Aneinfo Real Estate

As more homes fall into foreclosure, more “I Buy Houses” signs pop up. The majority of these signs belong to private real estate investors or investment groups. Investors buy houses that are either in preforeclosure, already foreclosed, bank owned or probate real estate at discounted rates. Their services allow sellers and lenders the opportunity to reduce financial burdens.

Before contacting “I Buy Houses” investors, conduct research to determine their credentials. When there is money to be made and desperate people to scam, unscrupulous people crawl out of the woodwork. Currently, real estate is a prime target for scamming people out of their most valuable asset.

The Internet is a valuable resource for locating information about businesses and sole proprietors. Business owners must be licensed to conduct business in each state where they offer products or services. Business registrations are typically managed through the Department of Revenue or Secretary of State.

Consumer complaints are filed through each state’s Attorney General’s office, as well as the Better Business Bureau. Real estate agents and brokers are licensed through the National Association of Realtors.

You can easily locate any of the resources above by typing in your state along with the name of the organization; e.g. California Attorney General. These consumer protection agencies can help ensure the business or investor holds proper business licenses and is complaint-free.

As a real estate investor, I have heard numerous horror stories of homeowners losing their house to foreclosure scams. I have also witnessed newbie real estate investors duped into buying properties from “I Buy Houses” groups who were selling properties they didn’t own. Sadly, real estate has taken a hard hit from every angle. Whether buying or selling, homeowners and investors must take every precaution to protect their real estate.

Another common occurrence I face is desperate homeowners contact me daily; begging me to buy their home. The problem is most of these people have procrastinated far too long. By the time they call me, there is nothing I can do to help them save their home.

I would like to offer the same advice to you as I give to everyone else. If you have fallen behind with mortgage payments, today is the day to contact your lender. I realize it can be difficult to pick up the phone and attempt to negotiate a deal to save your home from foreclosure.

The truth of the matter is, the longer you wait the less receptive the bank will be to working with you. Once your property falls into foreclosure few options exist to stop the process.

If you are unable to continue making home loan payments and have not yet entered into foreclosure, your lender might offer the option of short selling your house. When lenders enter into short sale agreements they accept less than is owed on the mortgage note.

Most lenders require borrowers to have a buyer in place prior to negotiating the short sale option. Certain criteria exist and not all properties qualify. In fact, less than 20-percent of short sale requests are approved. If your lender participates in short sales, it is recommended to work with a realty professional experienced in negotiating short sale transactions.

Legitimate “I Buy Houses” investors can be extremely beneficial in helping borrowers obtain short sale approval. Seek out private investors through online real estate forums, local networking groups or by obtaining referrals from banks, mortgage lenders, credit unions, realty agents, brokers or real estate attorneys.

Not all real estate property types may be appropriate for new real estate investors. There are many factors to consider when making the decision to add real estate to an investment portfolio.

When deciding on a residential real estate investment strategy, some options for new investors to consider include:

Rental units

Rental units can be considered both long term and short term investments. Types of properties that may be considered for this category would include:

* Detached single family homes

* Attached single family homes

* Multi-Unit properties

* Condos/Townhomes

Being a Landlord

Not everyone has either the desire or inclination to be a landlord. Dealing with tenant and property issues can be very stressful and time consuming. One way to minimize the impact of being a landlord is to hire a professional property management company.

Hiring a professional property management company has several advantages:

* Allows owners of rental properties to be ‘shielded’ from dealing with tenant and property issues directly.

* Provides a buffer allowing the owners to maintain a hands off approach to managing their properties.

* May provide a less stressful experience

* Offers the ability to purchase real estate investments not immediately local to the investor.

* Provides a single contact point for all issues regarding the investment property.

Professional property managers are well versed and prepared to manage tenant and property issues as they arise. They will typically take care of all issues relating to the property.

Many offer their services at reasonable prices and rates while others can be quite expensive depending on additional services being offered. You may expect property managers to provide the following services:

* Advertise properties available

* Receive applications for tenancy

* Perform Credit and Background checks for applicants

* Recommend rental pricing

* Pay maintenance and/or repair bills for the owner

* Send monthly statements and rental income (Less any outstanding bills.

Typically these are deducted and itemized from the rental income and will appear on monthly statements)

Flipping or The Bane of New Investors

Often times, new investors in real estate are overly anxious to ‘flip’ properties and make a significant profit. Rumors of how friends or acquaintances have made allot of money is often the incentive for ‘flipping’.

The real estate market fluctuates greatly. Yesterdays great ‘flipping’ market may be (recent market trends as an example) tomorrows ‘Hold on to it’ market. While this is certainly a desirable quality of an investment property, it is and should not be the primary consideration for new real estate investors. The competition for this type of real estate investment is fierce and occupied by seasoned, experienced professional builders and investors

Property Types

Let’s discuss the various property type which may be considered by new real estate investors.

The selectionof the type of real estate property for investment purposes may be based on several factors.

These factors include:

* Financial considerations – How much can you afford?

* Availability of properties – What types of properties are available?

* Location – You’ve heard this one a thousand times – Location…Location…Location…

* Income potential – Does the property in question match your real estate investment strategy?

Detached and attached single family homes Single family homes whether attached or detached are often the first real estate property type new investors seek. In many areas, they offer the most availability of any property type.

Prices obviously vary greatly with these property types as well.

Multifamily Properties

Apartment units such as duplexes and triplexes should be considered as a viable option for new real estate investors.

Many investors and real estate professionals use apartment buildings as a point of entry to a portfolio of commercial real estate holdings and to build their equity before moving on to larger commercial real estate investments.

Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes are two, three and four-unit buildings that may or may not be owner occupied.

Summary

Selecting an appropriate type of real estate property in which to invest is a primary consideration for all serious real estate investors.

Real estate investment strategies include the decision of whether or not to become actively involved in the management of the property. Professional property managers offer alternatives to assist in a “hands off” approach to owning residential income property.

Knowing there are options on the various types of properties to purchase as investment may provide new real estate investors the information needed to make that final decision to become a real estate investor.

Investors are frequently bombarded with an enormous amount of paperwork from potential real estate investment clients. Clients try appealing to investors regarding great real estate investment opportunities, but many times the paperwork becomes overwhelming and does not answer the pressing questions investors need addressed. Thus, do not overload your investor with unnecessary stats, extra spreadsheets, and other information. Instead, follow these tips and you shall walk out of your business meeting with money in-hand.

1. Keep it Simple

If a prospect is presented with flashy graphics, wordy material and no user-friendly outline to follow, then the reader shall be left with more questions than answers. It becomes a hassle to read the information provided. It may be a complete disgust discouraging negotiations from continuing to the next level. Present a simple overview of the deal. Your investor does not need granular details during the initial phase. Save the fine points for the next time you meet.

1. List Costs

Inform the investor regarding how much you shall be investing in the deal and how much money is being sought after externally. A general rule to follow in dividing equity is the investor pays 90% while you pay 10%. This is the average split when producing real estate opportunities. But do your research and make sure you are certain regarding the costs prior to preparing the documents. It is a vital component to the entire process.

2. State Return on Investment (ROI)

The investor cares about the bottom line. He/she wants to know what is in it for me. What shall he/she gain from this investment? Is it worth his/her time and money? Therefore, it is important to clearly catalog what the return to the investor shall be on this particular deal. List what you are going to pay annually. Use an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) calculator to formulate the numbers. Provide the financier with what the annual return shall be over a number of years. Cover your basis. This section will make or break your deal.

3. Present a Time Frame

Most experts claim 3-4 years is a common time frame for real estate investment opportunities. However, be aware. For there are investors who prefer an elevated long-term return if the numbers are more appealing than over a shorter time frame. Know which time frame has added appeal and commit to the time frame accordingly.

4. Add Supporting Data

Provide factual supporting data for costs and/or numbers attached to your initial presentation ensuring you are thorough but not overbearing. This basic task establishes credibility via proving you are comprehensive in your presentation. Furthermore, if your investor has questions later on and you are not present, then the supporting data ensures the answer is right in front of him/her building confidence in your preparation abilities. For you were able to preconceive what may be asked in the future and direct it in your paperwork. Focus on numbers for this section of your documents. Think costs, revenues and investment summary.