Real Estate Expert Robert Irwin Says "Buy Real Estate NOW!"

My friend, Dan Auito just published what he calls the Real Estate Encyclopedia of 2011.  The actual title of the book is "Be a Real Estate Heavyweight: 95 Experts Show You How".  Amazingly, he published it all as a pdf and has given it away FREE.  Really.  You don't even have to give up your email address to get this from him.

I got it late yesterday.  Dan cautioned me that it is not the kind of book you sit down and read through.  Rather, he told me, it is a reference volume where you look in the the table of contents to find the topic you need to read up on and then you go to that section.

After perusing the table of contents, I came back to the Introduction, written by Robert Irwin.  I have five books written by Robert Irwin about real estate finance on my bookshelf!  The guy is a legend and one of my business heroes.  I have learned more about how to approach creative financing from him than almost all my others sources combined.

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When I read his introduction, I thought that he must have written it for this blog.  He even references lemons.When I read Robert's intro, I thought, this is exactly what I have been telling people for a while now.  Perhaps they will actually listen if they hear it from someone else as well.

So, I have excerpted a portion of the introduction and share it here with you (my emphasis added in places).  So, without further ado, listen to the wisdom of a true real estate heavyweight, Mr. Robert Irwin.

As Dickens wrote, it is also the “best of times,” so, too, are there great opportunities. I’m speaking, of course, of real estate investments. For those with the gumption to make lemonade out of lemons, there’s never been a better time to invest in property.

The U.S. population is growing by about 3 million a year. That’s an enormous rate of increase and all those people need some place to live. That means that hidden beneath the falling prices is a huge pent-up demand just waiting for a stable market to unleash itself.

Further, and something every investor should pay special attention to, is the ratio between housing prices and rental rates. (After all, the lifeblood of real estate investing comes from rental income.) The traditional relationship between rental income and housing prices is about 20 to 1.

During the housing bubble that lasted roughly between 2000 and 2006, that ratio went as high as 33 or 34 to 1. Rentals are once again approaching the “magic”20-to-1 ratio.

Perhaps most important of all, the price of housing has reached its long-term trend line. If you were to chart housing prices from the end of World War II through today you would see a saw-tooth generally upward trend (at about 5 percent a year), then a huge spike up that was the housing bubble, and a dramatic pitch downward, that is today’s slump. But at the end of that slump, you would see the trend line just where it’s supposed to be as if the bubble hadn’t even come along….now, they are roughly where they should be, given 70 years of history.

[educated stock investors call this the “support” line. TS]

For the investor who has the foresight and the gumption to see clearly when others are lost in the fog, this can be the best of times. Once again it’s possible to buy property at a reasonable price. Finally sellers are willing to negotiate reasonable terms. Once more, you can step in and make money—potentially big money—by buying low, holding, and eventually selling high.

I can’t tell you when, but I firmly believe that in the future real estate prices will not only return to their former highs, but will exceed them! I believe that those who have the courage and foresight to act when the market is down will reap enormous benefits when it eventually turns up.

It’s all well and good to get enthused about making your move into the real estate market when it’s down. But how do you learn the mechanics of doing it? Where are you going to find out how to get the financing you need, learn to determine true values, uncover the location of suitable properties?

You can’t just look at the rules of the past. Time has moved on and the rules have evolved. What’s needed is a strong resource to give you the information you need to make an informed investment. What you need is a guide to today’s opportunistic real estate market.

Robert Irwin

So, now you have heard from more than one person. I have been saying for some time that NOW is the time to invest in real estate.  If you wait until the newspapers say it is the right time, ALL the smart money will be moving out of it by then.  NOW, you are hearing it from an expert who has been doing this for most of my adult life.

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I have 5 immediate investment opportunities available here in North Carolina, right now! They are solid investments producing steady cash flow.  If you aren't ready or willing to become a landlord, no problem.  You can make your money work for you as a private lender.  You get a first lien position secured by a deed of trust on the property and you get a steady check each month while someone else deals with the headaches of tenants, toilets and termites.

However, if you are ready to get the greater rewards that come with the greater risks of being a landlord, you can buy any of these 5 properties and, based on current cash flows, anticipate a 10% return on your money right now.  When the market turns up and everyone else thinks it is a great time to buy, you can sell these properties to those wannabe investors and make a very nice profit while they take on the risks of being a landlord.

If it is so great, why would someone sell these units?  The answer is simple, the seller doesn't WANT to sell. He WANTS to hold on to the units and work with a private lender to create a win-win solution.  But, since he has some personal debts that MUST be settled NOW, he is willing to SELL, take on a partner, or guarantee a private loan.

If you would like to know more about these opportunities, contact me directly (Tom@CharlotteWealthPartners.com), but you better do it FAST, because these deals will not be available very long.  The good ones never are.
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I have been successfully investing in real estate in the Charlotte area since 2001.  I have weathered this financial chaos because of the common sense rules I use for investing.  If you are looking for a guide to help you take advantage of today's real estate market, look here.  Be warned, my experience and knowledge is not FREE.  I paid dearly for both my knowledge and experience and I cannot afford to give them away to anyone.  Besides, if I gave them to you for FREE, you wouldn't value what you received.

If you would like your own copy of Dan Auito's amazing, FREE encyclopedia for real estate, just follow this link.

Robert Irwin is one of America’s most respected experts in all areas of real estate and the author of more than 60 books in the field. His Tips and Traps series for McGraw-Hill have sold millions of copies. He is a real estate broker, contributing editor to numerous magazines, and reliable leader for investors, home buyers, and sellers.

Tom Sheppard is the author of "Fire Yourself: Get the Job You Want" available from XLibris Press. Tom has been successfully investing in real estate since 2001 while working part time. In 2008 he left a six-figure job as an enterprise project manager with a major national bank to manage his real estate business full-time. His goal is to help 100,000 people find peace of mind by finding quality, affordable homes. He is currently looking to expand his network of funding partners who are helping him achieve this goal. If you would like to know more about how you can Do Well By Doing Good (TM), go to www.CharlotteWealthPartners.com

Tips on Getting Started in Real Estate

Recently on LinkedIn my friend Matt asked the question:

"Anyone have any good tips on how to get started in real estate investments? Myself and two friends are looking to get going, but aren't real sure where or how to start."

In less than a month he had more than 80 comments.

I found it amazing how many of those comments weren't tips, but instead were offers to sell him an investment opportunity.  I am including a few here (edited to remove last names, investing links and other information).

To his credit, James, the very first responder was at least selling education:
James  said,

"Hi Matt, I don't have all the answers but I do provide a real estate investing learning center on my website at http://www.proapod.com/LearningCenter.htm you might find helpful. Good luck."

I don't know if James' teaching is any good, I haven't checked out his site.  But at least he was offering to educate Matt before trying to convince him to throw tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, or more, into real estate before being sure Matt would know the difference between an REO and an Oreo.  For that reason alone I left his link intact when I quoted him above.

Dylan, the very next posting, offered 

"I am a developer/contractor who puts together investment opportunities.... If you would like to be contacted when I have a project ready for review just send me your email."

Dylan didn't mention to Matt that development is the most risky form of real estate investing and is one of the quickest ways to lose everything.  Yes, there can be great rewards, but with the rewards there is risk - and if you don't understand the risks, then you are gambling.

Subranshu offered Matt several services and properties all in India. And then came back later to offer him more, and more properties.

Investing far from home is a recipe for disaster, even for experienced investors.  When you invest, there is always an element of chance or risk.  When you invest far from home, you are often totally unaware of the very local risks that abound.

When you invest close to home, you know the neighborhoods.  You know the local market.  You know the local ecomony.  You see it everyday when you go buy groceries or read the lcoal paper.

Unless you are going to go live in the far-away market for six months or a year before investing (in which case it now becomes a local market for you) then you are investing in ignorance and the education you get will be much more expensive than it needs be.

Manish came on looking like he was taking the moral highground, but advised Matt not to listen to anyone but him, which sounds like a dangerous avenue to me. 

"dont need any book/ any course/ or dont let any investor here take any of your profits or have them be equity partners. Depending on your criteria, and cities, states you want to invest, I will give you a free consultation on how to exactly invest whereabouts to get everything done A-Z. Developing is dangerous, as its not a buyers market, its a rental market. I am not trying to sell anything, I am a simple investor. A sole investor with portfolio of over 30 units. All acquired in one year. Not using any investors money. But I was able to leverage properties i bought to acquire more. I will be more than happy to show you the way. Stay out of other countries, do areas you know!!..msg me I will be more than happy to assist you or help you."

I suspect Manish is not being totally honest when he tells Matt not to buy any books or courses and instead just listen to him.  If Manish hasn't gotten any good education, then it is only a matter of time before his mistakes catch up with him and his whole real estate empire will go down in flames.       

I know from personal experience that there are many people offering real estate training that is actually worthless.  Most of the "gurus" are selling strategies that they used five years ago to get rich.  Then they quit buying real estate and started selling their program.  Five years later, the program doesn't work in today's market, but their sales pitch is perfected and they keep bilking people out of $2,000 to $5,000 a pop for their "bootcamp."

Even worse is when their "bootcamp" turns out to be a pitch-fest where they keep brining in other "gurus" to sell you on even better ways to make money in real estate.  Before you are done, the $5,000 course you attended has given you a $25,000 balance on your charge card that you will play hell trying to pay off, because you are spending all your time in course and don't have any time to implement what you learned.

In spite of all that, paying $5,000 to learn a srategy doesn't work, can be better than losing $100,000 on a house you bought and cannot sell because you didn't know the right strategy for today's market.

Antonio let Matt know he is

"looking for investors, buyers, funds for new projects. Excellent investment opportunity for development projects in ... Philippines."  

Then, he proceeded to make several posts offering a variety of investment opportunities.  He even make a very compelling argument citing several points about why it is a good idea to invest in his market.

See my comments above about Subranshu, 'nuff said.

Terry offered to sell Matt discounted bank notes.

Now, I have to say, I have worked for a home lender and am a Certified Cash Flow Consultant with the American Cash Flow Institute and I wouldn't dream of offering to sell someone a bank note without educating them first.  There are two very good reasons for this;

1. It is ILLEGAL.  Clearly Terry either is ignorant of Securities and Exchange Commission regulations or he doesn't care. A bank note is a security and is therefore a regulated investment.  To sell regulated investments you either have to be a licensed broker or be exempt from the securities laws.  If you don't know what it takes to be exempt, then you are certain to breaking those laws and a very unpleasant conversation with government agents is looming in your future.   
2. It is bad business to sell a bank note to someone who does not understand the risks.  If you buy a bank note, you better have a very good understanding the real estate that backs the note and the person who is paying the note, as well as the terms of the note.  If you don't know those things, you WILL get taken. 

It looks like Joe is trying to get Matt to buy properties for no money down in Canada.  I find that fascinating since so many Canadian investors are flocking to buy real estate in the US and they tell me that many of the most important real estate laws are very different in Canada than the US.  Offering to sell me real estate in Canada right now seems to be like swimming against the current.  My stock investing coach tells me "the trend is your friend until it ends."  Sounds like Joe is bucking the trend.

Owen wants to help Matt find properties.  Good for you Owen, but if Matt is just getting started then he probably doesn't have a clue about how to tell a bad deal from a good deal.  This sounds like a setup to me.

Cheryl said,

"Hi Matt! I have some places you can check out at your leisure! We have access to Investor Opportunities in Phoenix/Arizona, Chicago/Illinois, Atlanta/Georgia, and our 1st. International Local . . Seaside Mariana/Nicaragua! These Webinars are FREE and are on your time . . . any time! All you have to do is click on the provided Link and  . . then sit back and enjoy!"

Cheryl gets a trifecta. 

1. She offers investments to someone who is new. 
2. She offers investments in far away places to someone who is new.  And,
3. She offers to educate the new investor on why doing these foolish things is actually a good idea.

Well, I could go on an on, but hopefully you can clearly see why I felt strongly enough to write this column.  What I pulled out was representative of a large percentage of what Matt was told.

If you have waded through those few select comments, I hope you have gotten the same feeling I did that for a new investor to through out a question like Matt did is like throwing out chum for sharks.  You will soon have more interest from hungry predators than you know what to do with.

In all fairness, a few people offered Matt some good advice.  Some experienced investors recommended programs that they have found to be good investments.  Some recommended Larry Goins, others touted Robert Kiyosaki's group.

Having spent in excess of $200,000 on real estate education, some of it wasted and some not, I recommended to Matt that he reach out to Phill Grove at Love American Homes.

I told Matt,

"I encourage you to look at what Phill Grove provides. He gives you a good understanding of a variety of proven strategies instead of just beating on one horse (that might be dead in today's market). And his training is a very good value.

Once you have gone through his materials, like Charles suggests, pick one and do it until you master it before worrying about adding on to your toolbelt.

The gurus will keep tempting you with "earn $10,000 a month do this" and next month it will be "earn $10,000 a month doing something else." Focus is key."

If you are wanting to get started in real estate here is the best advice I pulled from all those responses to Matt.  I say it is the best based on my own experience of more than a decade of investing in real estate and being personally acquainted with many of the leading "gurus" of the real estate today.

• Set realistic goals:  Greed kills.  Setting goals that are too high makes you an easy mark for every get-rich-quick real estate scam out there, including gurus and grifters.
• Start part time: if you cannot make money investing in real estate part-time, then you won't make enough to live on doing it full-time.
• Invest in a good education.  Find a real estate training program that someone who you know is successful recommends.  Of all the courses I have taken, I recommend Phill Grove's Training.
• Take that education and follow the program exactly.  Adapting it to your own understanding will almost certainly result in failure.
• Do it immediately.  Don't wait for more education.  Take that first program and start doing it right away.
• After you have mastered one or two related strategies, then feel free to continue purusing your professional education with other training.
• Implement before learning more.  Don't sign up for any other courses until you have spent three to six months implementing and mastering what you learned in the first course.
• Invest close to home.  Some of the most successful real estate investors I know have made all their money buying and selling single family homes within 50 miles of where they live. And considering that some of those are in Ohio, then you know I am not talking about people living in real estate "hot spots."  Many people will try to convince investors to buy far from home.  In most cases this will result in a very expensive educational experience that will leave you poorer and wiser.  I know.  I have been there and done that.
• Get a good coach or mentoring program.  The best one I know is www.TopOneCoaching.com.  They are focused on your success instead of just trying to upsell you some additional training. They operate all over the US and have coaches with a wide variety of skills to help you learn real estate and business.  They require that their coaches spend 90% of their time actually doing what they are coaching.  That way you don't get someone coaching you from a manual - they are coaching you from what they know is working today.  In the interest of full disclosure, I was recently appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of Top One Coaching.
• Network with other successful investors and learn from them.  Your local real estate investment association (REIA) is one source.  However the quality of investors you find in your REIA is highly variable.  Some of the folks there are sharks looking to make you their next meal, others are talkalots - they talk about real estate but don't do any actual deals.  If you want to connect with one of the best networking events for serious and successful investors and bussiness people in the US, you cannot get any better than Mega Partnering. JT Foxx is the mastermind behind these events and he is launching his fifth event right now.  I have attended all four previous events and they are AMAZING.  If you attend and make any effort at all, you will find yourself networking with millionaires.

If you want to invest in real estate, right now is one of the best opportunities in more than eighty years.  With home values down, and unemployment beginning to falter, the window of opportunity is starting to close.

Working with an experienced investor as a partner is one of the safest ways to learn the realities of investing in your market.  If you are looking to get into real estate investing, contact me.  I have a network of successful and experienced investors that reaches across the whole country and even to places on the far side of the world (like New Zealand, Australia, and China).  I will be more than happy to introduce you to one or more of them so that you can have a chance to work with the best instead of getting taken like the rest.

Tom S.

PS: For all those who were eagerly throwing investment opportunities at Matt:

In the US, real estate is considered a security and selling investments in real estate is a regulated activity.  To stay inside the law, no one who isn't a licensed securities broker can legally offer you an investment in real estate if you are not one of their friends, family, or associates who they have known for more than 30 days and had at least 3 conversations that did not involve investment offerings.  All these folks who were eagerly throwing "money making opportunities" at Matt were breaking the securities laws.

Exceptions are if they are doing a private placement (which requires a private placement memorandum) and they know that you are a "sophisticated investor" or a "qualified investor."  Both are terms with specific meanings defined by the SEC.

For all of you who were ready to give Matt a "deal" and take his money, I recommend that you go to www.acowgill.com and sign up for Alan Cowgill's bootcamp on Finding Private Money.  He teaches you how to do it while staying inside the boundaries of US law.

Thanks for Being a Good Friend to me.  Let me Give something back to you!

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 Your Success is Our Business (TM)

Tom Sheppard has been successfully investing in real estate since 2001 while working part time. In 2008 he left a six-figure job as an enterprise project manager with a major national bank to manage his real estate business full-time. His goal is to help 100,000 people find peace of mind by finding quality, affordable homes. Why pay retail when you can buy a home at below market prices? www.buybelowmarket.com. He is currently looking to expand his network of funding partners who are helping him achieve this goal. If you would like to know more about how you can do well by doing good, contact Tom at TSheppard@CharlotteWealthPartners.com

Acres of Diamonds in Your Back Yard

Are there diamonds in your backyard?

Dr. Robert Conwell introduced the world to the tragic story of Ali Hafed back in the 19th century, during a time of significant economic distress.  Dr. Conwell frequently found himself addressing audiences of opportunity seekers who were convinced that they needed to go to New York or Los Angeles, or someplace else far from where they were at, in order to find opportunities to provide for themselves and their families.

He responded by telling them the story of Ali Hafed.

Ali managed to eke out a living for his family on a rocky farm.  Their needs were met, but he wanted a better life for his children.  When a visitor told him how people were finding diamonds and how a single large diamond could make their fortune and secure their future, for the good of his family Ali decided he needed to sell his hard scrabble farm and go in search of diamonds so that he could provide for his family and secure their future.

To make a long story short, Ali traveled far and failed.  He died far from home and impoverished, unable to locate the diamonds he so desperately sought to make his dreams for himself and his family come true.

One day, the visitor who told Ali about the diamonds came back to the farm and chatting with the new owner observed that Ali must have realized his dream.

"Why do you say that?"  the new owner of the farm asked.

"Because I see you have a diamond on your fireplace mantle."

The new farm owner picked up the rock.  "This?  I found it by the stream in the field behind the house.  The field is full of them.  I have been piling them into a fence, but I liked how this one reflected the light and brought it inside."

It seems that Ali Hafed had searched the world over looking for a fortune that all the time was scattered across his own back yard.  The very stones that made it hard for him to grow a crop were actually priceless jewels.

Today, we are in a time of significant economic distress.  As a real estate entrepreneur I can tell you from first-hand experience that many today are telling people that to make money in real estate they need to go buy in California, Arizona, Florida, or New York, anywhere but where you are.

Just like then, the truth is that we all have acres of diamonds right in our own backyards.

Dr. Conwell taught his audience that if they would survey people within one square mile of where they live, determine what they want most and deliver it to them at a fair price, they could make their own fortune without ever leaving their home town.

As a real estate entrepreneur I have talked with many folks all across the country who are looking to make money in real estate.  Many of them have been convinced that to get really good deals they need to invest in properties far away from where they live.  Even I have succumbed to this notion.

Looking far from home for opportunities at the least is a waste of time and at the worst is an opportunity to be defrauded.

While I believe the Charlotte, North Carolina has some of the greatest real estate opportunities in North America, I don't believe that there are no good deals elsewhere.  While I will be happy to work with anyone who wants to invest in this area, I won't for a minute pretend that you can't find good deals closer to home.

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 Your Success is Our Business (TM)

Tom Sheppard has been successfully investing in real estate since 2001 while working part time. In 2008 he left a six-figure job as an enterprise project manager and risk manager with a major national bank to manage his real estate business full-time. His goal is to help 100,000 people find peace of mind by finding quality, affordable homes.  He is currently looking to expand his network of funding partners who are helping him achieve this goal. If you would like to know more about how you can Do Well By Doing Good (TM), contact Tom at TSheppard@CharlotteWealthPartners.com

JT Foxx's First Million in Real Estate

How to Become Wealthy

A very wealthy octeganarian recently told me the secret to his amazing wealth. We were chatting at a social event and after we had been talking for some time he leaned toward me and asked, "Do you want to know the secret to how to become wealthy?" When I nodded in anticipation, he told me, "Watch what wealthy people do, learn what they do, and do it."

On July 11 and 12 I spent two days with JT Foxx learning how he did over 500 real estate deals and how he does his deals today. Because JT is an active real estate investor when he teaches he is sharing methods that work today. Unfortunately a lot of real estate investment courses are taught by folks who made a killing in real estate a few years ago and they are teaching what worked for them back in the day. And, although that "day" may return, the real estate market continues to change and anyone investing using yesterday's tactics is likely to find themselves in legal trouble, financial trouble, or both.

In the interests of full disclosure, I have to tell you that I am a mentoring student of JT Foxx. That being said, you need to understand this: I have been investing in real estate for many years now and I have attended hundreds of hours of training from dozens of different companies and investor/instructors. Of them all, I have found JT's instruction and materials and support programs to be the most comprehensive and practical when it comes to investing in single family homes.

I will also disclose that I did not always want to do business with JT. When we first met, a couple of years ago, I found him to be abrasive in a number of ways. Since I don't have to do business with people I don't like, I took a couple of classes from him and then I went on my way.

Early this year JT called me up and invited me to attend his Mega-Partnering event in Los Angeles. Yes, he called me personally - this was not a voice-blast, teleconference, or webinar. I decided to check it out and I am glad I did for two reasons:

1. JT is a true student. He practices what he preaches. He teaches that we all need to keep educating ourselves and getting the coaching we need to improve and lift our game to new levels. The coaching he received since the last time I had seen him had really taken hold and he is a much better man now than he was then. His integrity is as intact as always, but he isn't the abrasive guy he used to be. This is someone I can do business with.



2. His Mega-Partnering event was phenomenal. I don't want to take up space here talking about it, but if you get a chance to attend one, you should make the time and go. You will meet more people who can help you in your real estate investing business in two days than you could in two years. The next one will be held in Chicago in September 11 and 12 (http://www.megapartnering.com/).

So, about the course in LA I just came back from... and why it would benefit every investor I know.

Some of what JT taught is what he has done right. He also taught what he has done wrong, which can often be even more valuable. If we can learn from our own experience that is good. If we can learn from others' experience, that is best.

One of the things he taught is the importance of approaching our real estate investing like a business. This includes understanding the need and uses of bookkeeping, accounting, and management reporting. I have to confess that this is something that I wish I had heard and done years ago. Nearly every investor I know tends to approach real estate more like a hobby than like a real business.

A real business knows every month how much money was made or lost.

• Bookkeeping is entering the data and


• Accounting is making sense of the data.


• Reporting is making sure you can see what is going on in your business. There is an old axiom in business, "what gets reported get improved."
  

I had several other "ahaa" moments during the two days. I would love to tell you more about what he taught, but that would be giving away his content. So, I will have to leave it at this.

If you have a chance to attend one of his classes, I encourage you to do it. If you are serious about investing in real estate I encourage you to get involved in his coaching and/or mentoring programs.

On this last point, I have met most of his coaches. Like JT they are active real estate investors and are living by what they are teaching. As a point of reference, many coaching programs are focused just on helping you overcome the attitudinal and behavioral roadblocks that are preventing your success. While that is worthwhile, it does not give you practical knowledge of how to conduct your real estate investing business and how to buy, manage, and sell your real estate. In fact, many of the coaching providers are coaching companies, subcontracted out by the big-name instructor and they are contractually prohibited from helping you or giving you concrete instruction regarding real estate investing. JT's coaches and mentors are not subcontracted out and they deal with the motivational roadblocks and with the practical instruction in real estate investing as well.

If you would like more information on:

1. How to be a private lender see the Investors page of http://www.buyahousebelowmarket.com/


2. How to become an equity partner, contact me directly at tsheppard@adbproperties.com


3. How to become a successful real estate investor, keep reading these blogs or contact me directly at tsheppard@adbproperties.com
   

Tom ~

Why Buy Retail?

http://www.buyahousebelowmarket.com/

4 Things to Determine Market Value of a Home

DISCLAIMER: The author does not intend to offer any form of legal or financial advice. All real estate sales involve substantial risk. Consultation with a qualified attorney is recommended. Also, there may be significant tax consequences. Consultation with a qualified tax professional is recommended.

It may sound pretty basic, but before you try to buy a house at below market prices, you need to actually know what the market price is. To understand the market value of homes you have to look at several factors.

1. What is happening in the broader market? All of these factors will have an effect on how much a home is actually worth.
   
   a. Are home prices in your area going up, down, or sideways?
   
   b. Is unemployment going up or down, or have there been any recent announcements of layoffs or hiring?
   
   c. How many houses are available all over the area?
   
   



2. What is happening in the local market?
   
   a. Is the neighborhood going up down or sideways?
   
   i. Do you see vacant houses?
   
   ii. Do you see unmowed lawns and signs of repairs that haven’t been made?
   
   iii. Are there any developments happening near or in the neighborhood?
   
   iv. Is there easy access to commuting, shopping and schools?
   
   b. How many houses are available in your neighborhood and in adjoining neighborhoods?
   
   i. Do you see lots of “for sale” signs?
   
   ii. How many “for rent” signs are there?
   
   



3. What is the condition of the house you want to buy and the homes immediately surrounding it? How much will it cost to buy the property, repair it, and pay for it while making the repairs (taxes, insurance, mortgage payments, HOA dues, etc.). If you fix the house up to make it your dream home, or just habitable, will it outclass the rest of the neighborhood? If the answer is yes, then you probably shouldn't buy this house. Even though you may plan to live here for the next 30 years, things happen and you could need to sell right away. If your house looks like a jewel in a pig's nose of a neighborhood, you won't get full value for the house because of the neighborhood.
   
   



4. How much are comparable houses selling for?
   
   a. To be sure a recent sale is truly comparable to the house you are looking at,
   
   i. Make sure you look at three to six home sales within ½ mile, within the last six months.
   
   ii. Take note, foreclosure sales are almost always well below market value, but they pull down the resale value for all houses in an area. This is usually a false deflation because they usually need lots of repairs before they are ready for occupancy. Unfortunately the cost of repairs doesn’t show up in the sale records.
   
   iii. After you know the values and compute the value of the house you are looking at, drive by the comparable houses to make sure they actually are comparable in size, finish, features, and neighborhood with the home you are looking at.
   
   

Using all the information you have gathered above, figure out what is the going price for houses in the area where you want to buy. Now, you can begin to look for a house you want to buy. At the Gold Seal Homes Group, our team of experts examines all the factors above for every home we buy and sell. We do this for two reasons:

1. We don’t want to pay more for a home than we should, and

2. We want to be sure when we sell you a home, it is already priced below market.

You can spend a lot of time studying the market, studying the neighborhood, finding comparables, looking at comparables, driving neighborhoods looking for a home and then trying to buy it. Or, you can come to the Gold Seal Homes Group, tell us what you are looking for and where, and then sit back while we do all the hard work and bring a home to you for you to buy.

When we find a home, in addition to all the hard work above, then we check out the home itself to determine the quality of the home. Because we actually buy these homes and resell them to you, we are taking on the risk of buying, just like you. We don’t want to own a house that isn’t a quality home anymore than you do. That is why you can be assured when you buy a home from the Gold Seal Homes Group it is a quality home at an affordable price, below market. That gives you peace of mind.

Whether you are looking for your first home, another home, or you are looking for real estate investment properties, we can find what you are looking for and sell it to you at a price which is below market and affordable.

Contact us today at igottasellmyhousetoday@gmail.com



Tom ~

Why Pay Retail?

http://www.buybelowmarket.com/