Turmoil: The Storm Of Change & How To Thrive In It

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If you’re in real estate you’ve probably smelled the storm just over the horizon. The question is where it will hit, when it will hit, and just how bad it will be? More importantly, how can your business and portfolio not only survive in the eye of this storm, but thrive?

Meet Bruce Norris

You may already be very familiar with The Norris Group and their exciting hard money lending programs. Leading the company is President, Bruce Norris.

Bruce Norris has been investing in real estate for over 35 years. He’s been involved in thousands of property and financing transactions. We could fill this page with his accolades. Yet, what he is best known and most respected for in the industry is his reports.

There have been others who appear to have successfully called downturns. Others have created names for themselves in good times and betting on the market going up.

What’s unique about Bruce is that he has proven to be able to successful predict both market crashes and upturns. He has been called on by many organizations up to the highest levels to share his expertise and insights on market trends. That includes the California Builders Industry Association, California Association of Realtors and Mortgage Bankers Association.

In our exclusive interview Bruce told Realty 411 that he started out flipping houses in 1981. He admits that like many new investors he knew little about timing the market. He ended up with 7 brand new custom homes that weren’t selling. He learned some tough lessons.

Then in 1995, his son graduates college. He bought him a Honda Civic. Then a few days later found a house for sale in California that cost even less than the Honda. He saw incredible opportunity. Yet, really wanted to dig in and understand the markets, how to time them, how not to lose money, and how to invest his own money in the safest and most profitable way.

This led to his first report that he published in 1996. In 2006 he released a report calling the most recent major housing crash and foreclosure crisis. In 2012, he invested in line with his report and went all in on real estate. The market has gone up 100% since then.

Turmoil: The Coming Storm Of Changes

Now the real estate industry is once again feeling a lot of uncertainty. Perhaps with the exception of Bruce. There has been a lot of talk about a new recession and crash. While many investors keep engaging in the market. This year’s presidential election is no doubt to to bring many more attempts to send us all on an emotional roller coaster ride full of fake news.

Bruce says “There are no real estate I am afraid of.” He’s mastered looking at historical and current charts and overlaying the data, and remains bullish on the market.

What does concern him is a new era of legislation and policies which are wild cards with the potential to be extremely disruptive to investors in some of the most progressive states, like California.

He feels this is such a pressing issue that more investors need to be alert to that he has set up a panel and new event on February 1st, 2020 to equip investors with this critical information.

Major Factors That Could Impact The Market In 2020 & Beyond

State Politics

One of the big issues today is what things can be changed by popular vote versus by proclamation of state government, regardless of how its constituents feel. This puts residents at danger of rogue actors.

California has certainly become the poster child for aggressive new rules lately. Among them are sweeping rent controls, Prop 13, taxes, and the new ban on freelance workers which has the potential to create massive unemployment.

Then there is also city and state pension issues and the fact that many are not going to be guaranteed the money they were promised, or have already been counting on.

Fed Manipulation

Student debt, health insurance, guaranteed income programs, climate change laws and other major policies could all impact the markets on a large scale. We may see a lot more of this after the upcoming election.

Technology

5G is likely to be one of the biggest game changers of the next decade. Yet, the US continues to be behind in this critical technology and factor in global competitiveness.

Other technologies may become more essential for remaining competitive and profitable in this new landscape.

Surviving & Thriving

While these factors could throw some serious curve balls at California investors, and New York is rarely far behind, Bruce is still confident in the US property market.

Looking at the charts he says even California is more affordable than it used to be. He points out that at least for now we’ve been enjoying the lowest unemployment rates in the last 50 years, and interest rates remain low. Put in perspective, he believes the market justifies more sales, more building and higher prices. He says this is even truer of Florida. The Sunshine State which is enjoying great population growth, has no state income tax and isn’t as crazy at enacting these new sweeping rules.

So, what’s Bruce doing with his money?

A look at The Norris Group website shows they are still lending to investors. In addition to their traditional rehab loans and refinancing rentals, they are also now lending to build and flip investors in Florida, and on ADUs for rent in California.

Their investors are getting attractive 6% to 10.5% returns on capital invested in first trust deeds and mortgages without pooling their money. Far better than a lot of operators are promoting today.

Get Smart

Get all the details on these factors, what to watch out for and their potential impact at Bruce’s upcoming event. Then master restructuring your portfolio and making new moves in 2020 with confidence. Register for the event at TheNorrisGroup.com/Turmoil

Uber of Self Storage

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By Anita Cooper

“A house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff.” – George Carlin

If you want to build wealth through investing it’s important not to become myopic when thinking about what you’ll invest in.

As a seasoned real estate investor, developer, and property investment educator, Scott Mednick has a keen sense of the marketplace and the foresight to keep ahead of changes in the market.

“I’m kind of new…I started about 30 years ago and I started in Commercial Real Estate with – back then it was Coldwell Banker, today it’s CBRE – selling apartment buildings. I did that for a few years and then sort of got the bug to work for myself, so I started building custom homes back in the 80s…

“My timing was not good.  I got right in before the market crashed, so my home building career didn’t last long.  I started working for banks as a general contractor, fixing up the REO properties for them. I remodeled about 2500 houses, here in Southern California, and in 1997, the market changed pretty quickly; at that point, I started buying and selling houses myself and have been flipping properties for over 20 years now.

“I’ve been investing here in Southern California as well as Florida, Texas and Las Vegas, but I primarily invest in  Southern California – as I like to stay close to home where I can keep an eye on my projects.

“I’m  a licensed real estate broker, so I often broker my own deals. However, even though I am a general contractor, I do hire a GC to run my projects.  It’s been a long road, but it’s been a lot of fun…”

Using knowledge and experience gained from years of investing, Scott helps other investors do what he’s done.

“I train investor’s how to buy and sell houses. Having done hundreds of flips – there’s not much I haven’t seen.  I have over 30 years of real estate experience and I manage a fund buying value-add self storage properties across the United States.”

Just as he helps investors learn how to buy and flip properties, he’s helping them build up their portfolios through investing in storage facilities.

In case you were wondering, the self-storage industry is no small market…

According to Self Storage Association – a not-for-profit advocacy and support organization for the self-storage industry, there are approximately 49,000 primary self-storage facilities.

The total amount of storage space among these facilities is estimated at 2.6 billion square feet, generating approximately $32 billion in revenue each year.

Other fast facts:

  • Facilities across the nation are about 90% occupied
  • There are, on average, about 540 units at each facility across the country
  • The percentage of households in the U.S. using these units is estimated to be about 9.3% (as of the first quarter of 2018)

Through his company Square Storage, Scott buys self storage properties located in diverse markets, buying only those facilities where there’s an opportunity to add value and the demand for storage, retail and housing are strong.

Some of the reasons why a self-storage facility may be doing poorly include:

  • Mis-management
  • Under-capitalization
  • Not enough storage space
  • Insufficient or ineffective management tools

Anyone who’s been investing for a while understands the need to diversify their portfolio. Self-storage facilities are the perfect accompaniment, either through ownership, as part of a REIT, or other investment vehicle.

Says Scott, “It’s also the perfect business model, because in a down market when homeowners loses their house, they put their stuff in storage and they move in with mom and dad.

“And then, the economy comes back, they get a new place, they get their stuff. But usually when the economy comes back they’re so happy to have money again they buy too much stuff, so the extra stuff they put back in storage…so it’s the perfect cycle.

We are seeking accredited investors to partner with us in the self storage business. If you want to be a part of the next commercial real estate boom, give us a call and we can explain why self storage is the next big thing. This is your chance to get into the Uber of real estate.”

 

Scott Mednick

Founder

SquareStorage.com

949 632 2600

 

BUILDING WEALTH IN REAL ESTATE: HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

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By Glenn Mananeng

This is a question on the mind of investors. There is no definite answer for this. This topic is always up to debate no matter how you look at it, as wealth is measured differently by every individual. Here are a few factors you need to know when building wealth – allow us here at Unique Wealth Education to teach you some important pointers to consider:

#1 Wholesaling

This is the easiest point of entry for the majority of the investors, as it requires the least amount of capital. You find a seller who wants to put their property for sale and find a buyer for that property on “as is” condition without the fixing part to try and get the market value higher. After the property has been sold, you’ll get a cut on the sale. Basically you are the intermediary that builds a buyers list to locate undervalued properties using a multi-pronged approach. This relies heavily on how good and how broad your real estate network is.

#2 Fix and flip

You don’t have to be an avid real estate investor to know what fix and flip is. Anyone who has cable and passed by HGTV has a basic idea of what it is. You buy a house below the average market value, renovate it, sell them for a profit! This is one of the most widely used real estate investment strategies used around the county.

Keys to fix and flip investing success:

· Preparing yourself by understanding how to locate undermarket valued properties in the right locations
· Understand values (make sure you are comparing apples to apples and going with the highest comp when doing our due diligence as a conservative approach)
· Aligning yourself with multiple capable and competitively priced renovation contractors to not only give you a bid prior to purchasing the home, but also to deliver as agreed on
· Understanding how far to go with finishes and layout changes to keep within the budget and comps in the area
· Stay away from potential losers such as foundation issues and bad layouts
· Having a sales strategy in place prior to the purchase that accounts for commissions, closing costs, holding costs, etc…
Contrary to “reality” real estate shows, getting rich doesn’t happen overnight. The longer it takes to flip the property, the more expenses you would incur for maintaining it while waiting for a buyer. Working with getting coached by or partnering with a seasoned investor is a huge advantage, as you learn best practices and pitfalls to avoid, which only years of experience can provide.

#3 Rentals

Mortgage Paydown

Let’s use a rental property as an example. In a normal scenario, you have a tenant who is essentially paying the rent in exchange for living privileges. If you bought the rental property with a mortgage, your loan will eventually cancel itself out over time. Why? The rent you receive from your tenant is basically used to pay the loan, which is increasing your equity in the property. The money left over is your cash flow divided by the amount you put down to come up with your CAP rate. This is a GREAT way to build long term wealth.

Cash Flow

We can all agree that this is very important. For those who are new in the game, cash flow is basically the income you get from your investment property (usually rental properties). This is a major factor in generating a high return for your investments and savings. Once you increase cash flow by accumulating properties, this allows you to plan your income and determine the course of future investments.

Taxes

If taken into account optimistically, you’ll see a lot of tax benefits when it comes to real estate investments. Consult your CPA to see how you can depreciate properties that you are holding onto for rental income and also discuss with them acceleration methods used to front load depreciation to give you more capital to buy more and keep building your portfolio.

The answer to how long it’s going to take, as you might’ve guessed already, is up to you. Your real estate skillset, determination, experience, and risk management are major players in this ballgame. it’s all about how smart you invest in the industry. If you make due diligence and play your cards right, you’ll one day realize that you’ve gained a considerable amount of wealth already. Unique Wealth Education can help you in your real estate career in helping you avoid common mistakes & pitfalls, is something that we take to heart very seriously. Contact us at(734) 224-5454 or email us at [email protected]to learn more.

Besides the Purchase Price, There Are Other Costs You Must Consider

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By Lloyd Segal

When flipping properties, you also need to consider repair costs, holding costs, real estate commissions, closing costs, estimated profit, and lost opportunity costs.   Let’s analyze each of these costs separately.

Repair costs.  The repair costs will likely be your largest cost, so you need to calculate them carefully.  If you’re able to inspect the interior, you’ll be able to estimate the repairs and renovations needed to make the house salable.  However, if you aren’t able to inspect the interior, use 10% of the purchase price as your estimate of repair costs.  In the alternative, multiply the square footage of the house by $7.00.  For example, if the property has 1,500 square feet, the estimated repair cost would be $10,500.

Holding costs.  It’s going to take you approximately 2-4 months to repair, market, and sell the property.  During those months, you’ll incur holding costs (i.e. mortgage payments, taxes, insurance, and utilities).  Neophyte flippers frequently forget to include these costs in their budgets.  If you’re worried about these costs, you can significantly reduce them by living in the house during this period, which is exactly what many flippers do when they are just starting out.  Instead of chalking up your monthly expenses as holding costs, simply consider it rent.  Another way to trim your holding costs is to price the house correctly the first time.  By offering the best home in its class at the best price, you’ll sell the home faster and lower your holding costs to more than cover the cost of selling the home for a little less.

Real estate commissions. You can assume you’ll pay a 6% commission to your real estate agent for selling the house when you flip it.  For that money, the agent will market your property for sale, list it in the Multiple Listing Service and related websites, advertise in local newspapers, receive and submit offers, negotiate with the buyer, and assist you with the timely close of escrow.

Closing costs.  You will incur closing costs when it comes time to sell the property.  These costs include escrow fees, title insurance, transfer tax, recording fees, and other miscellaneous charges.  For a rough estimate of closing costs, figure 2% of the anticipated selling price.

Estimated profit:  While we’re at it, let’s factor in profit.  You want to make at least a 20-25% profit on each of your flips.  In that way, if unexpected expenses do pop-up, you’ll have some margin before you lose money on the deal.  (And if you sell the house for more than you expected, or your expenses are lower, you’ll make an even better profit.)

Lost opportunity costs:  Opportunity cost is the cost of pursuing one investment choice instead of another.  Every investment you make has an opportunity cost.  With respect to flipping, lost opportunity cost boils down to making choices between various deals.  For example, if you are considering two potential deals and can only make one, which one is likely to generate the greatest return?  Which fits best into your workload, your skill set, and the time you have available?  If you can spend the same amount of time and money on a property that will generate a 20% return instead of another property that will yield only a 10% return, which would you choose?

Time:  Another cost that you may not have considered is your time.  Successful flipping takes time.  If you buy a property and plan to do some repairs yourself, you will save money on repair costs but you’ll also spending your time.  How much is your time worth?  If you’ll spend 300 hours repairing and renovating a property and will make $3,000 in profit, your time was worth $10 per hour.  If that sounds good to you, great!  If it doesn’t, you’ll need to adjust your cost estimates accordingly.  For example, if your time is worth $50 per hour, you should factor $15,000 into your budget for those same 300 hours.

Lloyd Segal

Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
Los Angeles Real Estate Investors Club, LLC
310-409-8310

www.LAREIC.com

 

 

What’s Triggering Non-Performing Mortgage Loans In 2020

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By Fuquan Bilal

Deals on non-performing mortgage loans are in high demand. So, with the economy and housing market reportedly so strong, what might trigger mortgage defaults, and give note investors more assets to buy?

Being alert to these causes of default can give you the edge to see where things are headed, be able to get ahead of the competition, and work out notes, obtain deeds in lieu of foreclosure, or grant profitable short sales.

Rent Controls

Rent controls have long proven to be counterproductive. New sweeping rent controls in California and New York are only likely to prove the same. Investors have been buying up record amounts of property in the anticipation of bumping up rents, or flipping them to institutional investors for yields. Now those profits have been cut off. Lenders don’t want to loan on such deals, and those with commercial loans that are maturing could find themselves in trouble.

Consumer Debt

When regulators cut off the appeal and safety of making mortgage loans to retail home buyers, those with the capital found new ways to deploy their money. Consumer debt has been one of the biggest buckets. They have few rules in this space, and can charge so much more interest and fees. Then as usual, when people begin using these credit lines, creditors cut them off, sending credit scores diving and these borrowers into a downward spiral. That can also cut many homeowners off from home equity lines and prevent them from refinancing and tapping equity, even though they may have recently invested a lot of this credit in improving their homes.

Taxes

Some areas have been experiencing a whole new spree in taxes over the past few years. Look at NY. Following the cap on state and local tax deductions, they’ve been hit with online sales taxes, mansion taxes, new real estate transfer tax hikes, and higher annual property taxes. That could be just the tip of the iceberg depending on which way the election goes in November. Many people haven’t been prepared for all these tax hits.

Destruction Of The New Remote Working Economy

A new California law may have just put an end to the new freelance and remote working economy. The new law has given businesses the choice between treating freelance talent as full time in house employees, with all the risk and cost that brings, or to conduct mass layoffs. Most seem to be choosing the latter. Thousands of truck drivers could be out of work. Media companies are laying off hundreds of workers. Much of the California economy and tech industry have been relying on this type of talent to operate and make profits. Should this roll out to other states the impact will be even worse. Freelancing platform Upwork alone has some 12 million freelancers. As many as 60% of all workers in places like Brooklyn are believed to be remote workers. These workers have made unemployment numbers look low for years. If that type of employment is gone, what’s going to happen with a 60% unemployment rate? How about even a 16% unemployment rate? How are all of these people going to be able to pay their mortgages?

Failed New Construction Projects

In the long term we may still be far under the level of housing we need. Yet, builders have been focused on high end luxury product and smaller and smaller units. Thousands and thousands of these units squeezed into small urban areas are going unsold. Some have remained on the market for four years already. They are too expensive or just don’t fit what buyers are looking for. Sooner or later more of these developers are going to be foreclosed on.

Failed Investors

It’s been great to see the thousands of investors who have been inspired to get into real estate and mortgage debt over the past decade. Yet, many have been purely speculating. They are trying wholesaling, are bankrupting themselves on house flips without knowing what they are doing, or have bought into the pitch that it is only about cash flow. Many are only weeks away from broke. A couple of stalled closings and they are going to be in trouble.

As a forward thinking note investor, these are all huge opportunities to help others and make some great profits in the process.

Investment Opportunities

Find out more about investing in secured debt and real estate, go to NNG Capital Fund

Fuquan Bilal

Fuquan Bilal founded NNG in 2012 with the principal mission of capitalizing on the growing supply of mortgage notes in the interbank marketplace. Mr .Bilal utilizes his 17 years of residential and commercial real estate success to identify real estate opportunities and capitalize on them. To date, he has successfully managed three private mortgage note funds that primarily invest in singlefamily performing and non­performing mortgage notes. His financial acumen and proprietary set of investment criteria enable him to purchase underperforming real estate assets at a deep discount of face and market values, thereby increasing the value of the assets. This, coupled with his ability to maximize the use of leverage, enables him to build strong, secured portfolios with solid passive income flows.

Virginia Land Trusts

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By Randy Hughes, Mr. Land Trust

Our modern world is fraught with dangers and potential liabilities for the real estate investor who just wants to work hard and build an estate for his/her family. Learning how to conceal assets and appear poor should be the goal of all hard-working entrepreneurs. America’s legal system has run amok and if you do not concern yourself with asset protection you are doomed to fall prey to the 21st century terrorist…the contingency fee lawyer (and his/her client).

An interesting and not well understood fact about Land Trusts is that they do not have to be formed in the same state where the property is located (or where the beneficiary resides). Like the founding fathers intended, Land Trusts have been left to each state to develop how to rule on the use of them. There is no Federal Land Trust law. Only a few states have a Land Trust Statute (most have only case law supporting the use of Land Trusts from other states), but all states recognize some form of title holding trust. In this article, I will discuss the Virginia Land Trust Statute and its unique benefits to the real estate investor.

The English Statute of Uses was repealed by the Virginia General Assembly in 1792, thereby eliminating one of the hurdles to land trust validity. But in 1819 the legislature enacted a limited Statute of Uses which applies to declarations of trust in which the trustee has no duties whatsoever. Since Land Trusts are usually drafted requiring the Trustee to do something, even if only accepting property and deeding it out, this is all it takes to get around the limited Statute of Uses.

Land Trusts in Virginia work exactly like those in Florida and Illinois. 55-17.1 of the Code of Virginia spells out the modern-day interpretations which incorporates all these attributes. 58-77 (2) of the Virginia Code confirms that a trust is not taxed as a corporation. And, 8.01-81 et seq. of the Virginia Partition Statute verifies that the remedy of partition cannot be used by one beneficiary against another. Furthermore, there is no transfer notification requirement nor a requirement to disclose the beneficiary (as some states have).

Note: Virginia Land Trust Law (Virginia Code 55-58.1) requires an in-state Trustee. Therefore, if you are forming a Virginia Land Trust to hold title to property in any other state, you need to have a Virginia Trustee. I do not like this requirement because although I prefer my trustees located in the same state as where I am forming my trust, it is nice to have the option to use someone from another state.

So, how do you form and out-of-state trust to hold title to the property in your state? And, where can you find a trustee from another state to serve as your trustee? These are good questions for the concerned real estate investor who wants to protect his/her hard-earned assets. You will find the answers to these and many more of your questions at: www.landtrustsmadesimple.com

I encourage you to learn more by going to my FREE online training at: www.landtrustwebinar.com/411  and text “reasons” to 206-203-2005 for my free booklet, “Reasons to Use a Land Trust.” You can also reach me the old fashion way by calling me at 866-696-7347 (I actually answer my own phone unlike most other businesses in America today).

Randy Hughes, Mr. Land Trust

If you want to learn more about the wonderful world of trusts, please go to: www.landtrustsmadesimple.com for more information. Or, if you would like to attend one of my FREE Land Trust Webinars, go to: www.landtrustwebinar.com/411 Also, feel free to call me with any questions. I actually answer my phone! 1-866-696-7347

How To Get Back Your Passion For Real Estate

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By Fuquan Bilal

PublicCo/Pixabay

Want to feel that real passion for real estate investing again?

Whether you got stuck spinning your wheels before you really got started, have taken an extended break or are just going through the motions now that the money is coming in too easily, it’s important to keep your passion on high.

If you’re not passionate about what you are doing, people will notice, and it won’t be long before things start to slide. You can lose your passion from discouragement or just because you’ve automated everything and it’s become dull.

Whether you crave getting that mojo back or you just want to be sure you are maintaining it, try these strategies…

Remember Your Why

1234AABB/Pixabay

Why were you investing in real estate or what excited you about it in the first place?

Maybe it was for your lifestyle or for your family, or to help other people. Chances are that you haven’t crossed the finish line yet. You may have run into challenges, or it may have become very transactional. Yet, the odds are that you haven’t made enough money to future proof your family wealth for the next few generations yet. You probably haven’t run out of people to help.

Remember your why. Realize there is still a lot to do. Get moving on that.

Set Bigger Goals

You can make a million dollars a month in real estate and get bored. There is only so much shopping and golf you can do. Set bigger goals.

You might be the biggest investor in your town, in your niche or even Manhattan. There is still more that can be achieved.

Tumisu/Pixabay

It doesn’t have to be about the money. It’s more about knowing you’ve really pushed the limits as far as they can go.

Billion dollar companies are almost becoming common. If a billion is too small for you, then think globally. Can you build a portfolio of income properties in every state or country or major city? Can you diversify your brand from just flipping houses to new construction or something else?

You don’t have to do it all yourself. Ask who you can connect with, align with or hire to get you there.

Hang Out With Amazing People

It’s important to spend time with your peers and passing on your learnings to help others. Firstly though, be sure to spend a third of your time with inspiring and uplifting people who will challenge you to level up your game. Do that and everything else on this list should fall into place. And if you can’t do so in person for some reason, engage on social media, tune into a great podcast every week, and find ways to do it virtually.

Do Something New

Constantly doing new things is important. It has countless mental and physical benefits. It will also fuel your passion in a variety of ways.

Maybe you’ll travel and have your eyes opened to just how much real estate there is out there. Or you’ll realize how much you really love home.

Find new ways to look at real estate. Take the plunge into new asset classes and strategies. You may find something you are even more passionate about once you taste it.

Go take on new activities and meet new people. Treat yourself to new adventures. Otherwise what’s the point of it all?

mohammed_hassan/Pixabay

Ask Who You Can Help

We tend to lose our passion when we focus too much on ourselves. Instead, ask who you can help. Get out there and ask everyone how you can help them in regards to real estate.

Who can you help find a home? Sell a home? Generate more income from real estate? Diversify their portfolio? Raise money?

Challenge yourself to deliver. Push your limits. You may find it incredibly rewarding and a new fuel for your passion.

Investment Opportunities

Find out more about investing in secured debt and real estate, go to NNG Capital Fund

Fuquan Bilal

Fuquan Bilal founded NNG in 2012 with the principal mission of capitalizing on the growing supply of mortgage notes in the interbank marketplace. Mr .Bilal utilizes his 17 years of residential and commercial real estate success to identify real estate opportunities and capitalize on them. To date, he has successfully managed three private mortgage note funds that primarily invest in singlefamily performing and non­performing mortgage notes. His financial acumen and proprietary set of investment criteria enable him to purchase underperforming real estate assets at a deep discount of face and market values, thereby increasing the value of the assets. This, coupled with his ability to maximize the use of leverage, enables him to build strong, secured portfolios with solid passive income flows.

How To Avoid The Pitfalls Of Hiring A Bad Contractor

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By Gary Massari 

One of the biggest pitfalls you can make is to hire a contractor without a check-off list.  If you fail to interview, prescreen, and check the contractor’s references, or set up the proper working relationship through the six critical documents needed to protect you and your investors when rehabbing, you could be facing serious problems.

I will share with you one of my most trying experiences when doing a rehab out of state in Atlanta, Georgia.  I hired a contractor on the recommendation of a new project manager without properly doing my research and homework. As a result, the job turned into a disaster with a 9 month time over-run.  This contractor under-bid all the other contractors we were interviewing, and we awarded them the job.  We put together a contract, scope of work, Insurance indemnification, and payment schedule.  Sounds good so far. Well, here is what happened.

The contractor kept asking for more money than what was on the agreed payment schedule, and after 3 months I had paid the contractor 80% of the entire budget with only 25% of the work done.  The contractor started falling behind with one excuse after another, claiming problem after problem. After each inspection, they would ask for more money to fix the new problems.  After I asked for all the paid receipts, the contractor ignored me.  They wouldn’t return my phone calls, or emails, I knew the contractor was going to skip out on the job with the money!

The contractor was gone with over $63,000 of rehab money with only 25% of the work done!  I was screwed!  So let’s go over the pitfalls so you don’t make these mistakes. All the signs were there. I should have known!

There are six critical documents you need to have the contractor sign immediately, before any payments are made:

  1. Independent Contractor Agreement (Make sure it is reviewed by an attorney.)
  2. Final Scope of Work (Line-item by line-item, with part numbers)
  3. Payment Schedule with 25% hold-back for last payment
  4. W-9 IRS Form
  5. Insurance Indemnification Form, with you as a loss payee, and Workers’ Compensation Insurance
  6. Final and Unconditional Lien Waiver

Let’s avoid pitfalls:

  1. All changes must be in writing and signed by both parties.
  2. Before any payments are made require copies of receipts.
  3. Make sure you have a Release-of-Lien signed before making the final payment.
  4. DO NOT get involved running errands for the contractor.
  5. If the contractor runs into problems and asks for more money, make them turn in change orders listing materials and labor.
  6. If the contractor takes on another job, and your project starts slowing down, make sure you put in a penalty on a per diem
  7. Make sure the contractor shows up daily to the job site.

Unfortunately, no matter how experienced you are, and how many rehabs you have done,  even a contractor you have been using can turn on you and make you and your project miserable.

Use the 6 critical documents I have listed, and make sure you use written Change Orders. Sign off on everything.

Hope this article helps you to avoid the pitfalls that can be very costly.

Gary Massari CEO of REI Fortunes, https://reifortunes.com

Bruce Kellogg, Real Estate Consultant

IS IT POSSIBLE TO INVEST IN REAL ESTATE PART TIME?

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By Glenn Mananeng

Real estate investing is a great way to build wealth. This is an opportunity to invest your savings while working, studying or just enjoying life with family and friends as a passive investor and spending minimal or spending more time on projects as an active investor. This surely is a big decision; therefore, you need all the pros and cons from experienced individuals in the real estate industry.

New investors often find themselves lacking in time or resources to commit 100% in the business, leading them to ponder if it’s possible to do it part time. But is it possible though? Short answer, of course it is! Allow us here at Unique Wealth Education to show you the pros and cons of real estate investing.

PROS

Supplementary income – If you have another job on the side, you basically have two sources of income. This gives part time investors the advantage of having steady cash coming in while your real estate investment is generating cash flow or appreciation.

Fallback career – Part time investing lets you test out the waters. As good as it may seem, no industry is perfect and some have more risks involved compared to others, especially if you don’t have a mentor guiding you. Your investment properties will generate the income by itself and you can continue your current job. A win-win situation if you ask us!

Brand new network – Since you’re doing this part time, you probably have someone working with you. This gives you the opportunity to meet up with clients and fellow investors who can share valuable experiences. You might even pick up life lessons that will help you in other aspects along the way.

Flexibility – If you decide to have your investment driven by a reputable property management company with a reputable track record, you can go on your with your daily routine and agree on a convenient time to address any questions/issues. This is the case with many investors and it works out great.

CONS

Time-consuming – If you are a landlord, handling two jobs isn’t easy, especially if you decide to oversee your investments, such a rental homes (depending on the # of properties/units) without the expertise of a property management company. Dealing with the issues of getting a qualified tenant, maintenance issues that arise, and bottom line keeping your property rented continuously is a job.

Avoiding bad deals – If you are flipping, it is crucially important to be able to locate and asses properties in the right location, that has either a high rental demand or saleability. This is something that you can learn by being around experts that can help you assess the property by using current and future projected market data, a proforma and specific strategies. You will lose a lot of money if you buy in the wrong location and use the wrong (highest or wrong comparables) comps.

Not having a reliable construction contractor that can give you an accurate bid for the renovations prior to the purchase, can really hurt you if your budget is off. This is why investors (wholesaler or fix and flipper) should learn how to roughly budget the cost of renovations, as you never want to have the fate of my investment put into 1 contractors hands.

Lastly, weather your renting or flipping, have the right finishes. Take great pictures (before and after) when the project is completed, try to time the listing between school years which is the hottest selling and rental season.

By now, you probably realized that doing this part time or not, you need guidance from experienced real estate investors. Real estate investing can demand a lot of work part time or full time and this is particularly true when you have multiple properties already. Here are a few tips to do it effectively:

Find the right niche

You’re going to have to look into a strategy that has a more hands-free approach. It can get hard to choose from a vast array of real estate strategies out there. You only have a limited amount of time to commit therefore try looking into one what works for you and stick to it. The more you familiarize and master that particular niche, you’d be surprised how much less time you’re able to spend to produce results.

Generate leads

Focusing on lead generation can score you with the best deal in the real estate industry. Setting at least an hour or two a day (preferably at least 20 hours a week) marketing your business to generate leads can be a good start. Just a reminder, you have to understand that not all goods leads convert into successful deals prompting you to work even harder. You can ask around for suggestions to an effective lead generation program that can help you have a source of qualified leads and help yourself to a lot of data that meets your business criteria.

Expand your network

You need to have a network of professionals in real estate. Investing in this industry is a “people” business. You need to work with different types of people such as buyers, sellers, loan officer, mortgage brokers, appraisers, and the list goes on. Each person can provide a link for you to build a strong network.

Find a reputable mentor

Even the best investors were under the tutelage of a mentor. Joining a real estate team or finding a partner who does investments full time can provide insight and many benefits. These professionals are experienced, they know amazing deals. Factors like the right time to buy or sell, managing any risks that may come along the way, and increasing your chances to close the deal is a daily routine for them.

MORE INFORMATION:

Unique Wealth Education has a broad network of individuals who share the same passion in the real estate business. To help you expand your knowledge about the industry and be involved with professionals who are already active in the business, we invite you to our monthly meetup every first Thursday of each month. To learn more, call (734) 224-5454 or email us at [email protected]

Why Choose Probate Investing?

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By Sharon Vornholt

Probates have been my #1 source of leads for more than a decade.  I love working with probates, however that’s not true for all investors.  The reason this niche is so good is because you will never run out of leads, and the heirs almost always need to sell the property.  It’s usually just a question of whether it’s a “pretty house” that will be listed (listen up Realtors), or it’s an ugly house needing repairs and updates that will be sold to an investor.  It’s a pretty straight forward choice in most cases.  Whether it’s a pretty house or an ugly house, there is so much opportunity here.

Why Do Investors Shy Away from Probates?

I think there are 2 main reasons investors are reluctant to work in the niche of probates.

1. First of all, they just don’t understand how the probate process works.

Investors think that they have to know a lot of legal stuff which just isn’t true. Since probate is a legal process, you do need to have a basic understanding of the probate process and the steps involved. Specifically, you need to know when the house can be sold.  One other thing that will help you tremendously is being familiar with the terminology used in probate.  Knowing these two things will allow you to show up as the “expert” to help them with their problem which is an unwanted house.

2. The second reason is that their mindset holds them back.

Probate investing isn’t that much different than other niches in real estate, particularly when it comes to off-market deals. There will be things you need to learn that are unique to that particular niche.

Because the property is part of an estate, it makes a difference in the way people feel about it.  Investors often feel like it’s creepy working with probates. Or they feel like they are taking advantage of someone at what is undeniably one of the worst times of their life when they make a low-ball offer.  They feel guilty even when it’s a fixer-upper that needs a lot of work.

It’s important to understand that it couldn’t be further from the truth.  In almost every case, the property must be sold before the estate can be closed.  That means that the heirs have to take care of the business of settling the estate, before the they can collect what they have inherited.

Here is the main thing to remember about probate; this is a great niche for investors because the heirs almost never want the house.  They just want the cash sitting in that property. This is also a very profitable and untapped source of leads for Realtors. In a seller’s market like we’re in now, a large percentage of those properties will likely be listed on the MLS. I’ve been doing this a long time, but I don’t know of a single Realtor in my area that specializes in probate property. As I said before, there is so much opportunity for both real estate investors and agents.

Showing Up as the Expert

Remember that marketing is how you get leads, and branding is why they choose YOU.

When you are able to show up as the expert to talk to a motivated seller, they will choose you over the other investors every single time because of your knowledge about probate.  The seller will be able to identify with you. They will also be confident they’ve made the right decision because they view you a trusted expert.

Armed with your knowledge about probate, all your marketing will get better results because you will have built a rock-solid brand around your expert status.  You begin this whole process by changing your mindset.  That’s the first step. Then once you have learned the terminology, you know the steps in the probate process, and you understand how to market to these folks, I can promise that you will be light years ahead of your competition.

 

Sharon Vornholt

Sharon Vornholt is the owner of Innovative Property Solutions, LLC in Louisville, KY.

Sharon owned and operated a successful home inspection company for 17 years. She began investing in real estate in 1998 and became a full time real estate investor in January of 2008.

Sharon specializes in wholesaling, and is also an experienced landlord and rehabber.

In addition, Sharon is an internet marketer and also writes articles for several national real estate sites. Sharon is the author of a popular real estate blog called the “Louisville Gals Real Estate Blog”. For your FREE REPORT “Probates and Absentee Owners: Your Fast Track to Real Estate Riches”, stop by her blog at: http://LouisvilleGalsRealEstateBlog.com.

To find learn how you can become the probate expert in your area, check out my course, Probate Investing Simplified