The Number 1 Risk for Real Estate Investors Now

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By Fuquan Bilal

What’s the top risk that investors in real estate are facing today?

There is still a lot of opportunity out there. There are great deals to be made. Yet, it is also true that it is taking more attention to detail and effort to find the really profitable deals. Market well, in addition to buying, structuring, and managing right, and you’ll be okay if you have good deal sources. However, there’s real risk.

The number one risk in the real estate market today is that 90% of investors have no plan for sustainability. None. Some may not even know what that means if you ask them.

The vast majority of real estate agents and investors in the market now are very green. They’ve only experienced the business during the great bull run we’ve had since 2008 and 2011. Honestly, while I’d like to say I’m pretty smart or talented, the truth is that you couldn’t really not make money in real estate for the past 10 years. It’s been so ridiculously easy. Anyone could do it, and they have.

That’s great for them. I love to see people succeed. There are a lot of guys and gals who have gotten into real estate in the last few years and haven’t only flipped houses themselves, but have been building spec homes, doing Airbnb, amassing a few hundred rental units, and then either offering turnkey properties or teaching others as newly minted gurus.

Some of these people really do know their stuff, but most have just been riding on luck. Worse, they either don’t believe a correction is coming, keep saying we’ve got another 12 to 18 months (which they’ve been saying for more than 18 months), or are seriously minimizing how impactful the next correction will be.

Here’s the real problem. They have no plan to hold things together when the market corrects, and if you’ve been watching the data, some markets are clearly correcting already, and have been for over a year. So, many are paying too much for properties, are basing their values and business models on rents and a resale market that isn’t there, and don’t have the reserves to survive a temporary crunch. They owe too much, and are only a month or a few away from going bankrupt if cash flow tightens up.

Now, it’s no secret that you can both make money at the top of the market, and that our most famous billionaire investors are those who made their wealth when everyone else thought the market was at its ugliest. The difference is in being prepared and pricing things right.

What can investors do to beat this risk?

  1. Before investing with anyone, ask what plan they have for sustainability
  2. Know your real estate and economic cycles (history repeats itself)
  3. Stay in tune with the market data, and what’s really happening out there
  4. Know the value before you invest
  5. Look for value, don’t speculate

Investment Opportunities

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

The 3 Things Investors Need Most in 2019

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By Fuquan Bilal

Do you have the three things you need most out of your investing for this year and beyond?

Many are finding it hard to make sense of the market right now. The media headlines proclaim the economy is awesome and supercharged with growth and low unemployment. Yet, the hard data and other signals suggest there are some corrections in the works. The bottom line though, is that you need these three things to get you through.

1. Passive Income

Time is the most precious and scarce resource we have. The only way to really get more time is with passive income. We can only become so productive. Then it is up to passive investments to make money so we can spend more time on other things. That’s true whether you are already making millions a year, or are in a high paying career, but are still trading your time for a wage. This is going to be even more critical over the next couple of years. And it doesn’t matter whether or not you own rentals right now, or you think your company is well insulated from a recession. If you’re not getting truly passive income, then it may be time to consider a fund or other vehicle.

2. Downside Protection

Who knows, we may really be in the best economy ever, and real estate prices, stock values and incomes might just keep going up. Of course, the odds are that there is some type of temporary correction in the works. That means it’s just smart to have some tangible, underlying hard assets and to be overcollateralized in order to protect wealth and capital during the months and years ahead.

3. Stable Performance

No single asset is going to perfectly and consistently perform the same forever. And it’s those fluctuations that are really tricky and usually come at the worst times. By diversifying and harnessing great management, we can keep our total portfolio performance steady, and yet without being so over-conservative that we end up with negative yields.

We believe we’ve achieved all this, and the ability to future proof your portfolio through our hybrid fund. Check out how we’re doing it today…

Investment Opportunities

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

When You Can’t Find Real Estate Leads, Look to Probate!

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By Leon McKenzie

The real estate industry is changing. With more and more competition in the marketplace, challenges in getting a loan and cautious homeowners staying put, it can be nearly impossible to find property that you might be interested in purchasing for your real estate portfolio. Is there a solution? Is there a way to combat the real estate lead shortage that has permeated virtually the entire industry and has stalled your efforts at investing?

What new and experienced real estate investors are seeing in the market is a fundamental change that may last for the foreseeable future. Overall, the nation is experiencing a shortage in the amount of properties that are being put on the market, leading to a lack of leads. This is creating increased pricing on homes that are for sale and issues in trying to build and acquire a real estate portfolio.

Why a Shortage in Real Estate?

The shortage in real estate leads that is occurring in most areas of the United States is due to issues in the lending industry that started several years ago and that continue today. With it becoming more and more difficult to qualify for a mortgage, homeowners are holding onto their homes instead of buying and moving because they have no other option. Homeowners that want to expand their homes are simply adding on or remodeling to avoid the issues with lenders and the hassles in moving. This is leading to a painful shortage in the real estate market. The Philadelphia Inquirer agrees, “. . . Some observers believe they are seeing the emerging signs of a housing shortage. . . Predicting how much housing is needed involves a complex calculus that weighs hard statistics (new-home starts, sales of previously owned homes) against a certain amount of demographic tea-leaf reading (household-formation forecasts). Thus, there isn’t complete consensus on what will be enough.”[1]

As mentioned, while the overall interest rate is the lowest it has been in years, there are few people with good enough credit to purchase a home. When someone does decide to sell their home it is usually because they have to move for a job relocation or for another pressing matter, such as medical treatment or because they need to downsize – or they are in the enviable position of having good enough credit that they were able to secure a preapproval on a new loan to purchase a bigger home.

How does this create a shortage? Since lending is tight, fewer people can afford to put their homes on the market. That means that the availability of homes has decreased. To add to the shortfall, the slow economy has led to a construction slowdown, which means that fewer homes are being built to accommodate new communities and homes that are being torn down. Overall, this has led to a painful real estate shortage for much of the nation. The Sacramento Business Journal reported that, “One analysis of the region’s housing market thinks there’s just not enough for sale. Again. A shortage of inventory is driving everything in the residential market from pricing to rental affordability, according to Zillow. One reason for that is a lingering hangover for the building industry from the housing bust of the last decade, said Svenja Gudell, senior director of research with Zillow. Though the economy began to recover three years ago, housing construction is still lagging, she said. In 2012 and 2013, only 159 new home permits were issued for every 1,000 new residents, according to Zillow.”[2]

The overall lack of new homes available and the persistent challenge in getting a loan is creating issues for investors as they try to navigate few options and high prices.

Housing Shortage Equals Inflated Prices

Most economists will tell you that the biggest drivers in the market are supply and demand. As you can imagine, decreased supply in the housing market means that pricing has skyrocketed, something that real estate investors simply cannot afford when they are looking for business opportunities. The Sacramento Business Journal reported that, “For both renters and homeowners, Sacramento is now defined by Zillow as one of the 10 least affordable metro areas in the country. Mortgage payments here take up 26 percent of income, compared to 15.3 percent nationally. Though the percentage is lower than Sacramento’s historic mortgage payment percentage of 29.5 percent, Zillow noted buyers at the moment also tend to have lower median incomes.”[3]

These historically high prices mean that people who are making less money have to spend more of the income that they do have on a home. Realtor Magazine reported on the decreased inventory across the country and the increased prices, saying, “The inventory of existing homes is at its lowest level in seven years, while newly constructed home inventory has hit a 50-year low mark. Falling inventory is causing home prices to shoot up higher and faster than most analysts anticipated. The national median price of transacted homes was up 9.5 percent in August. Other price measures, like Case-Shiller and the Federal Housing Finance Agency price index, which look at price changes in sales of the same properties over time, have been rising as well, at double-digit annualized rates in recent months. Of course, not all markets are this robust. Phoenix is looking to notch a 25 percent gain for the year, while Chicago is just emerging from negative territory.”[4]

Surviving the Shortage as a Real Estate Investor through Probates

If you are interested in continuing to work in real estate, then you know something has to change. Real estate investors have a limited amount of options when facing a market like this. Some investors have simply moved on to other business opportunities, while others have succumbed to the increased prices, which have hurt their business and their balance sheets. But, there is a segment of real estate investors who have found a profitable way to deal with the challenges of the housing shortage by finding a new source of leads.

While many investors are only looking at the traditional segments of the market – single family, residential homes that are for sale by families who want to upgrade that are listed on the traditional MLS-style forums – there are other homes on the market that can be purchased at a significant discount. Properties owned as part of a probate are widely available and can be purchased for well less than comparable homes in the area. In fact, there are an estimated 100,000 probates entering the market each and every month throughout the United States.

Probate properties are those homes, apartments, multi-family homes and commercial sites that were previously owned by an individual who has passed. The local court then appoints an Executor to ensure that these homes and other properties are sold to take care of paying medical bills, funeral fees and other obligations.

Probates Provide Motivated Sellers

Once you start working in probates you will understand why Executors are motivated to sell their properties quickly and for a substantial – 30 percent to 50 percent off – of current market values. Each Executor is responsible to the court to ensure that the assets of the individual who has passed have been liquidated in order to meet financial obligations and provide an inheritance to the individuals left in the family.

Executors not only feel the pressure to sell because of the court, but they want to sell because of their own convenience. While some Executors can be a family attorney or an accountant, many times the Executor is a family member who has responsibilities of their own. They may even live out of state, and making repeated trips to show a home or apartment building can be nothing short of challenging. Executors also understand that, in addition to time constraints, the home their family member owned may not be fully updated. All of these conditions provide the opportunity for homes and other properties to be purchased for a fraction of the current market value.

Finding Probate Leads

Now that you understand the value of having access to probate properties in this challenging economy, you may be wondering how to get access to them. Many individuals who are starting a probate business decide that going to the local courthouse is the best way to look for opportunities in their area. This can take time, as you need to allow for travel to and from the courthouse as well as time evaluating filings to see if there are holdings within the probate appropriate for your business. As you can imagine, this can take away valuable time from your growing investment business, your family and the job you currently hold.

There is a better way. By using a professional probate lead service you can have up-to-date information and leads delivered right to your inbox on a weekly basis. With no more trips to the courthouse, no time wasted looking at complex filings that are hard to understand, you will have more time to go out and evaluate properties and opportunities. Unlike traditional leads in the current real estate market which can be nearly impossible to find and create the environment for high pricing, there are literally thousands of options for probate purchases each and every day.

Build a Vibrant Real Estate Investment Business with Probates

Having access to leads on a regular basis means that you will be able to find success in probate real estate investing. With time, patience and a carefully thought out business plan, you can be sure that having these leads will make an enormous difference in your ability to purchase homes and other properties as well as acquire them at a favorable price.

Probates are not limited to residential real estate, either. What you will find is that you can expand your investments to include apartment buildings, multi-family units, businesses, vacation homes and even purchase and resell personal property, including antiques, artwork and vehicles. The variety and opportunity with probates is endless because there is always a supply of leads available.

The Most Reliable Source

Are you looking for a reliable lead source for all of your probate investment needs? The experts at US Probate Leads offer the highest quality leads available on the market today. Our certified lead specialists visit every courthouse in the United States, constantly evaluating new probate filings and making those available to our investors. In addition to our premium lead service, we also offer services that can keep you informed on the newest trends in the market. Contact our office today to learn more about our lead service, monthly newsletter, e-books, seminars, webinars and even our individualized mentoring program. Contact us today to speak to one of our friendly, knowledgeable customer service representatives.

 

Sources:

[1] http://www.matrixrealestate.com/about-matrix/market-news/slowing-construction-could-lead-housing-shortage-experts-say

[2] http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2015/03/30/inventory-shortage-is-hurting-sacramentos.html

[3] http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2015/03/30/inventory-shortage-is-hurting-sacramentos.html

[4] http://realtormag.realtor.org/news-and-commentary/economy/article/2012/11/seeds-housing-shortage

 

Why You Need to Create a Customer Plan for Your REI Business

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By Sharon Vornholt

Today I want to talk about why you need to create a customer plan for your real estate investing business (in addition to a marketing plan) and exactly what a customer plan is. This is a new concept for real estate investors, but it’s something savvy businesses have been doing for a while.

What’s the Difference Between a Marketing Plan and a Customer Plan?

Simply put, a marketing plan is used to get leads. It’s used to attract motivated sellers.

Your customer plan details your process or what you do to keep those leads. The goal should be to have a repeatable process for nurturing the people that come into your business as leads.

Let’s Look At Your Marketing Plan

One of the first things you probably learned when you started your investing business was that your #1 job is marketing. You won’t be in business very long if you don’t have a steady stream of leads coming in the door. There are a lot of things you can put off but marketing isn’t one of them.

In order to effectively market your real estate business so that you always have leads, you must have a marketing plan.

Once you have implemented your marketing plan, it’s time to move on to your customer plan.

Exactly What Is a Customer Plan and Why Do You Need One?

A customer plan is a document that you create for your specific business. The customer plan for a real estate business would look much different than one a doctor created for their medical practice.

If you look at most businesses, they spend a lot of time writing business plans and marketing plans that attract customers. However, almost no one has a plan for keeping those customers (AKA motivated sellers) once you have gotten them to call you. Real estate is no different from any other business; it’s all about the customer. In our business they just happen to be folks that want or need to sell a property.

Your customer plan should be a detailed document that outlines everything needed to create a remarkable customer experience. This is the time for innovation; the time to think outside the box. If you really want to be the standout company in your marketplace, you need to find a way to reinvent the way you do business and deliver that exceptional customer experience.

Once you have created your customer plan, it also serves as a roadmap for making your company the absolute best company in your market.

Companies that got it Right

When you talk about companies that disrupted their markets, the first two companies that immediately come to mind are Uber and Airbnb. These companies “reimagined” the taxi business and the hotel business.

Uber changed the model of taxi business forever. People everywhere like riding in a regular automobile much more than a stinky taxi. Airbnb is another company that completely changed the customer experience. They reinvented the way customers choose accommodations when they travel. They are definitely giving hotels a run for their money.

What about cameras and voice recorders? Smart phones have pretty much replaced the need for both of these devices. They forever changed the way we take pictures on the go.

When I think back to the company that changed the way real estate commissions were traditionally paid, RE/MAX was responsible for that major change. Agents no longer had to share their commissions with the broker/office. If you are a RE/MAX agent, you pay a fee for everything; office space, copies etc. but you don’t share your commission. They reimagined the way Realtors get paid.

So the next question is …. how can you create a customer experience that is so different than what people are used to that you become “the one” they all want to work with?

It All Starts with the Customer

The first step is to know your potential customers. Don’t worry about your competition; worry about your customers. Once you know who your ideal customer is, then it’s time to create the best customer experience possible. Focus on creating the experience and the rest will take care of itself.

Of course ultimately this is about getting the deal. But more than that, it’s about creating raving fans that result in referrals, testimonials and repeat business.

Nurturing Your Leads

It’s easier (and cheaper) to nurture a lead than get another one. That’s a fact. Now don’t mistake this for trying to make a deal work that really isn’t a deal. That’s not what I’m talking about. This is about creating an experience for the seller at every touch point that is remarkable.

Anatomy of the Average Real Estate Deal

This is a very basic overview of the way a real estate deal goes from start to finish.

  1. You spend a lot of time and money generating leads
  2. Your marketing results in the seller contacting you about the property
  3. At some point you will have a phone conversation with the seller
  4. The next step is to look at the property if the initial screening call went well
  5. You inspect the property and decide whether or not to make an offer on the property
  6. After negotiations that offer is accepted or rejected
  7. If the offer is accepted you will proceed to the closing/settlement (and get a testimonial)

If you look at the process it’s all pretty mundane. Ask yourself this; looking at these steps, is there anything there that would create a remarkable customer experience? I don’t think so.

So let me ask you this:

  • If nothing were off limits, what could you do?
  • What would you change?
  • Is there a way to “reinvent” the way this process evolves?
  • Where can you innovate?

Let’s Do a Little Brainstorming Here

Let’s start with #1 which is lead generation and look at how you might reinvent the direct mail process.

If everyone is sending the same direct mail pieces; letters and postcards, what can you do differently? How about sending out a newsletter with helpful homeowner tips as your first mail piece? Instead of starting with a letter or postcard that says “I want to buy your house”, you begin your relationship with “Hi I’m Sharon, and I have some helpful tips for you today”. The point is to make a different first impression than everyone else.

Think of it this way; send the sellers something they will enjoy reading and in the process they will be introduced to you as a person rather than a business that wants something from them (their house). By doing this, over time you become the trusted resource in your market. At the bottom of your newsletter let them know that you buy houses and share your contact information.

Taking this thought one step further, why not replace one letter or postcard every quarter with something that would be useful to the sellers like a quarterly newsletter or market update? Information to create these information pieces is readily available on the internet, so it’s really pretty easy.

Doesn’t that make a whole different impression than a “we buy houses” letter or a postcard that’s all about you and your company? You bet it does.

Final Tips

I would like to challenge you to look at each one of those steps in the average real estate deal and think of a way you can “reimagine” the way you do business. Find ways that you can be remarkable in this crowded marketplace of real estate investing.

 

Sharon Vornholt

Louisville Gals Real Estate Blog

Social Media Marketing Statistics and What They Mean For Real Estate Businesses

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By Leon McKenzie, CEO, US Probate Leads

Did you know that there are a total of 2.789 billion social media users in the world? Did you also know that 81% of all Americans have a social media profile currently?

Impressive, isn’t it?

It is precisely because of the popularity of social media that you should incorporate this platform within your marketing campaign.

If you don’t, you are going to lose a lot of potential customers and home sellers who would otherwise have helped boost your business.

But before you make a foray into social media, here are some social media statistics and their implications that you would do well to pay attention to:

  1. 21% of For Sale by Owner Homes (FSBO) Will Be Marketed Via Friends, Relatives, and Neighbors

According to the National Association of REALTORS™, FSBOs accounted for at least 8% of all home sales by 2015. What is significant is the fact that many of these homeowners looking to sell will use their friends, relatives, and neighbors as mouthpieces to market their properties.

What These Numbers Imply:

Many of the people who will help a homeowner sell a home not only have offline relationships, but online ones as well. That means that they will talk about the homes that are available for sale with people in their social networks.

Considering the fact that 51% of home buyers find their homes via the internet, you cannot afford to underestimate the value of social media in your business. Where do you think they will go to ask for recommendations from when they decide to purchase a home? And who do you think will be in a good position to let them know about an available property?

To put it simply, if you do not have social media accounts, you face losing up to 51% of your potential client base. And that means you will struggle to sell any homes you invested in when the time is right.

Without social media platforms, you also stand to lose real estate leads that would otherwise have helped you get that property that you have always wanted.

  1. 88% of First Time Buyers Will Purchase A Home through an Agent, and Yet Only 9% of Realtors Use Social Media to Market Their Listings

Most first time home buyers are not willing to search for a home on their own. And yet despite the high demand for agency services, many realtors do not even bother to market their listings via social media.

What These Numbers Imply:

You would do well to offer your services as a real estate agent to first time home buyers. You can do this by placing ads on social media platforms like Facebook.

However, unlike most realtors, do not fear to market your listings via social media. You can choose to promote your listings once a week. During this time, you should ensure that you list all the homes that you have available for purchase and write a short description of each of them. If you do not promote your business in this manner every day, it is highly doubtful that your audience will get tired of it. Just politely ask people to share and then sit back and watch the power of referral marketing in play.

If you have invested time providing value to your audience in other ways, the results of marketing your listings on social media will be positive within a short time.

  1. 72% of Online Users are Facebook Users

It is not surprising to see such a high number of users online make use of Facebook in their daily lives. This is by far the biggest social media platform available today. Statistics show that Facebook has at least 1.968 billion users worldwide!

What These Numbers Imply:

It does not matter whether you are in the business of buying homes or selling them. If you want to reach the widest target market available anywhere online, you cannot afford to ignore Facebook.

You could promote your business by marketing your listings on a regular basis. But before you do that, ensure that you provide value to your audience. This can be done through:

  • Short but informative social media posts
  • Regular Q & A sessions that allow you to educate your audience on various real estate issues like renovations, real estate business operations, staging, what to look for when buying a home etc.
  • Live and on-demand webinars that allow people to learn more about the real estate industry.

The beauty of it all is that Facebook will enable you to do all these things on one platform.

  1. Visual Content Is 4000% More Likely To Be Shared On Social Media Compared To Any Other Type of Content

No matter which way you look at it, social media posts are more likely to be shared far and wide if you incorporate visual content within them.

What These Numbers Imply:

If you have a social media account, and your marketing efforts are not bearing fruit, it is time to analyze whether you have taken the time to include images.

Consider using high-quality detailed images of any listings you choose to market on social media. Incorporate infographics to not only increase the chances of your content being shared, but to also improve your online visibility and reputation.

Infographics can be based on reputable statistics about what is going on in your little corner of the real estate industry. For example, if you are a probate real estate investor, consider finding links that prove the benefits of probate properties for home buyers. Considering that over half of home buyers will find homes to buy online, an infographic showing the benefits of buying certain types of homes may be the ultimate determinant on what home they end up purchasing. And all those people on social media may help drive a huge amount of traffic to your site.

  1. 51% of Home Shoppers Read General Home Information on Mobile Devices

Social media is great for interaction with potential and existing clients. It is also wonderful for referral marketing. And eventually, many of the people who see the links you share on your social media page will show up on your business website – assuming that you have one.

What These Numbers Imply:

When you have half of home shoppers reading general home information via their mobile devices, it makes the nature of your website even more important.

Perhaps the first question should be: do you have a website? If not, what are you waiting for?

The second question is: is your site optimized for mobile users? If the answer is no, then you need to get moving to rectify the matter. According to We Are Social 2017 Global Overview Report on social media, there are 2.547 billion mobile social media users. It is for this reason that you need to move quickly to optimize your website for mobile device users.

If you don’t rectify the issue of mobile site optimization, expect Google penalties to apply. This means that you will experience lower online visibility and ultimately, a lower amount of traffic.

And if you want to boost your real estate business, then not having a good website is counterproductive even if you spend time promoting your brand on social media. You are going to lose a lot of potential customers who would have wanted to learn more about your properties. Is that what you want?

  1. 84% of CEOs and VPs Say They Use Social Media When Making Purchasing Decisions

The number of company decision makers that make use of social media in order to come to a decision regarding what to purchase or how to proceed is quite significant.

What These Numbers Imply:

You cannot ignore the role of social media marketing when it comes to influencing decision makers. Suppose you have commercial properties that you would like to sell?

In order to appeal to the people at the top, you need to set yourself as an authority that VPs and CEOs can trust. And yet despite how effective social platforms can be for this purpose, only 27% of top companies say that their C-Level Executives are actively involved in social media.

If you want to stay ahead of the game, do what your competitors are not doing: use social media to elevate your real estate brand. Post long-form content on social media sites like LinkedIn and share your expertise on platforms like Facebook. Make sure that images of your properties appear on Instagram and Pinterest.

The more people you attract with your content, the higher the likelihood that you will attract the attention of decision makers as well. So when it is time for you to sell that commercial property to bring in the money, you are going to find a large audience that is willing to recommend your property to as many people as possible. In addition, you may just find the right buyer without much effort.

It takes work to market your real estate business on social media. But you know what? This type of internet marketing platform is free at the basic level, offers you the chance to appeal to a larger audience, and enables you to cultivate a good relationship with your potential and existing customers. All these things make it much cheaper and much easier for you to find and good properties that have a higher chance of getting sold easily when the time is right. It is therefore in your best interest to use social media to make a difference in your real estate business. What are you waiting for? Get started today!

Want to Build Your Probate Business? You Need a Great Lead Source!

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By Leon McKenzie

Today’s real estate investors face the uncertainty that a changing market brings. From issues with lending to interest rates and disclosures, building a real estate business can be a daily challenge – though one that can be met with hard work and a dedication to the industry. If you are building a real estate business, then you need to have access to all of the information that will help you to build your portfolio.

One of the key pieces of information that you need in order to create a real estate business is to have accurate information as to which properties are currently on the market. Having access to good leads is the single best way to ensure that you are finding the options that you need in order to beat other investors to the negotiating table and get a great deal.

Understanding that leads are a key component to building a real estate business is one thing. Being able to access them in a historically tight market is another thing completely. Current market conditions are making it nearly impossible to purchase a home using a traditional manner without completely overpaying for the property or having to compete with a long list of other potential buyers. This is simply not a model for success for a real estate investor.

Leads are the Way to Build a Profitable Real Estate Business

Not having leads can cause your business to stall in a way that can be truly detrimental over the long term. Karen Rittenhouse, an expert in buying and selling real estate said, “As an investor, the key fundamental element in the first level of your real estate investing business is creating systematic and consistent lead generation. If you are not focused on lead generation, you do not have a business, you have a hobby or a dream.”

Think about it this way. . . if you don’t have any way of knowing what is on the market, or get that information when it is too late and the price has been driven too high, then you will miss out on opportunities that could change your financial future. Timely, viable leads have to be an integral part of your real estate business if you expect it to grow. Otherwise, you will simply have a “hit or miss” strategy hoping that you find something that you can afford and that is available when you need it.

The experts at Realtor Magazine say it this way, “The sea change in real estate these past few years has made leads more valuable than ever before. . . Whether your overall strategy employs cutting-edge technology solutions, tried and true methods, or a blending of those, the end result should be to turn leads into business.” The value in real estate leads is that it opens doors of opportunity for you to purchase homes on a consistent basis, giving you a way to fuel your business.

Where Can You Find Great Leads?

If you have worked in real estate for any length of time, then you know that finding viable leads can be one of the hardest parts of the business and one that can cause a whole host of problems in taking your enterprise to the next level. The experienced professionals at Realtor Magazine said, “But most [investors] encounter problems somewhere in the process of moving from lead capture to lead conversion . . . In particular, lead conversion — that is, turning a received lead into a face-to-face presentation — is a frequently a source of frustration.”

While some real estate professionals can’t seem to meet with sellers, others find it difficult to find leads in the first place. There are opportunities to locate real estate leads by networking with others in the community, using social media, buying ad space or even using SEO tactics, but all of these require that the leads come and find you. You are putting information out that will help people to find a place they can sell their home. That doesn’t help you to move the process forward on your own end, though.

Finding Leads You Can Pursue

When you discover that advertising and networking simply won’t help you to move your business forward, you need a new plan, one that involves being able to act on your own leads. Getting those leads is the only stumbling block. Once you have them, you can move forward with communication campaigns that will provide you with a non-stop stream of opportunities to build a thriving real estate business.

Luckily, with the advent of technology, new lead sources have been developed that can help you to get information that can give you an edge. These lead sources, such as the one developed by the experts at US Probate Leads, give you instant access to lists of homes that may be available for sale due to probate. Delivered to your inbox on a regular basis, each of these leads has been tested to ensure that it is viable and timely.

Why Choose Probate Leads?

There are many reasons to pursue probate leads instead of traditional real estate market leads. With the aging baby boomer population, more and more homes are coming available that can be purchased for a significant discount. Why is this the new trend real estate investors are experiencing? When a loved one passes away, someone needs to take responsibility for dealing with all of the personal items, investments and property that the individual owned prior to their death. To deal with this issue, the court assigns an Executor, who has the right and responsibility to close out the individual’s financial dealings. The Executor is charged with the decision making ability to sell homes, personal property and close accounts in order to pay funeral bills, medical charges, close credit cards and distribute money to the heirs. This responsibility comes with the ability to sell property, which is the point at which they become a lead for a real estate investor.

The Baby Boomer Generation Will Provide Extraordinary Leads

The aging of the largest generation in the history of the United States will mean that there are more leads than ever for real estate investors. What characterizes an actual “lead?” According to writers at Realtor Magazine, they state:

“I believe a ‘real lead’ is someone who will take action in the next 30 days and has a defined need or void that can be clearly identified and filled by my service. Either they have a high level of exclusive commitment to me or I can get them to that level by meeting with me (and they’re willing to meet with me). Eventually, I learned to tighten my definition to anyone who would buy or sell within a year. Then I tightened even more to anyone who would buy or sell within six months, then 60 days, and finally down to my current demarcation. If I had done this from the beginning, I would have saved myself from a lot of mistakes, anguish, and lost income. Now, I’m not saying to throw the long-term leads away. Actually, let me put it as clearly as possible: Do not throw the long-term ones away! Today, we’re finding people in the search process much earlier than before because they’re out looking and shopping. We need to engage and connect with them.”

As you can see, a viable “lead” is one where the Executor is willing to sell their property in the short term. The reason that so many Executors are quick to sell is that they need cash to deal with the estate’s bills. These can include more than just the cost of the funeral, but also credit card bills, income tax, real estate taxes, estate taxes, medical bills, home maintenance fees and much more. In reality, Executors need investors who are willing to purchase their home quickly. That said, short term leads are not the only ones that are viable. While you may want an Executor to sell quickly, having leads that you can pursue over the long term will give you a constant stream of homes to evaluate to add to your portfolio.

Due to the need for cash, probates tend to sell not only quickly, but for a reduced rate. The reduced rates you can find as a result of good leads can save you from thirty to fifty percent on assets owned by the estate. With some careful research, you can find many opportunities within each probate to profit.

More than Just Homes with Probate Leads

While you may think that probate leads will only give you information about residential property that is simply not true. With probate leads, you can learn about many investment opportunities that are available in any given estate. These can include commercial property, such as warehouses, office buildings and restaurants; vacation homes that can be rented out for a profit and enjoyed by your family; and apartments and condos. Additionally, you can find businesses that are for sale that are currently running that will quickly add a stream of income to your family.

With probate leads it is also possible to create more than just a real estate investment business. There are many associated services that can lead to profits. Thinking creatively about how you use your leads may include starting an estate sale service and helping Executors to sell the personal items that have been left behind by their loved one. Using a lead service can also help you to offer rehabilitation services to commercial property owners. If you have experience in antiques, collector cars, boats, art, ATVs, RVs, model trains or personal watercraft, you can specialize in buying and selling these valuable items by using leads to locate them.

The Best Source of Leads

If you are serious about building your business, then the best way to do so is to get your leads from the nation’s best source. At US Probate Leads, we offer the highest quality leads in the United States. Our trained team visits courthouses in every county across the country accessing the most up-to-date and viable probate leads. This data is sent to you directly to your inbox each week, saving you the time, expense and hassle of going to the local courthouse and sifting through filing after filing.

In addition to our leads, we offer a wide range of supportive services that can help you to build your business. From software to books, e-books, webinars, seminars and even individualized mentoring services, we can ensure that your business grows and develops to meet your vision. Call us today to speak to one of our friendly, knowledgeable team members about leads in your community or other resources. Call now!

 

Sources:

http://www.karensperspective.com/100-ways-to-create-real-estate-leads/

http://realtormag.realtor.org/sales-and-marketing/feature/article/2011/08/what-lead-you

Getting Started with Your Tax Lien Certificate and Tax Deed Investment Business

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By: Ted Thomas


Investing in tax lien certificates and tax deeds is a business that almost anyone can start. It doesn’t require any more than motivation, a small amount of money, and knowledge of how the system works. While I can’t help you with the first two requirements, my successful students and I can help you with the third one.

The Basics of Any Good Business

As the old saying goes, knowledge is power. The more you know, the better your investments will be – whether you are creating wealth through the stock market, by opening your own storefront, or by purchasing tax lien certificates and tax deeds.

Think of your investment business as an office building. Before the walls goes up, there has to be a foundation in place. Not only is the foundation the most important part of constructing the building, it’s the hardest part to do. It takes careful planning, using the blueprints (knowledge) to create a foundation that will support the subsequent structure.

Although its importance can’t be overstated, one day the foundation will be covered up. No one will be able to see it and it will become a forgotten part of the building. Nevertheless, the building must stand firmly on the foundation or it will crumble.

The same is true of a business. Your profits will speak for themselves, but no one will realize the time, research, and effort you put into creating a foundation of success. Just remember that without those ingredients, your road to profitable investments will be a rough one.

Understand the Process

The more comfortable you are with the process of bidding on tax lien certificates and tax deeds, the better your chances of making good buying decisions. One of my successful students, Craig Talkington, puts it this way, “You do it once and it gets easier every time you do it. It’s guaranteed. The worst that happens is you get your money back.”

Not only that, it gets more profitable! Recently, Craig bought a 10-acre tract of land at a Tax Lien certificate sale. It was next to a school in a bad part of town and everyone thought he was crazy. But Craig was crazy like a fox – he figured the school would eventually want to use it for expansion. He bought the certificate for $1,500 and later sold the property to the school system for $34,000. Craig kept investing part time and it didn’t take long for his profits to snowball.

Know the Rules

Each county is different when it comes to auctioning tax lien certificates and tax deeds. They have specific rules and particular bidding procedures. There are many bidding processes, I’m only mentioning two in this tutorial.

The bidding process at a tax lien certificate or tax deed auction varies. Two types are a reverse auction and rotational bidding.

At a traditional auction, bidding starts with a minimum amount and each subsequent bid goes up; in a reverse auction, it starts at the high point and then goes lower. This type of auction is used in the states of Arizona and Florida. In Florida, the bidding is on an interest rate that starts at 18 percent. The interest rate gets progressively lower as the bidding continues and may go down to less than one percent.

The state of Colorado, on the other hand, uses a rotational bidding process. This means the bidders are all given a card with a number; the auctioneer will go around the room in order from lowest to highest number asking for bids. At some rotational bid auctions, the numbers are printed on ping pong balls and put into a big drum, much like you might see at a bingo game.

Dates and times vary widely amongst tax districts, too. For instance, the state of Texas sells tax defaulted properties every month. Texas counties sell tax deeds; however the deed has an encumbrance. Texas allows the property owners to pay the investor directly and redeem the tax-defaulted property anytime within 180 days. The owner must pay the amount of the defaulting taxes on the deed plus 25%, no matter the amount of days the debt has been outstanding. You could easily make a tidy profit in less than 30 days and that is why Texas is a popular state when it comes to tax deed investing.

Obviously, there is a lot to learn about the particular rules imposed by each county and municipality – but learning them forms the foundation of your business.

Get Started Now

The most important thing is that you get started on your investment business. You don’t have to quit your day job; you need to make small changes and begin to control your destiny so you have money in the future.

Ask yourself, “Is this in my best interests?” The more you learn the better your investment business will be and the more you will like it. Tax lien certificate and tax deed investing is as safe an investment as you can imagine since it is secured by real estate, your money protected by tax code, and certificates pay one of the highest rates of interest in the market.

Ted Thomas is famous for showing newcomers and investors how to earn 6 figure incomes within 1 year of completing his training program. Conservative investors love tax lien certificates because they are predictable, certain and secure and sold by local government. Tax defaulted properties are sold at oral big auctions and online. Starting bid, only the back taxes…. More information at www.TedThomas.com

 

What’s in a Name?

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By Randy Hughes

I recently read an article on the internet by Anna Sobrevinas about the names of people who own expensive homes. She said, “These are some of the names of owners of the most valuable homes nationwide, with ‘Stuart’ in the lead with a median home value of $334,022, according to a new research analysis by Zillow. “Alison” follows closely with a median home value of $332,403 and “Peter” with $325,126.

She went on to indicate, “Anne, with a median home value of $309,491, is one of the most common names of owners of the most valuable homes, and they dominate the West Coast. Annes in California have a median home value of $669,946; in Oregon, $387,160; and in Washington; $435,308.”

“This analysis reveals a lot of interesting—fun— differences between homeowner names and the relative popularity of less common or non-traditional homeowner names from region to region,” said Zillow Chief Economist Svenja Gudell.

My view of this data is that if they know the first name of these home owners they also know the last name. In other words, the homeowner has deeded the property into their own personal name as opposed to using a title holding Trust (where their personal name would not show up in the public records).

Owning ANY real estate in your personal name is an invitation to trouble. There are no advantages to owning real estate in a personal name…only disadvantages and risks. Talk to any long term real estate investor and you will hear stories of upset tenants coming to their house late at night or liens from co-title holders destroying their equity. It gets worse.

Using a title holding trust (sometimes known as a Land Trust) to keep your real estate investments private is smart business. By using a trust, you avoid probate, tenant problems, frivolous lawsuits, due-on-sale clauses, seasoning issues, reassessment upon sale and many other real estate related risks.

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

 

 

Why Hiring a Coach Can Help You Build a Rock Solid Brand Fast

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By Sharon Vornholt

Does this sound like you?

You’re always looking for something or someone to help you get over the next hurdle; to help you get to the next level. You know you need a coach, but you might be confused about choosing the right coach for you and how they can actually help you grow your business. You’re wondering if you will you be wasting your hard earned money.

Or maybe you are heading off in a new direction in your business, and you’re not sure how to put all the pieces together when it comes to branding and marketing. You know there is someone out there that can help you streamline the whole process.

If this sounds like you, I can tell you that you are not alone.

Each and every one of us wants to be better at what we do. We are all searching for the next thing we need to do or learn to grow our business. It has been my experience that choosing the right coach to help us master that next “thing” is almost always a game changer for us both personally and professionally.

I can tell you this for sure: you will almost always make more money faster when you hire a coach that can shave years off your learning curve.

Why is that?

The reason is, when we have the right coach to help us take those next steps, suddenly everything becomes easier. The path automatically becomes clearer. The obstacles begin to disappear. And during that process, we generally take a big leap forward in growing our business.

It seems to happen almost magically. That’s because choosing the right coach really can shave years off your learning curve.

What Is the Biggest Thing Holding Most Entrepreneurs Back?

The lack of a rock solid brand, and this is one area where a coach can really help you. Most people either have a weak brand, or they have no brand. What this means is that in most cases you are simply invisible. Who wants to be invisible?

If you look around your field or industry, you probably know someone that is great at what they do, but they are the best kept secret in their industry. No one knows about them.

Or, maybe this sounds like you:

You’ve built a business, and it might even be a great business. However the problem is that people don’t know about it. They don’t know that you are the expert in your field, and that my friend is poor branding.

Let’s Talk about your Brand

People think of colors and logos when they think about branding, and those are the visual components of your brand. What your brand really is though is how people feel about you. It’s also what they say about you when you leave the room. Yikes! What do you suppose they say? Chances are they say “Ben is a nice guy” or “Katie is a great gal”.

But let me ask you this; is this all you want people to say about you? What about your expertise? Where does that shine through? If you haven’t consciously built your brand, it’s probably non-existent. No brand = no shine.

You Need to Change the Conversation

What they should be saying is “Ben is the go to person in ___ (you fill in your field). If you want someone to do that for you, Ben is the expert. He is the person to call.

Or… “Katie is the most knowledgeable real estate person I know. No matter what your needs are, she can make it happen. There is really nothing she doesn’t know about real estate”.

That is what would happen if you had a brand built around your expertise. You have a wide circle of brand awareness and recognition.

Make no mistake about it; building a rock solid brand that shows the world who you are, what you stand for and exactly how you can help your ideal client shows up directly in your checking account.

It’s money in the bank.

Your brand and how it shows up to the world is much more of a determining factor in how much money you make than your actual skills and expertise. Now I want you to think about that for a minute.

I’m not suggesting that you don’t need to good at what you do, because you do. I am merely telling you that in your ideal customer’s mind, it’s all about perception. How you are perceived in the market place directly impacts how much money you make.

Marrying Marketing and Branding – Dollars in Your Bank Account

When you are able to successfully marry your marketing and your branding that’s where the real magic happens.

Remember that marketing is what you do to get leads in the door, and branding is what makes you stand out from the pack so that your ideal client chooses you (rather than your competition). When your marketing is on track and you’ve build a rock solid brand, you will be the obvious choice.

12 Steps to the Closing Table and the Big Check

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By Kathy Kennebrook (The Marketing Magic Lady)

Okay, so your property is under contract, you’ve pre-qualified your prospect; they are working with the lender and everything is moving right along, right? Not necessarily. There are several steps to a successful closing and we are going to cover those one by one. Now remember, once you have your dream team in place, you will have the people available who will handle all of the details for you. In the meantime, you still need to know what all the steps are so you know everything gets handled properly.

  1. Make sure you get a big enough deposit from your buyer so they have some real dollars invested in the deal. Even if they are going for one hundred percent financing I still get as much as I can in order to secure the deal better. If your buyer puts down a larger deposit they are usually more committed to going through with the closing, so this is a requirement for me. I won’t even consider a deposit less than $1,000.00, but I always try for as much as I can get. The higher dollar the property is, the more deposit I require.
  1. Make sure that the lender or the mortgage broker orders credit and an appraisal on the property immediately. Usually, I will not consider a buyer who has not already been pre-qualified, so usually the credit check has already been done. Many lenders will try to wait until they get the contracts and other paperwork in before ordering the appraisal. This is a no-no. If you wait on the appraisal, it can hold up your closing by two to three weeks. Plus, if this buyer doesn’t end up buying the property, the appraisal can be used for the next buyer. Most appraisals are good for six months and now you have an appraisal that has already been paid for.
  1. Follow up with the loan processor to make sure the appraisal has been ordered and that the other parts of the closing are moving along. Many times your title agent or your Realtor or your sales person will do this for you, after all they want to get paid too. Make sure they have everything they need from the buyer regarding loan documentation.
  1. Follow up and make sure that title work has also been started. You want to make sure that everything is done in a timely matter so that there are no holdups when you go to close. Every once in awhile you may discover some small glitch in the title work that needs to be addressed, such as a deed that wasn’t done correctly. There would need to be an additional quit claim deed done to correct the mistake. Make sure the title agent understands the contract paperwork and what entity the funds are to be paid to. You also want to make sure they do the 1099 correctly so the right entity gets taxed. You will also want to provide the title company with a copy of the existing title policy. This means that they will be able to come forward from the date of your policy which takes less time and this may make the title search cheaper. Make sure the title agent understands who is going to pay for what regarding closing costs.

  1. Call the loan processor to make sure the property appraised for at least the amount of the contract. Make sure your buyer has ordered a termite inspection, a survey, a radon inspection or whatever else is required by the lender in order to close. Is there anything you can do to move things along? If you have a copy of a fairly recent survey, you can provide a copy. This will also save time and move you closer to the closing. Has your buyer’s deposit been credited? Have they gotten the paperwork they need to the lender including employment verification and rental history? These are all things you need to stay on top of.
  1. If your buyers are using city or county funds to supplement their loan, there will need to be another inspection done by the city or county. This is a stipulation of their program. Make sure this gets done quickly in order to address any issues that could come up with the inspection. If your buyers are having a home inspection done, make sure it is done right away. Not getting it done in a timely manner can hold up your closing.
  1. Does the lender have your information in order to be able to order a payoff on any underlying loans on the property? Have they received the payoff yet and have you reviewed it to make sure it is correct? Don’t just assume that just because they have been given figures that those figures are correct. Make sure they fax you a copy of the payoff for you to review. Double check the per diem amounts and make sure you aren’t being charged a prepayment penalty if there isn’t one due. Make sure the most recent payment has been credited against the amount due. These are problems I have had to deal with. If the loan is with a private lender, sometimes it takes even longer to get a payoff from them. Some of them don’t know how to prepare one, so they need the help of the title company or their real estate attorney for this. This is also the time you might be able to negotiate a discount with them. This works especially well if it was a seller held mortgage. We have gotten private lenders and sellers to negotiate discounts on loans on several occasions which just made our paycheck bigger.

  1. Has the buyer’s loan been approved? If not find out what the problem is and how to fix it if it can be fixed. If the loan has been approved find out what the proposed closing date is going to be. Has your buyer ordered insurance yet? You need to check this out and it needs to be done as soon as possible. This is another area where you could have a glitch. Sometimes the age of the property or the location of the property becomes an issue. For example, here in Florida where I live, if there is a hurricane brewing, we end up in a “box” which is a period of time where you can’t buy insurance until a hurricane passes. This can hold up a closing for several days unless the insurance is already in place. A buyer must purchase a homeowners policy for one year and it must pre-paid at closing.
  1. If you are selling a condo or a home with a home owners association, make sure the lender and the buyers have a copy of the home owner association rules and documents and that the buyers have set up their appointment for their meeting with the condo association or home owners association. If they are not approved by the condo association or homeowners association, the rest of the closing is a mute point. You need to make sure your buyer’s get through this process successfully.
  1. So now we have a set closing date. Make sure you contact the closing agent to make sure you get a copy of the HUD or closing statement before the closing takes place and before you arrive at a closing. Very recently we had a closing that didn’t take place because once we got the HUD all the figures including the asking price and seller assisted closing costs had all been changed. The closing price listed on the HUD was several thousand lower than the contract had called for. I have never seen anything like it and the deal never closed. Check the numbers! If there is a Realtor fee involved make sure the percentages are correct. Check the pro rated amounts you are being charged for property taxes or association fees. When you close on a property during the year, say in June and property taxes are due in October; you have to reimburse the buyer for the property taxes from January until the closing date in June since they didn’t own the property during that time period. The same would go for any association fees there might be. You will have to reimburse the buyer for the period during the month that they did not own the property. Double check to make sure these figure are correct. In my contract, if we are assisting the buyer in any way with closing costs, the buyer can’t walk away from closing with more than five hundred dollars. So this is another figure we check. Any amount over the five hundred dollars is credited back to our side on the closing statement.
  1. Call your buyer and make sure they have gotten a cashiers check for any monies they have to bring to closing and make sure they know where it is and what time the closing takes place. Make sure they bring a photo ID with them. The lender will require this. Believe me when I tell you that these are all lessons learned from experience.

  1. Now, Show up at the closing and don’t forget to bring the keys or garage door openers. Take several deep breaths and try to relax. Once you get through the closing take another deep breath, call your spouse and go out to dinner to celebrate.

Here is another point for you to consider. In my business, it is rare that I go to closings anymore since the whole closing process is outsourced. The funds from the closing are directly wired to an account for us so we get paid right away.

If I do go to a closing, I don’t go at the same time as the buyers. I usually go right after they are done with all their paperwork. The paperwork on a closing for a buyer is fairly time consuming and needs to be explained to the buyer by the title agent. I don’t like sitting at closings for an hour or more until I need to sign my documents. If you have done your due diligence and followed all the steps in the closing process, there isn’t really anything that can go wrong at the last minute, so breath easy but expect the worst.

Then when you get through the closing, cash your check or make sure your wire has arrived and go to dinner to celebrate!! For more information on Real Estate Investing tools and Marketing to Find Motivated Sellers, Buyers and Lenders visit Kathy Kennebrook’s website at www.marketingmagiclady.com. While you are there sign up for the free Monthly Newsletter and receive $149.00 in real estate investing tools absolutely FREE!