many real estate companies will decide to take in order to sell a home.
When deciding if this is a good investment or not requires some risk and can cause fear if you are unsure about the economy and sale of the home.
Money in the real estate business means taking risks. Whether you are a home owner or are in the real estate business, there will be several times where you will have to determine logical decisions without knowing if there will be money to back up the decision.
It is important to acknowledge these fears so that certain boundaries can be set in relation to them.
This means that you know when you are going too far with a purchase or investment or when the fears are holding you back from making the right moves.
By knowing the financial details of a home purchase, you can move past your fears and make the right investments.

Real Estate Investing: Terrific Real Estate Investing Tips For Beginners

November 27th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

Investing in real estate can be a profitable business venture, but just like anything else in life, it requires you to know what you’re doing. There are so many unknown variables and countless things that could go wrong. This is the fear that prevents most people from even owning their first property.
Real estate can be a vehicle to financial opportunity, but you have to first define your goals.
But don’t give up hope yet, with the proper preparation and education, you can dive in and earn a living from the real estate industry that have created more self-made millionaires than any other industry.
Before you get started, the first thing you need to consider is what exactly do you want to accomplish. Be sure to keep in mind the various aspects of what being a real estate investor entails.
This will require some research on your part, but it can be an excellent opportunity for you to dig up new and exciting methods for budding real estate investors.
You’ll want to choose an area that you’re very familiar with. This way, you’ll get to know the market value. Once you’re familiar with your chosen area, you’re now the expert and you’ll be able to recognize when a property really is a bargain.
This research can be accomplished with the use of online information, or you can do it in person at city hall. You’ll be checking the city records for a list of recent sales in the county. Don’t overlook the use of your local realtor. They can provide you with detailed information just from a few clicks using the MLS services.
The next things to consider is whether you’re looking for short term profits or if you want to have ongoing monthly income.
If you opt for the short term profits, your choices can be wholesaling or retailing. Wholesaling is where you find properties and then assign them to another real estate investor. This method is a great way for beginners to test the waters, because it requires very little money and none of your own credit.
Another method is called flipping. Just turn on your TV any weekend or weeknight and you’ll be sure to see several programs in which investors purchase run-down property, rehab them and then resell, hopefully, for a profit.
The other option, which includes acquiring a property for ongoing income is another attractive choice for many. If you’re able to produce a monthly passive income, this can be easily become holy grail of real estate investing. To create the desired income, you would just start acquiring properties to meet the monthly income desired.
However, being a landlord may not be all fun and games. You have to know whether you have the temperament for dealing with tenants, and it’s usually when things are not at their best.
So by deciding what type of income you’re after, you can better define your real estate investing goals. Now that you’ve clearly define your expectations, you can set a course to begin your new venture as a real estate investor.

Things to Keep in Consideration Before Investing in Real Estate

November 26th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

When investing in real estate there are some things you should have in consideration before investing. One thing you should have in consideration before investing in real estate is what you will want to do with the property. By knowing what you want to do with the property, will give you an idea how to finance the deal. If you’re buying a property to flip or to fix up and sell it, chances are you will not hold on to that property for long. It is recommended if you’re not going to hold on to a property for long, that you buy the property with an adjustable rate mortgage. With and adjustable rate mortgage or an A.R.M you can chose to pay only the interest on a monthly basis.

When you only pay the interest it adds on to the principle. This is good in the short term but can add to your monthly payment in the long term. If your buying a property with intention to rent it out the best thing you can do is get a fix rate mortgage. With a fix rate mortgage the payments stay the same throughout the life of the loan. If you’re going to have a property for a long time the best thing you can do is have a consistent monthly payment. Another thing you should have in consideration before investing in real estate is to know what kind of properties you want to invest in. If you’re buying single family homes it is important to buy single family homes that have more than two bed rooms. Single family homes with less than three bed rooms are hard to sell and also hard to rent out.

One last thing you should have in consideration before investing in real estate is to know what location you will like to invest in. If you are going to invest in an area it is recommended that you research as much information as you can about that area. Some things you can research are the property value of the area, the rental rates and what natural disasters the area had before. Investing in real estate is a good way to build up wealth. If you take some of these things in consideration before you invest, it can save you from making a lot of unnecessary and costly mistakes.

A good web site where you can see more information on topics like this is Real Estate Facts which is highly recommended. Another article witch is also recommended is Flipping Real Estate For The First Time Thank you and enjoy.

Bonus Article Become A Real Estate Investor

How to Benefit from Investing in Real Estate

November 25th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

I bought my first apartment 10 years ago, on my 20th birthday. I had spent the previous 5 years working and saving for college; but when I finally entered college at 19 on a full academic scholarship, I decided that instead of spending my accumulated savings, I would try my hand at investment. Here I am 10 years later. This is not a story of extreme or fast wealth building.

But it is a story of effective “forced savings” that has provided me significant insight into financial planning, real estate investing, and balancing the books. While it hasn’t always been a barrel of laughs, overall, I’m reasonably satisfied with the outcome so far.

I thought I would share some real world real estate investment thought. Let’s start at the end, where I am today: I currently own 7 condo apartments in my general geographic area. All of these condos are revenue neutral or revenue positive. I don’t have significant savings to fall back on, and I am just now in the process of “cashing in”, by selling my first apartment. My approach is best described as “slow and steady”; my outlook is 20 – 25 years.

Here the top points I like to share about investing in real estate:

1) Path to (instant) riches

I will never argue that real estate investing is an instant, or even particularly easy, path to significant wealth. My bank statement demonstrates that. I am willing to grant that many people are able to turn real estate in wealth quickly; I’m afraid that hasn’t my approach. Instead, I’ve taken the long view, with the hope that my real estate portfolio will provide a steady cash flow in 10-15 years time. For me, slow and steady really does win the race.

Just think about it: if you can manage to buy and hold 5 properties, within 15 years all five will turn in heavy revenue and heavy profit. For example, my two oldest properties now generate $3500 in revenue each month, with monthly expenses of just $1400. Imagine what that will look like once I’ve paid off all the mortages!

2) For a cautious investor, take the long view

This a vast generalization, but I hold to it pretty firmly: if your outlook is long enough, you will not lose money. At the worst, investing in real estate is a forced savings.

That’s not to say that you’ll never lose money; circumstances such emergency repairs, a destructive tenant, or rapidly inflating interest rates certainly increase the risk. But, if you can hold on through any such upheavals, you’ll find that within two or three years things will settle and you’ll start to benefit from increased appreciate in property value, increased rental income, or both.

And, while property values might dip for periods, keep in mind that over 5 years it’s virtually impossible that your overall property won’t appreciate. At the very worst, you’ll have paid down some of your mortgage.

Plus, you have a tangible, physical asset. There’s a lot to be said about that kind of peace of mind.

3) Operating costs – if they balance, you’re in the good!

You’re probably not going to earn back your down payment quickly – that’s ok! Keep in mind that the portion of your down payment that goes toward principle (ie: the part not eaten up by lawyer and realtor fees) is still in your hands. It just happens to now be in your property. You will see this money again when you sell.

So, the real goal is to be at least neutral on an operating basis. Ideally, that means that your rents will cover mortgages, strata fees, taxes and maintenance. This might not be possible for the first year or three, but even if you’re paying out a few dollars each month, you are still gaining more than if you were not investing.

4) Tenants – do your research,

I learned this lesson the hard way, when I had a tenant cause about $5000 in damage to one of my apartments. What I learned is that tenants have histories; if they are unwilling to share, or if you don’t receive sufficient references to make you comfortable, it’s probably better to just wait. Personally, I now ask for 3 references, and I require proof that the people I’m talking to are actually who they say they are (requiring a work phone number, for example). It might seem extreme, but this type of due diligence at the beginning increase comfort throughout a tenancy and reduce the chances of serious damage.

5) Tenants, Part Two – Late rent is forgivable – Once and don’t be afraid of the eviction notice

Real estate investing is a business. And, like many small businesses, it is sometimes operated on small margins. That means, if a tenant doesn’t pay their rent, it comes out of my pocket. I know that nothing works perfectly, so I will always forgive the first missed rent if there is a reasonable explanation. However, a second missed rent, and I will immediately begin eviction proceedings.

The laws of our state are very strict when it comes to evictions; there must be good and reasonable cause; here, at least, missed rent is just cause for eviction. Don’t misunderstand; I always keep an open mind. But many individuals will take advantage of a situation if they believe there is no consequence.

All in all, I’d say real estate investing has been a very positive experience and I would recommend it to anyone who has patience and fortitude. Do your research, though, because real estate investing has highs and lows, just like any other type of investment vehicle.

Investing Into Real Estate Vs. Bank Deposits

November 25th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

For the first time, in over eight years, making a bank deposit is starting to become more profitable than investing money into Moscow real estate

. In the begging of 2007 investments made into Moscow’s real estate are predicted to give on average no more than 5% yearly gains. According to the real estate market investigation center “Indicators Of Real Estate Market” (IRN.ru), for the last half a year an average price of a square meter in Moscow only increased by $89 to $4120 for square meter of an apartment, in the remaining half a year this price will decrease at the rate of 0.1% a month. Specialists of prestigious real estate company Penny lane Realty also agree, that average gains from investments made into Moscow’s real estate market are leveling off. Because of it, we see increasing number of properties being offered for sale. Property owners are trying to recover the money they invested into their real state. According to market analysts, in present time we are observing reduction of investments made into real estate from 20% to 5-7%, but it does not mean, that investing into real estate became less profitable in comparison to making bank deposits. Investments made into real estate remains to be highly profitable business, but only for professionals, who knows all the unique details of real estate market. “Easy” money, made from real estate investments will no longer exist.

for more info please visit my site at www.eng.realtor.ru

Are Your Credit Score Or Credit Problems Keeping You From Investing In Real Estate?

November 24th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

Do you have poor or no credit? Have you been turned down for a real estate loan? Are you interested in real estate investing but don’t have the credit score or the cash that lenders require? If you have one of these problems then real estate investing is still possible, but you may have to be a little creative. There are several ways that you can invest in real estate without having to use your credit score or cash.
One of these ways is to find a partner who will meet the lending requirements. This could be someone who has the credit score or the down payment that you require. It may be as simple as having a cosigner for a loan. Another way is to flip a house using a double closing. This method is usually not preferred by lenders, and some will not even consider a loan if there is a double closing. Some lenders also have seasoning requirements, and these requirements basically require the seller to own the property at least six months before the sale. This is not a law, however, and many lenders do not have these requirements. There is nothing illegal about finding a buyer for real estate and then finding real estate for sale that meets the needs of the buyer. This is usually done with the purchasing funds being put into escrow. The real estate investor profits to the amount of the price difference in the selling price and the purchasing price without ever using any of their own funds, and there are no checks on the investor’s credit.
Subprime financing is another method available to real estate investors whose credit scores are not high enough or who may not have the required down payment. There are national lending companies who normally will provide a loan for up to seventy percent of the value of the property without verifying a down payment or needing high credit scores. The interest rates on these loans may be a little higher because of the risks involved for the lender.
A lease option is another great way to invest in real estate no matter what your finances or credit score are. This involves finding real estate for sale and then having the owner sign a lease stating all the relevant facts. The lease should specify that you have the right to purchase the specific property for the intended length of time for the specified amount. You then go out and find a buyer for the property within the lease time frame. None of the money is from your pocket and your credit is never even checked. You make the price difference between the buying price and the selling price.
No matter which method you use to invest in real estate with no credit checks or money down, it is possible to invest in real estate with these issues.. Don’t let these two things stop you from your investment potential. You simply need to be a little more creative to find a solution to your investing obstacles.
Copyright © 2007 Joel Teo. All rights reserved. (You may publish this article in its entirety with the following author’s information with live links only.)