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Real Estate News by the Numbers: Week of December 17 ? December 23
2011-12-24 17:06:00
A quick rundown of the important real estate news from the week of December 17 ? December 23, by the numbers: 1.6% – Increase in new home sales in November from the previous month. 315,000 new homes sold on an annualized basis in November. 14.3% – Revision downward in the number of home sales from 2007-2010 ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Real Estate News by the Numbers : Week of December 17 ? December 23
More About: Real Estate

Turn Likes Into Leads With Facebook Real Estate Marketing
2011-12-23 16:28:00
Can Facebook real estate marketing really be an effective strategy to help generate more leads for your business? There are some who may argue that simply driving traffic to a website which has a ton of visual distractions and the ability to only produce ?likes? out of the box could be a waste of precious ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Turn Likes Into Leads With Facebook Real Estate Marketing
More About: Real Estate , Real Estate Marketing

Learn from our Deal of the Year
2011-12-22 22:38:00
Outline of our Deal of the Year The following events occurred over 30 days and shows that solving problems and being creative is more important than having a lot of money.   I chose to outline the event chronically as the deal evolved, because it shows how investors can earn large profits by being flexible and ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Learn from our Deal of the Year
More About: Real Estate , Real Estate Investing

End of Year Bittersweet for this Real Estate Investor
2011-12-22 19:42:00
Roger Ellis was the vice principal of my high school.  He was firm, but fair.  I know this because I spent a lot of time in his office. Apparently, Mr. Ellis had a problem with me parking in spaces reserved for teachers.  This made no sense to me.  I took an off-campus class in the ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. End of Year Bittersweet for this Real Estate Investor
More About: Real Estate

How To Train A Property Management Company
2011-12-22 14:07:00
This past weekend I was digging through old DVD’s and “thinning” the big stack of movies we have and I came across a video I ordered online a few years back.  It was a DVD on “How To Train Your New Dog At Home”.  It was a slow Saturday and I suddenly found myself on the couch with ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. How To Train A Property Management Company

Twilight of the Foreclosure Time
2011-12-21 19:25:00
Most folks who buy and sell distressed property for a profit secretly expect that eventually the day will come when foreclosures will no longer account for one out of every three homes sold in America. Someday the Foreclosure Time will indeed end, though most likely not within the next two years.  It?s end, however, is inevitable and ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Twilight of the Foreclosure Time

3 Loan Programs to Help Sell Your Investment Property
2011-12-21 14:15:00
So you bought that investment property, rehabbed it from top to bottom and now you?re wondering where the buyers are.  Unfortunately this economy is nothing like Field of Dreams – ?If you build it, they will come? does not necessarily work anymore.  With so many discounted properties on the market right now, the fix and ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 3 Loan Programs to Help Sell Your Investment Property
More About: Real Estate Investing , Investment Property

Lessons Learned From Hard Times ? A Gift
2011-12-20 20:28:00
The first stretch of truly hard times I faced as a real estate investment brokerage owner began in late 1979. It was akin to enjoying a lazy float down the river on a warm summer day, beer in hand, only to suddenly find yourself in the spin cycle of a rapids you never knew was ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Lessons Learned From Hard Times – A Gift
More About: Real Estate Investing

Short Sale Info for Your Christmas Stocking
2011-12-20 16:07:00
With over a year?s worth of contributions here on BiggerPockets, I?ve written a few pretty conversation-worthy articles and some that did not seem to hit home for readers. Here were the reader?s top five faves. If you are thinking about distressed properties and short sales this holiday, maybe you can add these to you bag ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Short Sale Info for Your Christmas Stocking

6 Tips for Keeping Your Business on Track While Working From Home
2011-12-19 14:04:00
One of the hardest parts of running a home business, whether you are a real estate investor or in an entirely different business, is separating your work from your home life, family and friends. I believe this is especially true for women entrepreneurs. It?s very tempting to do a load of laundry, fix dinner or ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 6 Tips for Keeping Your Business on Track While Working From Home
More About: Real Estate

How to Make Your Seller Finance Offers FAR More Appealing
2011-12-18 16:41:00
A buddy of mine recently came across the perfect buy and hold property. It?s a quality 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom house in a good location, and the sellers only owe $20,000 on the property. So why is this the perfect buy and hold property? It is because it’s in a solid neighborhood, the house is ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. How to Make Your Seller Finance Offers FAR More Appealing
More About: Real Estate Investing

Real Estate News by the Numbers: Week of December 10 ? December 16
2011-12-17 14:23:00
A quick rundown of the important real estate news from the week of December 10 ? December 16, by the numbers: $80 Million – “Shopped” price for a Los Angeles mansion. The six bedroom house was previously owned by Walt Disney’s wife and currently is owned by Gabriel Brener, co-owner of the Houston Dynamo soccer club. ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Real Estate News by the Numbers : Week of December 10 ? December 16
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What if Clark Griswold Bought & Sold Real Estate?
2011-12-16 20:03:00
In spirit of this Christmas season, I thought it would be fitting to reference one of the holiday movie classics as the perfect parallel for today?s lesson on real estate marketing. In fact, since my wife and I just sat down to watch ?National Lampoon?s Christmas Vacation? starring Chevy Chase last night, it is still ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. What if Clark Griswold Bought & Sold Real Estate ?
More About: Real Estate

The Sweet Spot in Mortgage Notes
2011-12-16 14:39:00
Yesterday, I was contacted by a person wanting to sell a real estate note with a face value of $9700.  That?s right, nine-thousand seven-hundred dollars.  The sales price was also $9700, as there was no down payment and no seasoning (payment history).  This was supposedly for a house in the Midwest, though at that price, ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Sweet Spot in Mortgage Notes

Fixing and Flipping: It?s a Numbers Game
2011-12-15 14:30:00
You can?t polish a turd.  That?s what my Dad said to me.  On prom night.  Gee, thanks Dad. One thing I?ve learned from being in the fix and flip business is that you may not be able to polish a turd but you can put lipstick on a pig.  And in certain cases some extremely ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Fixing and Flipping : It?s a Numbers Game
More About: Flipping Houses

Keeping Your Nose Clean When Flipping Short Sales
2011-12-14 19:13:00
Last week I wrote an article about the opportunities in the short sale market; especially with other investors who bought at the peak of the market.  With the large number of properties being advertised as short sales on the MLS, it?s become easier than ever for new investors to try their hand at this strategy. ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Keeping Your Nose Clean When Flipping Short Sales

The Real Estate Investor Retirement Recovery Window ? Two Years Old
2011-12-14 14:08:00
I coined that incredibly original phrase about this time last year in a post on my own site. The post duly noted that the convergence of three factors, crucial to long term real estate investing. Interest rates at historically low levels, price/rent ratios mimicking 1958 textbooks, and blue ribbon locations sporting smallish newly built income ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Real Estate Investor Retirement Recovery Window – Two Years Old
More About: Commentary , Real Estate

Continuing Your Education is Key for Real Estate Entreprenurial Success
2011-12-13 17:36:00
No matter how you view it, the real estate business is a business for entrepreneurs!  It is the ultimate capitalist endeavor.  Whether your chosen route is as a real estate agent, a long-term real estate investor or a short-term speculator, deciding to make a living in the realm of real estate takes the guts, the ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Continuing Your Education is Key for Real Estate Entreprenurial Success
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With Short Sales, Is the Lien Holder Part of the Problem?
2011-12-13 14:03:00
People are always surprised when I state that I have an almost perfect success rate in obtaining short sale approval letters. Short sale approval letters are not so difficult to come by. Yes, they often take forever to obtain, but often it is not the short sale approval letter that gets in the way of the closing of the ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. With Short Sales , Is the Lien Holder Part of the Problem ?

Advice for New Real Estate Investors Just Starting Out
2011-12-12 21:14:00
Converting excitement about becoming a real estate investor into your first profitable deal is one of the greatest challenges for many new real estate investors. Notice I did not simply say ?a deal? but instead a “profitable deal?? Anyone with a little money and a pen can do a bad deal.  It has been my ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Advice for New Real Estate Investors Just Starting Out
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When Making Offers on Real Estate, When Does ?No? Really Mean NO?
2011-12-12 15:56:00
The answer is ?Not really when they first say no.? I prefer to think of it as ?not right now.? I never take a seller off my list just because they have said no to my offer. When someone asks me when I take a seller off my list, I always tell them there are ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. When Making Offers on Real Estate , When Does ‘No’ Really Mean NO?
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What to Get Your Tenants for the Holidays
2011-12-11 16:39:00
Going shopping for Christmas presents is one of my least favorite activities. It?s right up there with going to the dentist and going to the DMV. That?s why I try and do as little of it as possible and that?s why I have a virtual assistant to do these types of tasks which I can?t ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. What to Get Your Tenants for the Holidays
More About: Commentary

?Mini-Model? Leasing Strategy will fill Vacancies Fast in Multi-Family Apar
2011-12-10 17:29:00
Most potential tenants make their decision to lease your property within the first 30 seconds of entering the apartment.  It is critical to capture their interest and make a great impression as soon as they enter your building.  You need an effective leasing strategy to help you do this. A ?mini-model? apartment is one of ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ?Mini -Model ? Leasing Strategy will fill Vacancies Fast in Multi -Family Apartment Buildings for Under $200

Real Estate News by the Numbers: Week of December 3 ? December 9
2011-12-10 17:07:00
A quick rundown of the important real estate news from the week of December 3 ? December 9, by the numbers: 12 out of 27 – Number of metro markets where it’s cheaper to buy than rent according to a new Wall Street Journal article. Among the markets are Atlanta, Chicago, Las Vegas, Miami and Phoenix. ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Real Estate News by the Numbers : Week of December 3 ? December 9
More About: Real Estate

Mortgage Notes ? Getting to Know the Customer?s Needs
2011-12-09 14:45:00
When I first started in the mortgage note buying business almost ten years ago, I made the usual rookie mistakes.  One error was a biggie, and I should have known better after spending years in sales and business development at a Fortune 500 company.  That error was one of the easiest to overcome, as it ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Mortgage Notes ? Getting to Know the Customer ?s Needs

How to Setup Foreclosure Based Real Estate Marketing Squeeze Pages
2011-12-08 19:06:00
According to a recent article submitted by Inman News, there are more foreclosures being processed right now than ever before. In fact, just between the months of September and October alone, foreclosure starts jumped by 5.7%. On the other hand, Inman has also reported that the long term outlook for foreclosure properties looks positive. Therefore, ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. How to Setup Foreclosure Based Real Estate Marketing Squeeze Pages
More About: Real Estate , Real Estate Marketing

Dipping Your Toe Into the World of Seller Financing
2011-12-08 15:54:00
If you are going to sign a lease/option contract with a prospective tenant buyer, you should go through the normal screening process used in any seller financed deal. That means credit reports, background checks, pay stubs, reference checks and any other due diligence that gives you an accurate profile of your prospective buyer. After all, ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Dipping Your Toe Into the World of Seller Financing
More About: Real Estate Investing , The World

?Customer Service? is Essential for Real Estate Success
2011-12-07 21:40:00
Real Estate Professionals are in the Business of Serving – Not Selling If you are in the real estate business, even as an investor, take a moment to consider what you really do.  Many come to the conclusion that they are selling real estate or real estate services such as providing property for tenants.  Many ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. ‘Customer Service ’ is Essential for Real Estate Success

A Niche In the Short Sale Game
2011-12-07 14:17:00
When I think about the opportunities and marketing efforts associated with short sales, I picture the typical family who has fallen victim to this recession. Perhaps it?s a husband whose job has been eliminated, resulting in the inability to pay the mortgage. Or, maybe it?s a family whose mortgage has adjusted, the payment has become ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. A Niche In the Short Sale Game

Still Believe Your 401k Is a Main Cog In Your Retirement Income Plan? Think
2011-12-06 19:57:00
Let’s just get down to brass tacks. Your 401K/IRA is virtually guaranteed to let you down when it comes to the income on which you’re relying for retirement. You’ve been lead down the garden path. Ironically, these so-called ‘qualified plans’ are in reality very well designed future streams of income — for the Treasury Department ...This Article is Copyright © 2004-2011 BiggerPockets, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Still Believe Your 401k Is a Main Cog In Your Retirement Income Plan? Think Again
More About: Commentary