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Investing in Real Estate How and Why

December 21st, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

If you are thinking about investing in real estate how and why are two very important questions that you should ask.

To begin with how… You need to find sources of information that are going to provide you with all the information you need to get you started with on your investment. You can use resources such as…

- The internet for research. If you utilize this tool it can be your starting point in respect to investing in real estate. Contemplating investing in real estate how and why are the two important questions to ask because It’s your money and you don’t want to lose it. That’s why starting your research from the bottom up will lead you in the right direction.

- Reading Material. There is excellent reading material regarding real estate investment that can be obtained from the internet as well. Then you can also purchase this from book stores. Even the financial papers will provide you with some excellent information.

- Online courses. Once you begin thinking about investing in real estate how and why are the two questions that you not only need the answers to, but you must understand the concept of the answers. This can easily be achieved through many of the great online courses that are available for real estate investment.

- Ask the experts. Don’t be afraid to ask questions of every expert that crosses your path regarding real estate investments. The majority of them would be more than willing to answer them. You can refer to professionals such as bankers, loans officers and other investors.

As we mentioned if you are thinking about investing how and why are two important questions, and after answering the how its important to address the why.

Why should you invest in real estate… To begin with its one of the safer types of investments. Stocks can be volatile. If the economy is bad then one stands to lose their entire investment. With investment in real estate in a bad economy most often you can just weather out the storm and hold onto your investment until things get better.

Its also an investment that you can maintain control over. You are the one making the decisions about your investment. Most often when you are involved in stocks the decisions are being made by the portfolio manager.

As you can see there are many advantages to real estate investment. This can be done with even a minimal amount of funds.

Best Way to Invest in Real Estate

December 20th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

The modern markets of the world are fluctuating very much. These fluctuations are even more severe because of the impact of the global economic crisis. With careful planning and right decisions in the right time we can earn large amounts of money. One of the most prosperous markets available for the modern salesmen is the market of the real estates.

The real estate market developed much during the past few years. The popularization of Internet boosted this market even more and introduced a new category; the online real estate trading.

The best and most secure ways to invest in real estate are the following:

-        Investment into real estate and land lording – the most secure and safe way of investing is buying a real estate and then rent it for a number of tenants. This is one of the easiest methods, but we have to be aware that we will have to manage the whole real estate and that can be very difficult sometimes.

-        Investment in real estate and land lording and hiring a property manager – this kind of investment is similar to the previous one with a major difference. By hiring a professional property manager we do not have to hassle with the tenants and the maintenance, it will all be the manager’s job. The property manager will select the tenants, collect the rents, and handle the maintenance of the real estate and many more. The property managers work for a certain fee and if we get to hire a good one we can forget about the real estate and enjoy the profit we make.

-        Investing in Real Estate Investment Trusts – these Trusts are a good way to invest our money, they are basically the same like the previously listed investments with one difference, and here we invest in commercial real estate and not personal homes. The investment trusts are very liquid and they can be purchased like stocks and the returns are through dividends.

-        Real Estate Flipping – the real estate flipping is buying the property at lower price and trying to sell it at a higher price and making profit. The major secret of successful real estate flipping is the renovation and decoration. If we buy a low priced real estate and we do some low cost renovation we can sell it at much higher price. The price difference will cover the renovation costs and it will provide us profit, too. We must plan the costs of the renovation carefully to avoid overspending. Overspending in an old structure is a very negative thing to do because we will hardly get our invested money back.

There are many more interesting ways to invest in real estate market but they are more complicated and they require expert knowledge of the real estate markets. The additional ways of investments are: buying taxes liens, pre – construction investment, private lending, lease options and many more. These ways of investment can provide us higher returns but they have higher risks too.

Investment in Real Estate Industry

December 20th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

You are looking do money through an investment of real estate? If you, you are not the only one. There are some investors of real estate who are successful while others not. If you will be interested in becoming by the successful, favorable investor of real estate you will wish to make sure, that you know precisely, that you do, buying properties of investments of real estate. For this reason it informs, that you have made yours on research or signup to head investments of real estate or a class.

When it arrives in not completely to investigate an investment of real estate, there are many encouraging investors of real estate who are asked by a question why they should worry. Many assume, that purchase of properties of real estate, repairing their and then rent or their sale not complex process, but is more were the investor of real estate than only a premise of the offer of purchase concerning the property and performance of several repairs. Not hurrying up actually to learn about an investment of real estate, you, more possibly, become the successful investor of real estate.

One of the reasons why research increases your opportunities by supervision of success and profit, – because is a lot of immovable investing helps there, only expecting to be found and to be used. What is do not understand, that – a lot of immovable investing helps which include don’ts, are made by successful investors of real estate; those who saw profit directly. Reception of your information from the successful, proved investor of real estate – your best chance of success. It – because the information or helps which they give you, are pertinent as they often tested them on own experience. For this reason, you can wish to search for books of real estate or rates of real estate which are written or to be accepted by successful investors of real estate.

Some of many helps covered in many real estate, investing books and real estate, investing rates include helps at purchase bests properties just as how to make those properties rented or sellable. As the investor of real estate, you have the decision to repair the bought property or to become the owner. It is a lot of rates of real estate and books cover also approaches of investments of real estate, and allocate opportunities for success with everyone. As the investor of real estate, you – your own boss; therefore, you in a condition to make your own decision, concerning you would like to make what investment, but supervision of the information concerning the last investors and their success can give you good ideas; ideas which could help to become to you the successful investor of real estate.

To put it briefly, if you will seriously concern to becoming by the investor of real estate you will wish to take investments of real estate, run or buy assembly of your own real estate, investing books. When it arrives to becoming by the successful investor of real estate, research cannot be underlined on enough.

The first thing in investing in real estate

December 19th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

Real estate investments can be extraordinarily profitable provided one is aware of the several keys to successful real estate investment deals. Investing in real estate has become increasingly popular over the last few decades and many investors are finding great opportunities in real estate for making big gains. But beginners in real estate investing need not be disheartened as they will learn through experience and eventually become adepts at closing profitable deals. There are some fundamental skills that one has to acquire for building a sound real estate investment business.- The investor must continuously look for information about desperate home/property sellers who are facing emergency situations and identify hidden opportunities.- The investor must become a master negotiator for favorably closing the real estate investment deals. – The investor should acquire the uncanny knack to accurately analyze each real estate investment deal and learn exactly when to proceed with the deal and when to retract. – The investor must gain expertise in all areas of real estate investment and understand what is meant by lease options, cash sales, wrap mortgages, foreclosures, auction sales and such other aspects of real estate investment trade. – The investor should understand all the financial risks and benefits of investing in real estate. – The investor must become conversant with the real estate laws of the state concerned and the federal income tax lawsYour confidence levels will steadily grow as you gain experience and successfully close a few real estate deals. Like in any other business, there are no get-rich overnight schemes in real estate investment. Over a period of time you will surely find yourself managing a profitable and growing portfolio of investment properties. The opportunities to build wealth are definitely there in the real estate market and with a fair knowledge of the market you can go for the kill. Understanding real estate investment is crucial because it usually involves a substantial investment and a long-term one. Besides, the real estate market can quite often be unpredictable. There are a number of ways in which an investor can participate in the real estate market.One can opt for real estate investment with an aim to rent the property out to a tenant. This is a safer bet and the investor will then have a steady rental income from the tenant, though he will be responsible for paying the mortgage, taxes and other expenses associated with maintaining the property. The owner also benefits from capital appreciation when he decides to dispose off the property. Be careful to whom you rent because your property must be well-maintained. There are real estate investment groups that are similar to mutual funds. While an investor may own many rental properties, a professionally managed company acquires builds, maintains and lets out all the properties in exchange for a small percentage of the monthly rent. This can save you a lot of bother.Real estate trading is of course where the money lies. Traders buy and hold properties for a short span of time and then sell them off at a profit. This process is called flipping properties and investors buy significantly undervalued or very hot properties.

North Carolina is a Great Place to Live and Invest in Real Estate

December 17th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

If you are looking for a great place to live and invest in real estate, then maybe now is time you took a good look at one of the best kept secrets in the U.S. real estate market. North Carolina is not just a great place to get a great deal on a home, but it is also a great place to live and raise a family. If you are currently living in any one of the popular urban or suburban areas of the U.S. and have reaped the benefits of the boom in real estate values over the last ten years, then perhaps you have noticed that prices have began to taper off and in some cases values have been declining.

The south has always been a great deal and it still is, not just in real estate prices but in the everyday cost of living. You will be amazed at how much further your money will go in a place like North Carolina and if you haven’t been getting out in the evenings as much as you would like where you are currently living due to the high cost of dining out, then you will be surprised to learn that stepping out to enjoy a nice restaurant dinner is a part of Southern tradition that is still alive and affordable.

The Southern climate is fantastic and winter in the south can be easily compared to spring time in Southern California. Golf and all varieties of outdoor sports go on all year long and you will quickly realize how the South earned the reputation as a sportsmen’s paradise. There is a lot to be said about the Southern way of life and it is something that everyone should experience some time in their life. They even still have country clubs in North Carolina and in all areas of the south for that matter and memberships are surprisingly reasonable. If you are looking not just for a place that is a great bargain, but also a great place to live, look to North Carolina.

The Purpose of Investing in Real Estate Should be to Create Passive Income

December 17th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

When investing in real estate there are many different avenues to choose from. When deciding which avenue is best for you, it’s important to consider the difference between passive-income generating avenues and earned or working-income generating avenues. In fact, in my opinion, understanding the difference between passive income and working income is one of the most important things to consider when investing in real estate.
Working Income vrs. Passive Income:
Working Income: Working Income is buying a house, fixing it, and then selling it for a profit. Or building a house then selling it for a profit. Or my favorite is buying a house, holding it (hoping it will appreciate in value, while losing money every month), then selling it.
Passive Income: The best way to understand passive income is to play Robert Kiyosaki’s board game, “Cash Flow 101.” To win (get out of the rat race), you have to get your monthly passive income to exceed your monthly expenses. It’s a real eye-opener. In his game, the quickest way to achieve this is purchasing cash flowing rental properties. Passive income is income that is earned without you doing the work to earn it. Rental income is a great avenue for passive income.
Here are a few reasons why investing in rental properties are an attractive avenue for investing in real estate:
Lower Taxes: Passive income is one of the lowest taxed forms of income, especially rental income. Uncle Sam likes that you’re providing affordable housing and is willing to cut you some slack on the taxes. When you buy, fix, and sell a property, that income is taxed as capital gains and you’re going to pay Uncle Sam 25-40%. Also, owning rental properties is a business, allowing you to write off operating expenses of your business.
Depreciation: This is a benefit often overlooked. Owning rental property provides a non-cash write off over the useful life of the property. Depreciation is defined as the loss in value of the property over time due to wear and tear, physical deterioration and age. Residential income property is depreciated over a 27.5 year period using straight line depreciation (or in other words, depreciated by equal amounts each year over its useful life). While your accountant will do the math, the point is, it’s a non-cash expense lowering you overall tax liability.
Time: Perhaps the best benefit of investing in turn-key rental properties is that it creates time. Remember, passive income creates time, working income takes time. The problem with working income, not only in real estate but in any business, is you have to keep working to make money. The whole reason why any of us get into real estate is for the life-style it can provide. To me, real estate is a means to and end. It doesn’t define who I am. But if done right, it provides time and money to be, do, and have everything I want in life. That’s what this is all about. While a measly $200/mo cash flow on a single family rental property doesn’t sound as sexy as flipping a house and making a quick $15,000, you have to look at the bigger picture.
For example; if you acquire 20 turn-key properties from Equity Services, LLC, each providing $200/mo cash flow, that would be $4,000/mo passive income. That money comes in while you’re eating, sleeping or surfing on the beach (we have a lot of Hawaiian investors)! Now there is some work you’ll have to do, unless you get someone else to do it. Someone has to walk to the mailbox to collect your checks! I get my kids to do it. (There’s more to it than that but you get the point). If 20 properties seems too hard to achieve, remember the old saying; “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!” Well, how do you acquire 20 rental properties? One house at a time! We have one client, Mitch, who is buying his first rental property from Equity Services, LLC. His goal is 500 units in 3 years. Wow! He’s definitely caught the vision of passive income.
Equity Services, LLC = Turn Key
When we’re asked what it is we do, we often state that we sell “turn-key rental properties.” In fact, if you look at our company logo, you’ll see a house with a key. So what does turn-key mean? It means, we have a system in place to handle everything from acquiring the properties, to managing the renovations, to providing the tenants and everything in between. While there are many benefits to using Equity Services, LLC such as our houses are priced right, they have equity, etc., the real value we add is by saving you the time and energy to acquire solid cash-flowing properties. We have a strong relationship with the banks and purchase distressed properties at a discount. We renovate the properties to our high standards (we have rehabbed over 100 properties since 2007). The property manager handles filling the units and managing the tenants. As Timothy Ferriss states in his book, The 4 Hour Workweek, “Our goal isn’t to create a business that is as large as possible but rather a business that bothers us as little as possible.” We have developed a proven system that saves our investors their valuable time. Every now and then we run into the “do-it yourself” investors. We had one investor who gathered information from us, flew down to Michigan, and bought a house. He quickly found out that it wasn’t as easy as he thought, especially long distance. If anything, it helped him appreciate what we do.
Before you run out and quit your “working income” J.O.B., consider this; Keep your job but focus on building your passive-income empire. Use you earned income to invest in more passive income. Then as Robert Kiyosaki teaches in his book Rich Dad Poor Dad, once your passive income surpasses your expenses, you’re financially free. And remember, “profit is only profitable to the extent that you can use it. For that you need time.” (T. Ferriss, The 4 Hour Workweek)

Investing in Real Estate in Other Countries

December 16th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

Have you been sitting in your office or at home thinking to yourself long and hard about investing in real estate in other countries? Perhaps this might just be a good idea for you to do and you should do just that.

Investing in real estate in other countries may be a bit complicated but if you stick to it and put your mind to it you will end up doing the right thing. First thing you need to know is when you are investing in real estate in other countries you need to keep in mind about the types of languages they speak and how their culture is because you don’t want to end up insulting the seller or anything like that. Perhaps you should try to find yourself a translator when it comes to investing in real estate in other countries, this can be hard to do, but you are going to have to understand the seller’s language in order to buy the real estate. Then when you are selling it you will need to be able to communicate with the buyer properly as well, so always keep the language difference in mind when investing in real estate in other countries.

Another thing that you should take in mind when investing in real estate in other countries is the fact that you may be buying someone else’s problem, there may just be a reason why the seller is selling the house or whatever estate that you are looking at for so cheap. So take the time and go to the country where you are investing in real estate at and look at the property. Take in mind any downers that you may see to the place and run this pass the seller, because the seller might not know about certain things.

In all when you are investing in real estate in other countries, as long as you have the money, you should have no problem with buying or selling the property. Because being that it is in another country you will get the advantage of advertising it not only in your country but also in the country where the real estate is. Stick to the rules and be careful when you are investing in real estate in other countries and you should end up doing just fine.

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How to Invest in Real Estate

December 15th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

As the old saying goes, you have to spend money to make money, and that could not be truer when investing in real estate. You may have grand ideas about how to spruce up a local property and then sell it for a mint, but if you dont have that initial capital, than you cant even start. What most investors do is get a loan. A loan that is used for real estate investment purposes is a mortgage. As any homeowner knows, a mortgage can be an albatross around the neck of any property owner, but if you are looking to flip properties fast, they are not such a big deal. You can get a mortgage from most banks, credit unions and even from insurance companies. They can also be done privately through a wealthy investor who is going to be investing in you, but these tend to be rare.

The average mortgage can be broken down into two categories: loans for residential spaces and loans for commercial spaces. If you are looking to buy a property that is going to be used for commercial purposes, like a store or a research centre, than you would need a commercial loan. Most properties that fall into these categories tend to be multi-units, ranging from 4 or 5 to dozens. If you are looking to get a mortgage for a residential space and it needs to only be a one-unit space, than you would want a residential mortgage. Even if you are going to be making a commercial profit, say as a landlord, from a residential property, you would still need a residential mortgage. The way the loans work, you file for one and when you receive it, you are given all the money you requested at once and then you pay the mortgage back in bits and pieces. If you are going to be investing in property, you will need a lot of money, not only from the cost of the property but things like closing costs and points can really add up.

The bank or credit union that you are applying for the mortgage from will take three main factors into consideration when they look at your application. The first is your income. The second is your credit score and the third is savings. The mortgage can be broken down into five essential parts that any investor needs to look at closely before signing any legal papers. The principal of the loan, meaning how much the loan if for, the rate of interest, meaning the fee the bank is requesting to borrow the money, the terms of the agreement, meaning how and when the bank is going to want their money back, the payment schedule, and the final value, which includes any extra fees that are not otherwise stated. One important aspect of mortgages that needs to be understood is that the longer the bank gives you to pay back the loan, the higher the interest rate will be, meaning, the more money you have to pay the bank to borrow the money. Try to get the shortest period possible on a loan to save yourself the most money in the long run.

Three Reasons Why Now is the Best Time to Invest in Real Estate

December 14th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

 

1. The “F” Word.

Foreclosures are at an all time high. Just about every one of us can think of a family member or friend in foreclosure, or at least a neighbor. While this is a sad result of the mortgage meltdown and the current job market there are still silver linings to every cloud. Banks are more willing to offer deals on REO (Real Estate Owned) properties that they are holding in their over inflated non-performing asset portfolio. They need to move these properties to stay properly capitalized and your chances of getting a good deal are getting better and better every day.

If you have not started to track foreclosures in your market you need to begin today. Keep an eye on homes that go into foreclosure. Then you can identify the homes with the most potential of being a good deal. If the home goes all the way through the foreclosure process make sure you follow up with the bank before the home makes it on to the open MLS market. This will help you develop relationships with the banks and find some real nuggets along the way.

2. The “I” Word.

OK so maybe it isn’t as easy to get a mortgage as it was a couple of years ago. We all know the market has tightened up. The fact is there are still a lot of people with jobs and good credit that can get a mortgage. Fannie Mae recently loosened their rules on the number of homes investors can finance from 4 up to 10. 10 homes is quite a few if you are just starting out.

Even more exciting is that interest rates are at an all time low. If you can get a good deal on a home in foreclosure and secure a 5.5% interest rate then it becomes extremely easy to cash flow on a rental property. Many experienced investors have been making it work for years at 10% interest rates. We should all be able to hit a home run at nearly half of that! Check your credit and find a good investor friendly mortgage broker and find out what you qualify for today.

3. The “T” Word.

Back to the number one reason to invest today, foreclosures. So many people are in foreclosure or have recent job losses it is making it extremely difficult to become or continue to be homeowners. While this may not be a permanent situation it does make the rental market one of the best we have seen in years. I have many clients who are prospering in the rental market. Even better are those tenants that would like to be homeowners today, were yesterday and will be tomorrow. These tenants have the potential to lease a home right now with the opportunity to buy it once their situation has improved and the mortgage market has opened up again. This is the wholly grail for real estate investors as we can cover cash flow today with the big pay off in the future when we sell the home.

I am not saying that it is easy to invest in real estate today nor do I think this is the kind of market where you are going to flip three houses a month and become a millionaire in six months. For those with vision and with the proper training you could be setting yourself and your family up for amazing wealth over time. So many people have kicked themselves for not getting into the market fifteen years ago. Don’t be that person fifteen years from now.

 

Tips To Keep In Mind Before Investing In Real Estate

December 13th, 2009 CheapFlatsLondon No comments

More than anything, the first thing that one must keep in mind when looking at a piece of property to invest in is whether that property will generate a good income at some indefinite point in the future. This is considered the chief criterion while investing in real estate. If it seems that the investor will not be able to sell the property at a profit in the future, then that property is usually not worth considering.
Apart from this, it is very important to do proper market research on the property before investing in it. Consider opinions from various sources and dont just take your agents word for it. This will help you verify not only the earning power of the property but also other details that one must be aware of before investing in real estate.
It is very important to know your seller well. Make sure his credentials are genuine and you are not being taken for a ride. Run a background check before you get too excited and pay through the nose for the property of your dreams.
Old houses always look pretty and are prettier when they are put up for sale. Dont get carried away by the outward appeal; make sure youve done a thorough check. It makes absolutely no sense to invest in property that will cost more to maintain than the revenue it will generate. This, of course, can happen to a piece of new property too, but its usually the older ones that have this problem.
You obviously dont want property on which youll be spending thousands for repairs. However, there is no harm in investing in something if it requires just a few touch-ups here and there so that you can make it ideal for you. For this, you need to have an honest heart-to-heart with the original tenants, who will be able to tell you everything from pest infestation to how many cracks there are on the ceiling.
Make sure the insurance coverage that you currently have is enough and more to cover your recently bought property. This may seem overtly cautious to some, but you must be prepared. Suppose you move in from a small apartment to a huge Spanish style mansion and something were to happen. Wouldnt you want your insurance to cover all of it?
If you choose to let out your property to tenants, make sure you charge a fair rent. This way, your tenants will be happy and will stay long. Also, before deciding on tenants, run a background check on their credentials, making sure they are people you wont have any trouble with.
If youve just closed a good deal and have made a good amount of profit, dont go wild spending all that money. Instead, act wisely and invest some if not all of that money into another piece of property. Now that you know how profitable real estate is, invest in some more.