HOW TO MAKE MONEY IN REAL ESTATE

By Joe Arias

Real estate is one of the best investment vehicles in the world to make money. The versatility of real estate truly provides an opportunity to invest in a variety of different ways. No matter your background, experience, or financial situation, there is a way for anybody to get started in real estate today.

Why invest in real estate? Did you know in the last two centuries, over 90% of the world’s millionaires have been created by real estate? When it comes to investing in real estate, there are multiple different ways for investors to make money in real estate. Examples include passive income through rentals, appreciation from property prices increasing, flipping, and so many more creative ways. No matter your style or risk tolerance, real estate will present a way to make money to match your goals.

Fix and Flip

One of the most common ways investors make money in real estate is through fix and flips. In a nutshell, the goal is to purchase a home in disrepair below market price, remodel and fix up the home, and then put it back on the market to sell for a hefty profit.

Savvy investors can scale their business to accommodate over 100 flips per year. The average gross profit from a flip is about $62,700. Multiply that by any number of flips and you can see why so many investors are interested in fix and flips. A best practice is to buy in appreciating markets where the forced appreciation from fixing the home can also ride the demand within the market.

When analyzing deals, you’ll want to use comparable homes to understand what the potential price can be of your fix and flip. Consider factors based on your market. In certain markets, the value of the home may judge more on the square footage of the home. In others, it depends on the renovations more than the square footage. Look for opportunities for improvement. Can you add a bathroom or bedroom?

Also, remodeling kitchens are more important than the actual bedrooms. Many different strategies go into a fix and flip. Just understand that ultimately, your knowledge of the market and your ability to secure a deal under the market will help increase your chances of completing a successful flip.


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Buy and Hold

Another popular way to invest in real estate is through buying and hold rentals. This involves purchasing a property to rent out either for the short run or long term. Through buy and hold real estate, an investor can generate passive income by collecting rent each month. The way you make money is when buying the property, your expenses should be lower than what you are renting for.

Anything in between your expenses and the rental rate is your profit. Let’s say you buy a house for $150,000 and your monthly expenses that include mortgage, taxes, and insurance equal to about $1,000. You rent the house for $1,300. The net cash flow that you collect is $300 a month after everything. That’s $3,600 a year just from one investment. Again, multiply that number by the number of properties you’d like to own, and that number grows rapidly. At the same time, if you have a mortgage on the home, your home, each money you are gaining equity as you pay down the principal. Another includes appreciation. Real estate typically grows at a rate of 3.0% or higher depending on the market.

Over time your initial investment will be worth more. For those investors interested in passive income, Buy and Hold is a fantastic strategy to make money in real estate.

REIT

If buying real estate directly is not your interest, another possible way to still take advantage of earning an income from real estate without owning is buying into a REIT. A REIT is a real estate Investment Trust. You can buy a REIT the same way you would buy a stock which makes it more appealing to some investors. Usually, publicly-traded real estate investment companies that buy different real estate assets are what makeup REITs.

The advantage of buying a REIT is that they offer a high rate of return in the form of dividends. Some REITs even payout monthly. It is not uncommon to find a REIT that pays out over 5% return in the form of a dividend. The cash flow these companies generate from their rentals is passed onto their investors.


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However, unlike stocks, REITs typically don’t appreciate the way that stocks like Apple and Tesla do. Be wary that if you are looking to double or triple your money, a REIT probably is not the solution for you. That said, if you are looking to park your money and generate some form of passive income, a REIT may be a type of real estate investing that you may want to take a look at.

One other benefit behind a REIT is the barrier of entry. The fact is, as long as you have an account to buy stocks and REITs on, you can buy individual shares of a REIT and slowly grow your account. This is great for beginners that are looking for some form of cash flow.

Where To Start?

If you want to make money in real estate, consider investing in yourself and doing what it takes to learn about real estate. Additionally, you’ll want to get your finances in order as that is critical when it comes to buying real estate. Look into the different ways to invest in real estate and see which approach aligns best with your lifestyle and risk tolerance. Not everybody has the time to invest in flips and manage a rehab. Understanding which style of investing matches your goals is important before getting started. Speak to a few experts and gain some additional insight. Before long, you too can be making money through real estate.


Joe Arias and his partners have flipped hundreds of properties in the Southern California Region. He has developed cutting-edge systems to simplify and scale the entire remodel process that can easily be applied to flipping, rentals, wholesaling, and other passive income strategies. More recently, Joe founded a real estate investing education company called RealSuccess Investments, allowing him to share his tools and systems with hundreds of up-and-coming investors. 

RealSuccess is focused on education on flipping, rentals, passive income, and wholesaling.

Joe is also a best-selling author. He has written 4 books: Finding your RealSuccess, First Steps to Flipping, R stands for Rentals and Retirement, and Wholesaling Real Estate.

“I came from Argentina when I was 20, I am 40 years old now. I didn’t know anyone, I am CERO generation, usually people say, I am first or second generation but I was the one that crossed the border, no language, no friends, no family, no money, nothing, nada… If I can do it, anyone can.”

From a young latino immigrant  to a celebrated real estate investor, Joe is a true testament to hard work and discipline. As an investor, he has made it his mission to help others achieve financial freedom while enjoying living a life of passion, fulfillment, and empowerment.

RealSuccess Website

www.ourrealsuccess.com

Personal Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/joeariasinvestor/

Real Estate Investment- Instagram: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realsuccesseducation/

Video For Finding Money from All Day Training (10 Hour Seminar)

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/528446162

1 Hour Webinar

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/530996751

Amazon Book#1:

Amazon Book#2


Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.

WHOLESALING REAL ESTATE FOR BEGINNERS

By Joe Arias

Wholesale real estate is a great way to get some real estate investor experience without spending tons of money. Like any other real estate investing method, you should make sure this aligns with your goals and personal interests before getting started. In this article, we’ll help you better understand wholesale real estate for beginners so you can identify if it’s the right choice for you as you get started in real estate investing.

What is Real Estate Wholesaling?

Essentially, you would act as the “wholesaler.” Your job is to acquire a contract to sell from someone looking to sell a property. You would then find someone interested in buying the property – usually a real estate investor – and you will sell them the contract. Never at any point do you buy or sell the property. Instead, you find properties selling from slightly less than market value and connecting them to buyers for a fee. Many people like wholesaling real estate as beginners in investing because it doesn’t require you to invest any money in the properties. It’s relatively low risk and can have a low turnaround time.

Real estate wholesaling is completely legal, despite the debate around it. This is because the wholesaler is never actually selling the property, just the ownership of the contract to buy the property.


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How do You Make Money Through Real Estate Wholesaling?

As a wholesaler, your job will be to find properties that are being sold under market value. Once you get into contact with the property seller, you will work with them to get a purchase contract. You will have to do your research and provide your seller with information on the value of their home and why they should work with you. Once you get the contract, you will find a real estate investor interested in the property. You will then sell the purchase contract to the buyer. You earn your revenue through a wholesaling fee attached to connecting the buyer and the seller. This is typically a percentage of the overall cost. To reiterate, you are only selling the contract to purchase the property, not the property itself.

Many buyers like working with wholesalers because they do all of the work of finding the properties, assessing the value, and negotiating with sellers. Despite having to pay the wholesaling fee, it’s often still worth the extra cost.

The Pros of Wholesaling Real Estate for Beginners

Valuable Real Estate Knowledge and Experience

If you want to gain connections and knowledge about real estate without the financial risk, wholesaling real estate is excellent for beginners. You still learn the basics of real estate through negotiation, organizing, finances, and legal aspects. Through wholesaling, you’ll deal with many different properties and investors, and you can start to identify what you like and what you don’t. When you switch investment styles, you’ll know what to look for.

Quick Turnaround

After you learn what you need to know to get started, the best way to learn how to wholesale is to get the experience. You can get this experience quickly, as wholesale real estate can be a relatively quick turnaround. This is great for beginners because it means you get your money faster and build your connections faster. Things like house flipping can take months, and when you don’t have a lot of revenue coming in, that can hurt your potential to succeed in real estate. Wholesaling, however, has about a month turnaround for each business dealing. If you think you can handle more than one, you can time them out to make sure you’re getting paid more than once a month.

No Capital Required

The best part of real estate wholesaling is that you, as the wholesaler are not obligate to dish out any money. When you start off in real estate, money is often the most significant barrier to becoming successful. Choosing beginners who opt to start with wholesale real estate set themselves up for success because they make all of the valuable connections and gain experience and knowledge without investing all of their money. If you are worried about getting started because you do not have a lot of capital, wholesaling may be your best method.


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Cons of Wholesale Real Estate

No Guaranteed Income

Unlike other real estate investing methods, wholesale real estate has no guarantee of working out and ending in a paycheck. Beginners who decide to invest in property management can usually guarantee a steady income through tenants paying rent. The only time you will get paid is if you can successfully match a seller and a buyer and complete a deal. Even then, you’ll have to wait to get paid until everything goes through. As you get better, you’ll have more confidence in your income, but it’s never something you can count on.

Networking Heavy

Your paycheck is entirely dependent on your ability to find a buyer who wants to invest in the property you’ve found. Suppose you do not have the type of personality that does well with networking or negotiating. In that case, that is something you want to really consider before choosing wholesale real estate as your career. If you are unable to find a buyer, you may be financially obligated to purchase your property. As you build your references, this risk may be avoided. It’s still something you want to heavily consider if reaching out to a lot of people makes you uncomfortable.

Is Wholesale Real Estate Hard?

The short answer- yes. Wholesale real estate can be complicated when you’re first starting off and don’t have many connections. After you make your first couple of deals, things will start to get easier. You will begin forming a buyers list and have connections to pull from when you find properties under market value. The hardest part is having all three components in sync. If you are missing any of these three components, you will not have a successful wholesale real estate business. First, you must be able to identify properties being sold for well under market value. Second, you must have good negotiation skills to make deals with the seller. Lastly, you need to find and partner with cash buyers who are willing to purchase these properties. To be a successful real estate wholesaler, you have to build strong connections with buyers, create robust lead lists, and network with others in real estate.

Real Estate Wholesaling Explained

Wholesale real estate is a relatively simple concept once you lay it out in a scenario. Let’s start at the beginning of the process with finding a home for under market value. You find a homeowner looking to sell their home. The house isn’t in great shape and will not be able to sell for market value. The seller of the home has two options. They can spend the money to rehab their home and fix it up, hoping to sell for market price. Or, they could enter into a wholesale contract with a real estate wholesaler. Essentially, the contract between the wholesaler and the homeowner would give the wholesaler the right to buy the property at an agreed-upon price under market value. The real estate wholesaler will then look for an end buyer willing to pay slightly more than what they agreed upon with the seller. The end buyer is usually another real estate investor. The wholesaler will sell the rights to buy the house to this new investor. Essentially, they are selling the contract. They are not selling the home because they never bought the home. The wholesaler negotiates a contract, then sells that contract, which gives the buyer the right to buy the property.

Essential Skills to Become a Successful Real Estate Wholesaler as a Beginner

Real estate wholesaling comes down to a few key concepts. Once you capture these concepts, you’ll be able to succeed and start making a profit.

Negotiation Skills: Real estate wholesaling revolves around negotiating with both the seller and the buyer. For the seller, you have to convince them to sign a contract with you to sell the right to buy their home for under market value. Then, you have to convince an investor why they should be interested in buying your property. Having to convince one person is difficult, but convincing two takes some serious skills.

Technical Skills: If you are tech-savvy, you can quickly get ahead of your competition. Not everyone in the industry fully utilizes technology. If you take full advantage, you will become successful. Ensure you have a fast, modern website that makes it easy to get in touch with you. Develop a presence on social media and connect with real estate investors in your area. Utilize software to handle your finances, help you find properties under market value, and keep you organized. All of this will make a massive difference in your business.

Time Management Skills: You need to understand the value of your time and your own personal limits. If you take on everything all of the time, you’re going to get burnt out. This will not only affect your mental health, but it could also lead to errors in your business. Understand what you can personally manage, then outsource or delegate the rest.

Create Your Business Plan for Real Estate Wholesaling

If you’ve decided that wholesale real estate is the right next step for you, it’s time to develop a business plan.

Identify Good Places to Find Leads

This applies to both your real estate investors looking to buy and your homeowners looking to sell. If you can’t get leads, you’re not going to make any money in real estate wholesale. To find leads on homeowners looking to sell, utilize websites like Craiglist.com, Loopnet.com, Propertyshark.com, Realtor.com, etc. These websites provide tons of data that can help you find leads for your business. For leads on real estate investors, use your networking skills. Put yourself in real estate groups and places where investors will be and start making valuable connections. Establishing an excellent social media presence can also help you build rapport with other real estate professionals.

Build Connections with Buyers

Every time you complete a sale to a buyer, have a conversation with them about how you can be mutually beneficial to each other. Take the time to understand what they are looking for in properties they invest in. Keep a spreadsheet of all buyers you work with and what types of properties they buy. Reference this sheet every time you find a property that you can wholesale and pair it up with the buyer who it matches. This could take time but will build an invaluable relationship.

Do Your Research

Both your seller and your buyer expect you to offer them a well-researched and honest price for the property. For your seller, you need to give them a price along with information on comparable sales in the area, estimated cost of repairs, and the after repair value of the property. All of these numbers should be included in your offer to both the seller and the buyer. Do not try to edit the numbers to profit more. Sellers who see through this will be offended and cancel the deal. Buyers will have done their research and will know what you did. You’ll get a bad reputation, and the buyer will never want to work with you again.

How to Find Buyers for Real Estate Wholesale Deals

You can find sellers who have great properties under market value, but you will never make a profit if you can’t find any buyers. The more deals you make, the more buyers you’ll form connections with, and the easier it will get. Until then, you need to learn some strategies on how to find buyers when you are a wholesale real estate beginner. These are a few creative ways to find buyers when you are first starting out in wholesale real estate.

Craigslist

Craigslist is a great place to start when looking buyers. The site allows you to place ads and start collecting leads on interest buyers. Aside from that, you can use Craigslist’s “housing” section to identify property owners in the area who may not be ready to buy right now but could be valuable connections later on.

Social Media

Social media is a great way to find real estate investors in your area and connect with them. Sites like LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and even NextDoor could be good places to start. Many investors have Instagram accounts where they post about their house flips or deals. Start building a connection with local accounts that could turn into buyers. LinkedIn is a great place to make business connections and post about potential deals. Facebook has lots of local real estate groups you can join; they also have Marketplace features that include real estate options. You can either post in those or look for leads later on.

Networking

Networking will be one of the most valuable things you do in your real estate career. If you are not already a member, join your local real estate group, either online or in person. Go to every networking event and meet as many people as possible. Mention what you do and ask around to see if anyone knows of real estate investors who utilize wholesale real estate in their businesses. You may also want to build connections with real estate agents, as they have access to lists of recent cash sales.

Website

Establish your presence online as a real estate wholesaler and optimize your SEO so that you rank well on Google if anyone searches in your area for wholesale real estate. Create a lead capture form on your website where potential sellers and buyers can submit their information.

Courthouse Auctions

Buyers must have all cash at courthouse auctions, so this is a great place to go if you are looking for buyers for your deals. Visit these auctions regularly and start to build connections with the people who attend. Get to know these buyers and the types of properties they look for so you can reach out if you find one that fits their needs. Ask for their information and follow up.

Important Things to Remember for Real Estate Wholesaling

Utilize Buyer Preferences

Every buyer has their preference of properties they like to buy. Once you know what your buyers are interested in, you can start prioritizing deals based on that. Keep a spreadsheet of all of their preferences and reach out to them when one of your properties align with their interest. Do not reach out to buyers with every single deal if you don’t to. If one of your buyers is not a house flipper, don’t have them a house that needs a ton of work. Utilizing your knowledge of your buyers will help you guarantee a sale.

Understand Your Seller

Although you want to get your properties contracted for a low price, you need to be fair to your sellers. While you may understand why you are offering them a specific price, if you do not communicate all of those reasons to them, they will not. When speaking, you will want to show them your reasoning without making them feel bad about the state of their property or the value it’s at. While this all comes down to numbers in real estate, it may be a much more emotional process for them. There could be other buyers communicating with them for all you know, so make sure you form a good connection during this process.

Another important aspect of your wholesaling real estate business should be transparency. Sellers need to know that they can trust you. If they know that, they’ll be much more likely to work with you. Be honest about them with pricing, risk, and updates.

Keep Everyone Up-to-Date

Your buyer and your seller will feel more at ease if you are transparent with them every step of the way. Make sure to communicate with both of them any time something new happens. Even if you did your part and got the contract handed over, stay involved until the end. These are relationships you may need to use in the future for more deals, so you want to make sure everyone feels comfortable and happy. Do what you can to ensure open communication and complete transparency throughout the entire process.

Maintain Connections

Your business with your buyers should not end when you get your cut. Always follow up with them to make sure they are happy with how things went. Discuss with them in further detail how you can be an asset to each other and continue to build your working relationship long after the deal is closed.

The Last Step: Closing the Deal

Once you have done all of the work to find the property, work with the seller, and identify an interested buyer, you are finally at the last step: closing the deal. To do this, you will assign the contract you made with the seller at the beginning of this process. Once you assign the contract to the buyer, they will then be able to purchase the property. Once the buyer purchases the property, you will send the deposit to the title agency or attorney handling the closing. After everything is complete, you will get your wholesaler fee for connecting the buyer and seller.

This can all sound like a lot of information and may appear to be very overwhelming. Although a lot goes into this, there’s a reason people recommend wholesaling real estate for beginners. It is the most affordable way to get invaluable real estate experience when starting off in real estate. You will build skills, knowledge, and connection so quickly through wholesaling. To get started on your real estate investing journey, check out our website.


Joe Arias

Joe Arias and his partners have flipped hundreds of properties in the Southern California Region. He has developed cutting-edge systems to simplify and scale the entire remodel process that can easily be applied to flipping, rentals, wholesaling, and other passive income strategies. More recently, Joe founded a real estate investing education company called RealSuccess Investments, allowing him to share his tools and systems with hundreds of up-and-coming investors. 

RealSuccess is focused on education on flipping, rentals, passive income, and wholesaling.

Joe is also a best-selling author. He has written 4 books: Finding your RealSuccess, First Steps to Flipping, R stands for Rentals and Retirement, and Wholesaling Real Estate.

“I came from Argentina when I was 20, I am 40 years old now. I didn’t know anyone, I am CERO generation, usually people say, I am first or second generation but I was the one that crossed the border, no language, no friends, no family, no money, nothing, nada… If I can do it, anyone can.”

From a young latino immigrant  to a celebrated real estate investor, Joe is a true testament to hard work and discipline. As an investor, he has made it his mission to help others achieve financial freedom while enjoying living a life of passion, fulfillment, and empowerment.

RealSuccess Website

www.ourrealsuccess.com

Personal Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/joeariasinvestor/

Real Estate Investment- Instagram: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realsuccesseducation/

Video For Finding Money from All Day Training (10 Hour Seminar)

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/528446162

1 Hour Webinar

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/530996751

Amazon Book#1:

Amazon Book#2


Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.

Network and Gain Insight Here…

Realty411’s Real Estate Investor Conference – The Latest REI News

Dear Real Estate Investors,

Realty411’s new in-person Investor Summit in Southern California is now scheduled in Southern California. Our special one-day conference on Saturday, August 3rd, 2024 will host incredible educators from around the country.

Don’t miss our top experts who are ready to share their valuable insight with you — ALL DAY! Be sure to register for this important and insightful real estate conference created just for you.

Valuable Insight to Be Shared:

  • Multifamily Investing
  • Finding Seller Financing
  • Commercial Investing
  • Land banking
  • Industrial real estate
  • Infinite banking
  • Asset protection
  • Real estate development
  • Single-family rentals
  • Leads for Top brokers/agents
  • Rehabbing houses for profit
  • Finance and private lending
  • Lead generation for agents/brokers
  • Out of state investing
  • Plus, so much more!

Let’s unite to network and learn in Southern California. Connect and get informed by top real-estate investment educators from around the country.

Be sure to RSVP today and save your seat.

For those who cannot travel to this event, we are hosting a VIRTUAL one-day conference later this month. Learn more information about this exciting online event below.


You’re Invited to Our NEW Virtual
Investing Summit – Learn Live!

Attention active or soon-to-be real estate investors, you’re invited to a Realty411 Virtual Investing Summit, which unites investors, real estate leaders, and our guests for an amazing day of information and motivation.

Register for Our NEW Virtual Investing Summit on Saturday, June 22nd, from 9 AM to 3 PM PT (Noon to 6 PM ET)

Guests can join us virtually to learn LIVE from top REI experts who’ll share their important knowledge, strategies, and insight. Realty411 is uniting industry leaders to help our guests make the best educated investment decisions they can.

RSVP for this awesome online event today, a ZOOM link will be emailed to you before the event. Additional details will also be sent out.


LIVE & INTERACTIVE, CLICK BELOW


Since 2007, Realty411.com has assisted top companies expand their visibility and grow their business. Contact us for a complimentary marketing session. Investors, do you have questions about real estate investing? Are you looking for a turnkey rental? Need a solid REI referral?Book a meeting with a Realty411 team member: CLICK HERE.

Top Ten Myths Preventing People from Investing In Real Estate

By Lloyd Segal,
President of LAC-REIA

Myth 1: No Cash

The Myth: “You need money to invest in real estate.”
The Truth: Find a good real estate deal, and the money will find you. Ask any experienced investor and they will tell you that a lack of funds is never an issue; lack of good deals is! If you can negotiate a good price on a house, you will find plenty of partners or lenders willing to put up the money.

Myth 2: No Time

The Myth: “I’ve got a job, a spouse, kids, and little spare time to invest.”
The Truth: Turn off your television and you’ll have all the time you need! People spend an average three hours per day in front of the tube. They spend even more time on weekends. Want to do something fun this Saturday? Load the kids in the mini-van and drive around looking for ugly houses. Make a game out of it giving a dollar to each of your kids that spots an ugly house. Tell them that each ugly house you buy means enough money to take them all to Disneyland.


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Myth 3: Everyone Says This Stuff Doesn’t Work

The Myth: “Those late night infomercials and reality shows don’t work”
The Truth: You can convince yourself that anything won’t work. Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are always right.” If you listen to the critics, the naysayers, and other pessimists, you’ll convince yourself it doesn’t work. Most people that criticize money-making ideas need to do so for their own ego. After all, if it were true, what’s their excuse for not being successful? Make a point of not taking financial advice from anyone who makes less than you do.

Myth 4: Too Much Competition

The Myth: “There’s too many people trying to buy houses to find a deal.”
The Truth: There are more than enough deals to make everyone successful. At any given time there are hundreds of distressed properties for sale in your market for each investor looking for them. Besides, a majority of people who say they are investors are just sitting on the sidelines waiting for something to fall in their lap. Don’t be one of them – go out and make deals happen! You will be successful if you spend your time finding deals and not worrying about other people.

Myth 5: It Doesn’t Work in My Market

The Myth: “It doesn’t work in my city.”
The Truth: It works in EVERY market. True, it may work differently in some markets than others, but there are investors making money in every city, every day of the week. You have to learn your market – the rents, the trends, the local customs, the lenders, the title companies, etc. Then, learn the techniques and adapt them to your market. If you are in a hot market, you can buy and sell properties faster and ride inflation. If you are in a down market, you can find lots of bargains. Regardless, in every market, there are people with financial problems that are forced to sell their homes.

Myth 6: The Recession is Coming

The Myth: “Although the market is good right now, I hear that we are heading for another recession.”
The Truth: There are always naysayers predicting market crashes. You need to ignore these pundits. Besides, there are always deals regardless which way the market is heading. If the market changes, change your strategy. For example, if the market falls, sell cheaper or with attractive terms. When Dell wants to move more computers, they drop the price. When GM wants to move cars, they offer no-interest financing. Be creative and do things that make your houses sell or rent faster. If prices are falling, buy way below market and sell just below market. If rental vacancies go up, offer free cable or WiFi. After all, when everyone else is “dooming and glooming,” it only clears out the competition.

Myth 7: Realtors Won’t Cooperate With Me

The Myth: “Real estate agents don’t cooperate with investors.”
The Truth: The right agent can be your best friend and #1 source of business. I have one agent that brought me six deals in the past year. She knows exactly what I want and only calls me when there’s a deal. You need to educate a few agents and let them know exactly what you want. Few agents have repeat customers. In contrast, you have to make them understand that you will be giving them business over and over again.

Myth 8: I Have Bad Credit

The Myth: “I need good credit to buy houses.”
The Truth: Good credit helps, but you don’t need it to make money in real estate. Lease/options, owner-financing, flipping properties, assignments, and other creative techniques will allow you to buy real estate without credit. Besides, you can always use a partner who has good credit. You can also borrow “hard money” without having good credit. In the interim, you can work on fixing your bad credit so you can use it as an asset in the future.

Myth 9: I Might Lose Money

The Myth: “Real estate is risky. I could lose everything.”
The Truth: Real estate is one of the safest investments you can make! The stock market is beyond your control. Savings, CDs, money market funds won’t earn you enough money to make it worthwhile. You have to be willing to take a calculated risk to make money. The more you educate yourself, the less risky real estate becomes. However, don’t think you need to know everything before taking action.


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Myth 10: I Don’t Know What To Do First

The Myth: “I need to learn more before I start.”
The Truth: If you’re reading this, you probably know more than enough to get started in real estate. After all, you’ll never learn everything. Knowledge is an ongoing learning process, not a result. Read books, attend seminars, and take action. Then, learn some more and take a lot more action. If you are really impatient, enlist the help of others.

Henry Ford said, “Why should I clutter my mind with general information when I have men around me who can supply any knowledge I need?” Henry Ford was a smart man because he realized that he didn’t need to know it all if he could consult with others that did. And this was before Google!

Now go out there and start submitting offers. Remember, you won’t catch any fish if you don’t put your hook in the water.


Lloyd Segal

After practicing law for over 30 years (specializing in real estate litigation), Lloyd Segal assumed the leadership of the Los Angeles County Real Estate Investors Association in 2017 from the late Phyllis Rockower. Lloyd is an author, real estate investor, mentor, public speaker, and landlord. He is the also the author of four real estate reference books, including “Stop Foreclosure in California” (Nolo Press), “Stop Foreclosure Now” (American Management Association), “Foreclosure Investing” (Regency Books), and “Flipping Houses” (Regency Books). The Los Angeles County Real Estate Investors Association is the oldest (1996) and largest investor group in California. In his role as President, Lloyd is busy expanding LAC-REIA’s events and programs for members and real estate investors. For more information, visit www.LARealEstateInvestors.com

Unlocking Wealth: 5 Real Estate Mistakes to Avoid for Smart, Passive Income

By Hugh Zaretsky

Real estate investing is an extremely powerful tool for building short-term and generational wealth. This includes offering a route to financial freedom while delivering passive income. However, navigating this path successfully requires awareness of common pitfalls that can thwart even the most well-intentioned investors. With a diverse portfolio that spans from $40,000 single-family homes to million-dollar properties, I’ve gleaned valuable insights on effective strategies and mistakes to avoid. Here’s a detailed look at the smart ways to invest in real estate and the top five mistakes people often make, enriched with real-life stories from my experience and some pro tips.

1. Failing to Do Thorough Market Research

What to Do: Conduct comprehensive market research before investing in areas, especially in locations that you do not know well. Have you seen the Homes.com commercials? They joke about going undercover and doing the research for you. However, this is what you need to do especially for out-of-the-area markets. You need to understand local economic drivers, population growth trends, employment rates, and housing demand.

Is there a new casino going into the area or is a factory closing? Both can have a significant impact on the local economy and the housing market.


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Use resources like:

Local Government Websites: Access economic development reports and city planning documents. It is mainly free and open to the public. You just need to know where to look.

Real Estate Portals: Sites like Zillow, Homes.com, Redfin,PropertyShark and Realtor.com offer market trends and property value data.

Market Analysis Reports: Industry reports from companies like JLL, CBRE, or local real estate associations provide in-depth market insights.

**Mistake to Avoid:** Investors often buy properties that are cheaper but in areas with declining populations or economic instability, leading to poor returns and high vacancy rates.

Story: Early in my career, we bought a portfolio of “cheaper properties” compared to where I live in a small midwest town with the expectation of significant growth happening in the area. However, the city delayed the major growth project in the area. While other areas of the country grew 10 to 50% before or during COVID this area stayed flat. This taught me the importance of thorough market research.

2. Overleveraging and Poor Financial Planning

What to Do: Maintain a conservative debt-to-equity ratio and have substantial cash reserves. This includes:

Budgeting for Contingencies or Whoops factor: Set aside funds for unexpected repairs or vacancies.

Creating a Financial Plan: Include investment goals, cash flow projections, and exit strategies. Make sure to find out the cost of a refresh in your area.

Mistake: Overleveraging can lead to financial ruin if the market shifts or unexpected expenses arise, leaving you unable to service debt or cover costs.

Story: The real estate market will not go up forever. I learned this lesson the hard way during the 2008-2010 housing market crash. Instead of taking profits along the way by selling off some of our properties. We were caught in the downturn. We lost a few properties and had to sell others at a loss. This experience underscored the necessity of maintaining a healthy balance between debt and equity.

Pro Tip: I typically have my client’s people set aside or keep a reserve of 1% of the purchase price or 10% of the rehab budget whichever is higher when fixing a property. You should also have 3 exit strategies and not just one for each of your properties.

3. Ignoring Property Management:

What to Do: Either manage properties efficiently yourself or hire a reputable property management company. Key responsibilities include:

– Tenant Screening: Conduct thorough background and credit checks.
– Rent Collection: Implement a reliable system for on-time payments.
– Maintenance: Regular inspections and prompt repairs to maintain property value.

Mistake: Poor management leads to high tenant turnover, property degradation, and loss of rental income.

Story: I have lots of my clients and students who have had bad experiences because of not doing proper screening on their tenants. The least of your concern is the tenant not paying rent for 6 to 9 months. One couple that I coach wanted to be nice to their tenant and listen to a local attorney who said, “The tenant would leave after a few notices.” It had already been several months of late rent and not paying in full when they engaged the attorney. Well six months later, they finally listened to me and got the eviction process started. The tenant fought it but did move out when the sheriff finally showed up to evict them. Sometimes we have to make a hard choice.

Pro Tip: Don’t be cheap and make sure to do background checks on your tenants.

4. Skimping on Due Diligence

What to Do: Perform your due diligence before purchasing and use professionals even if not required in your state. This includes:

– Property Inspections: Hire professional inspectors to check for structural issues, pest infestations, and compliance with safety regulations.

– Hire Attorney to Perform Legal Checks: Ensure there are no liens, easements, or zoning problems.

– Surveying: Verify property boundaries and land use restrictions.

Mistake: Failing to uncover these issues can result in costly legal battles, unexpected repair expenses, or inability to use the property as intended.

Story: This is one of the biggest things that my clients and students want to push back on in states where attorneys are not required to purchase a property. Do not be CHEAP as there are lots of horry stories. I would much rather pay an attorney $750 to $1,500 to do a closing than find an issue later the cost $20,000 to $100,000+ to fix or even worse an EPA issue. I was just talking with someone buying their own home that had asbestos only in their floor. Anything EPA related will most likely cost 25%+ more than you expected and take longer 30 to 90 days longer to fix than you planned. So, be prepared. The government does not move fast.

5. Underestimating Costs

What to Do: Accurately estimate all costs involved. This encompasses:

– Closing Costs:** Fees for legal services, title insurance, and loan origination.

– Renovation and Repairs:** Obtain detailed estimates from contractors.

– Ongoing Expenses:** Property taxes, insurance, utilities, and maintenance.

Mistake: Many first-time home buyers and investors focus solely on the purchase price, underestimating the total investment required, leading to cash flow issues. Most people are shocked by all of the closing costs on their first deal.

Story: On my first home, I did not review the HUD (Now, closing statement) before my closing but that is the time to see all of the expected costs on the closing of your home or property. I ended up paying an extremely high fee to my mortgage guy. My attorney caught it at the closing but it was too late to change it for the purchase.

Pro Tip: Make sure to review all of your fees on the documents you sign before closing. Make sure to have your professionals outline their fees upfront.


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**Conclusion**

Real estate investing is a powerful tool for building wealth and achieving financial independence, but it requires careful planning and informed decision-making. By avoiding these common mistakes and following strategic investment practices, you can enhance your chances of success and meet your financial objectives. For more insights, Pro Tips, and detailed guidance, visit [www.hughzaresky.com](http://www.hughzaresky.com), where I share my experiences and tips from decades of real estate investing.

Happy investing!


Hugh Zaretsky

Hugh Zaretsky, was an IT executive until his wake-up call came on 9/11. Realizing how short life can be, Hugh transitioned his career to become a real estate investor, international speaker, best-selling author, philanthropist, and advocate for empowering individuals. Hugh started investing in the precursor to Short-Term Rentals back in 2005. His expertise in cash-flowing properties (STR, SFH, and multi-family) has allowed him to successfully train over 12,500 real estate investors and entrepreneurs to complete profitable real estate transactions, launch businesses, or take them to the next level.

Hugh has been a certified real estate continuing education instructor in 4 different states. His latest book “The Launch Button” was an Amazon best seller in 4 categories including all of real estate. He recently spoke at the Humanity Summit in Portugal on the global issue of “Sustainable tourism (including STRs) and how to work with local communities”. His dedication to mentoring and coaching aspiring entrepreneurs makes Hugh a highly sought-after coach, trainer and speaker. Get ready to be inspired and gain invaluable insights from Hugh’s wealth of experience. To learn more about Hugh go to www.HughZaretsky.com

IG – @hughzwealth
FB – @hughzWealth – My personal page is full so use this link

www.thelaunchbutton.net or buy direct on Amazon. – My book “The Launch Button” is an amazon best seller helping people find their passion or take their business to the next level.

www.eframily.com – Want to work, train or get coached by Hugh?
www.hughzaretsky.com – To learn more

“You have to change your mindset before you can change the size of your wallet.” – Hugh Z

KEYS TO BEING A GOOD REAL ESTATE INVESTOR

By 

Investing in real estate is a skill that can be developed over time. However, the skill of real estate investing is composed of sub-skills and traits that add up into the overarching experience and know-how on how to invest in real estate. By understanding the keys of what makes a good real estate investor, you can make the adjustments needed to also become a good real estate investor. The good news is that none of the skills or traits needed to become a successful real estate investor require anything that you wouldn’t have access to.


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Develop Your Network

Becoming a good real estate investor involves developing the right relationships and growing your network. Every good real estate investor knows that the right network provides support and opportunities. Who should be included in your network? Focus on finding mentors, other investors, agents, mortgage brokers, lawyers, and potential business partners. You can leverage each individual’s experience to further your own investment goals. Sign up to local real estate organizations and online communities to find individuals to network with.

Stay Educated

A good real estate investor understands the value of constantly learning. It is important to stay up to date with the latest industry news, current events, and changes in laws when it comes to real estate and any other business as a matter of fact. But also, it is important to continue learning new real estate investing related skills and sharpening the ones you already have. Investing in real estate can become very competitive. By taking the time to learn and continue to educate yourself, you can become a good real estate investor and stay competitive in the marketplace.


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Focus On A Niche

A jack of all trades is a master of none. There are many different niches within real estate. Most investors fail by trying to tackle them all. Niches such as buy and hold, fix and flip, wholesaling, section 8, commercial, and much more are some of the many niches that an investor can get involved in when it comes to investing in real estate. Take the time to find a niche that aligns best with your goals and approach to investing. Once you’ve chosen your niche, take the time to master that niche. By being the best at one thing, you are setting yourself up for greater success.

Know Your Market

The best place to start investing is in your own backyard. Why? Because you already know the market. You are familiar with the good neighborhoods versus the bad. You know where all the public transportation is and all the best shopping. If you don’t live in the market you are investing in, then still become an expert. Every market is different. The more you know about a particular market empowers you to make better decisions and avoid costly ones. Take the time to truly understand your market and you will be able to spot better quality deals which in turn, will be much more profitable deals.


Joe Arias

Joe Arias and his partners have flipped hundreds of properties in the Southern California Region. He has developed cutting-edge systems to simplify and scale the entire remodel process that can easily be applied to flipping, rentals, wholesaling, and other passive income strategies. More recently, Joe founded a real estate investing education company called RealSuccess Investments, allowing him to share his tools and systems with hundreds of up-and-coming investors. 

RealSuccess is focused on education on flipping, rentals, passive income, and wholesaling.

Joe is also a best-selling author. He has written 4 books: Finding your RealSuccess, First Steps to Flipping, R stands for Rentals and Retirement, and Wholesaling Real Estate.

“I came from Argentina when I was 20, I am 40 years old now. I didn’t know anyone, I am CERO generation, usually people say, I am first or second generation but I was the one that crossed the border, no language, no friends, no family, no money, nothing, nada… If I can do it, anyone can.”

From a young latino immigrant  to a celebrated real estate investor, Joe is a true testament to hard work and discipline. As an investor, he has made it his mission to help others achieve financial freedom while enjoying living a life of passion, fulfillment, and empowerment.

RealSuccess Website

www.ourrealsuccess.com

Personal Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/joeariasinvestor/

Real Estate Investment- Instagram: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realsuccesseducation/

Video For Finding Money from All Day Training (10 Hour Seminar)

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/528446162

1 Hour Webinar

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/530996751

Amazon Book#1:

Amazon Book#2


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10 Roads To Real Estate Investing Profits

By Tamera Aragon

“Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth.” The Bible – Ecclesiastes 11:2

This is good advice as long as you don’t get so spread out that you are doing too many things but nothing with success. It’s important we understand the fine line between focusing on one real estate niche without putting all your eggs in one basket, (so to speak).

To simplify the terms of real estate investing, there are really only three ways for investors to make money in real estate:

  1. Real Estate Appreciation and Equity
  2. Cash flow while you own it
  3. Assignments: Payment when you flip a real estate contract without owning it.

So where do you start? Let’s try to answer this question on every aspiring real estate investors mind. Since real estate investing encompasses so many types of exit strategies or I like to call profit centers, it’s important to study and pick those you are most passionate about. otherwise called exit strategies.


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The following is a summary of Ten of the Most Popular Real Estate Investment Strategies with their advantages and disadvantages.

1. Rentals or Cash flow Investment Property: These types of investment properties are the ones which generate rental income. These are mainly apartment buildings and rental houses.

  • Advantages: One of the easier ways to get started, and good long term return on investment while also earning monthly income.
  • Disadvantages: Risk of not renting property leaving you with the mortgage payment and no income. Property management can be a challenge. You typically will wait awhile to sell your property so payoff is slow.

2. Lease Option. This is when you buy a property, then sell to someone else via a rent-to-own arrangement.

  • Advantages: You get higher rent, and the buyer is usually responsible for maintenance. Cash flow can be good.
  • Disadvantages: Most rent to own buyers don’t complete the purchase (this can be an advantage too, but it does mean more work for you). Bookkeeping must be done properly and can be complicated.

3. Fixer Upper Investment Property. These types of investment properties are the ones which are in ugly condition and need renovation. These properties can be acquired to flip after fixing-up quickly or held to rent out.

  • Advantages: You can receive a quick return on your investment (months). You usually get below market value pricing on properties bringing you instant equity.
  • Disadvantages: Higher risk. (Many unpredictable expenses come up in construction). You get taxed heavily on the gain when you sell in under a year.

4. Vacant Land. Many options including just holding while appreciating. You can also split it and sell it.

  • Advantages: History has shown that land always appreciates in value (it’s the buildings on the land that go down. It is simpler than most real estate investments, with the possibility of great profits.
  • Disadvantages: It can take a long time to increase in value. You have expenses, but no cash flow while you wait unless you sell the contract before closing.

5. Commercial Real Estate. These are any building containing 5 units or over and/or buildings sited for commercial use.

  • Advantages: Long term triple-net leases mean little management and high returns. Lending is usually based on the value of the property vs. personal credit.
  • Disadvantages: Commercial property valuation requires a more complex method, taking into account the income potential of the property. This is recommended for the more experienced investors as there is a lot more involved to set up and maintenance.

6. Buy property with Forced Appreciation. Buy in the path of growth and holding until values rise. For instance buying a lot in a residential development prior to roads being completed.

  • Advantages: Can yield large profits, especially if you buy low to start.
  • Disadvantages: Future price is not predictable – the market can turn, the developer can go out of business. You have expenses with no income while you’re waiting.

7. Preconstruction Investment Property: These types of investment properties are acquired directly from a developer before the construction or renovation is completed.

  • Advantages: Low money out of pocket to tie up property while being built. If purchased in appreciating markets, you make money in equity at closing and can instantly re-sell at a profit.
  • Disadvantages: You can’t always predict what a market is going to do. If market depreciates, you have lost money. Also higher tax rates in selling quickly.

8. Pre-Foreclosure Investment Property: These types of investment properties are the ones which you buy from sellers who are behind in their payments and may lose their property to the bank via foreclosure.

  • Advantages: You have opportunities to buy properties at below value pricing – “Instant equity”.
  • Disadvantages: Legal liabilities are higher. Finding these properties requires a lot research and footwork to find a deal that works. You can do all the work and still not have a deal with enough equity to profit after expenses to sell, (taxes, realtors, etc).

9. Assignments: This strategy has you get into a property at a discount, preferably with a known buyer in place before you commit to your purchase. After you are in contract to purchase a property, you would sell your contract for a fee to someone else. For example you get into purchase contract to buy a $120K property for $100K. You turn it to an investor for $110K and profit $10K cash without the cost and hassles of ever closing on the deal.

  • Advantages: This is a great way to make quick cash with low or no upfront investment, low risk and fewer headaches from closing and ownership. This strategy creates a win win win outcome for everyone involved.
  • Disadvantages: This will only work if the property you are buying has equity so that you may buy it a discount. In declining markets, this type of property is harder to find. Also when dealing with banks on REO’s or Short Sales you will find they will not allow you assign your contract. However, there are ways to get around this if you plan and handle the contract correctly up front.
    Do you want to know how I have managed to get around not being able to assign a contract? I have purchased properties in the name of an LLC set up exclusively to buy properties. I then sold the LLC to someone, making them the owner of the LLC, therefore making them responsible for closing on the purchase contract and end buyer of the property.

10. Flipping – Wikipedia defines Flipping as is a term used primarily in the United States to describe practice of buying an asset and quickly reselling (or “flipping”) it for profit ..

This description pretty much explains property flipping, with there being a slight difference from that description of flipping assets. In real estate you can get into an agreement to flip a contract you have gotten into before you even buy it. This can be done with ease when you know exactly what your buyers want and with no money out of your pocket utilizing transactional funding. Flipping can also mean closing and quickly reselling your property, sometimes even doing both transactions the same day – this being subcategorized a “double closing”.

  • Advantages: My favorite strategy. You work the deal backwards. You create relationships with buyers who can close quickly with cash. Then you find a property meeting the needs of your buyers. This strategy allows you to profit literally from no money down, with lower risk and very little of your own time.
  • Disadvantages: The law requires you to disclose your intent to resell quickly to sellers. When dealing with banks, this can sometimes cause your offer to be rejected. You must buy properties in the name of an LLC in order to utilize transactional funding. Setting up and maintaining an LLC will cost you money. Though the intent of a buyer might be to close on the transaction, sometimes “life happens” and something causes the buyer to be unable to follow through. You may have to walk away from earnest money if you cannot find another buyer quickly

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Now that you that you have learned strategies to consider, you will need to consider the type of properties you want to go after, developing a marketing strategy to find motivated sellers of those deals. Over the next months I will be sharing steps and strategies on how to profit investing in real estate 12 different ways.

Please leave a comment if you have anything you would like add to what I have written here with the heart to support fellow real estate investors. (Any solicitations for business will not be published) I appreciate the feedback!


Tamera Aragon

Tamera Aragon is a professional online entrepreneur and has bought and sold over 300 properties, establishing her as an expert in the real estate investing field. Since 2003, she has purchased over 10 million dollars in real estate and currently holds properties all over the world. Tamera’s focus is on the booming Foreclosure market, buying Pre-foreclosures, REOs and Short Sales. Tamera who is a noted Author, Success Trainer, Speaker & Coach, shows her passion for helping others with the 17 websites she has created and several specialized products to support fellow investors throughout the world. When Tamara is not busy running her website, she is very involved with her Fiji joint ventures and investments. Tamera Aragon is one of the few trainers and coaches who is really “doing it” successfully in today’s market. Tamera’s experience has earned her a solid reputation in the industry as well as the respect and friendship of many of the top national real estate investment and internet marketing experts. Tamera Aragon believes her success has garnered her the financial freedom to fully enjoy her marriage and spend quality time with her children.


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Niches That Bring Your Riches: Absentee Owners

By Tamera Aragon

An absentee owner is an owner that does not live in/on their property; most absentee owners utilize the services of property management companies to take care of their properties for rent.

These types of owners, can turn out to motivated sellers and are the most obvious. A lot of the time, they are also the most overlooked motivated sellers on the planet.


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Why this is a good niche to consider?

  • It is an untapped market.
  • Most investors don’t realize the impact that marketing to this group of prospects can have on your real estate business.
  • Most investors don’t know how to market effectively to absentee owners, focusing on their hot buttons.
  • The paperwork is simpler
  • All you need is a contract.

What are downsides of this niche?

  • Absentee Owners can sometimes be hard to find
  • You don’t know how motivated they are when you market to them. You could be marketing to someone who is not motivated to sell at all.

Good market conditions.

  • When there is a mid to high rental vacancy rates.
  • When the rental rates are low.
  • When Interest rates are high.
  • In a flat or steady market.

Bad market conditions.

  • When there are low rental vacancy rates.
  • When the rental rates are high.

Steps to do this Niche.

  • Get a list of Landlords from recommended sources below
  • Sort the list taking removing the following:
    *Duplicates & corporations
    *Square footage over 900
    *Anyone who has owned their property less than 10 years.
  • Use direct mail postcards to inexpensively contact them.
  • Sellers will call your 24 hour hotline to listen to a 2-3 minute message.
  • Only the most interested ones you will call back and run comps
  • If owner is motivated then set time to see property and meet owner.
  • Negotiate at no higher than 65% of market value.
  • Sign contract.

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Where to find leads.


Tamera Aragon

Tamera Aragon is a professional online entrepreneur and has bought and sold over 300 properties, establishing her as an expert in the real estate investing field. Since 2003, she has purchased over 10 million dollars in real estate and currently holds properties all over the world. Tamera’s focus is on the booming Foreclosure market, buying Pre-foreclosures, REOs and Short Sales. Tamera who is a noted Author, Success Trainer, Speaker & Coach, shows her passion for helping others with the 17 websites she has created and several specialized products to support fellow investors throughout the world. When Tamara is not busy running her website, she is very involved with her Fiji joint ventures and investments. Tamera Aragon is one of the few trainers and coaches who is really “doing it” successfully in today’s market. Tamera’s experience has earned her a solid reputation in the industry as well as the respect and friendship of many of the top national real estate investment and internet marketing experts. Tamera Aragon believes her success has garnered her the financial freedom to fully enjoy her marriage and spend quality time with her children.


Learn live and in real-time with Realty411. Be sure to register for our next virtual and in-person events. For all the details, please visit Realty411Expo.com or our Eventbrite landing page, CLICK HERE.

PASSIVE REAL ESTATE INVESTING

By Joe Arias

Want to make money without having to put in a lot of work? You may want to consider passive real estate investing. It is the perfect solution for an aspiring investor who may have other time commitments like a full-time jobs that does not allow much time to be a property manager or a home flipper. Each of those activities requires at least a little bit of time on your part. You have to collect rent, market your property for rent, make repairs, and so forth.

With passive real estate investing, you basically write a check and then sit back and collect mone over time. There are a couple of different options when you get into passive real estate investing, each comes with its own risks and varied amounts of returns. They are pretty easy to get in to and do not require a lot of knowledge in the real estate industry to be successful. Here are several passive real estate options worth looking into:


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What is Passive Real Estate Investing?

Before we jump into what types of passive real estate options are out there, let’s first look at what passive real estate investing is.

In simplest terms, passive real estate investing is investing in real estate without requiring hands-on effort or active participation. Passive real estate investing can either be direct or indirect. The main difference between the two is the amount of work you have to contribute to each investment.

Why Is Passive Investing a Good Idea?

When you are a passive real estate investor, you will earn money without having to actively work for it. Basically, you pay someone an agree upon amount of money and they do all the hard work for you. Here are some ways you can put you passive income to use:

  • Build a retirement fund
  • Pay off your debts
  • Increase your savings account

While there are non-real estate related ways to earn passive income, let’s just focus on those that do involve real estate in some form. Here are a few ideas for you on how to invest in passive real estate:

Direct passive real estate investing

In this case, an investor will purchase a property which is then rented out to a tenant. This can be done in the form of short-term or long-term rentals. In order to simplify the process, many investors will hire a property management company to do time-consuming duties like maintenance, rent collection, or any other situations that may arise. This allows the investor to have very little active responsibility in their investment, making it a passive investment.

Indirect passive real estate investing

Suppose you want something which requires even less involvement than being a landlord and renting out a property to a tenant. In that case, you can invest in an indirect passive real estate investment by investing in a real estate investment trust (REIT). You will have no day-to-day tasks related to this form of investment and do not need to have very much real estate knowledge to be successful. You will still collect income in the form of returns and dividends.

Different Types of REITs

Real estate investment trusts are made up of corporations, trusts, or associations. These groups invest in large income-producing real estate like commercial buildings, hotels, data centers, or apartment complexes. Investing in a REIT is usually a low-risk investment and is traded like a stock.

There are three types of REITs you can invest in:

  1. Exchange-traded: Registered with the SEC and listed on exchanges like the NYSE.
  2. Non-traded: Registered with the SEC but do not trade publicly. These tend to be more stable since they do not fluctuate with the market.
  3. Private: Not registered with the SEC or traded on exchanges. They raise funds through private investors.

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A well-managed REIT lessens risk by including large groups of properties rather than individual properties. One good thing about them from an investment standpoint is that they provide annual dividend income as well as long-term appreciation. You are usually able to withdraw money from the REIT when you need it, but will be subject to paying taxes on your returns.

There are a couple of downsides to investing in REITs. They are required to distribute 90% of their profits annually, which means they are not able to reinvest funds annually, which can prevent long-term growth. You also don’t have a tangible asset and cannot control any part of the decisions made related to your investment.

Tax Liens

Another passive real estate option is investing in tax liens. According to the National Tax Lien Association, $14 billion in property taxes go unpaid each year. When a homeowner falls behind on their property taxes, the county or municipality where the property is located will issue a tax lien against the property, which the tax assessor’s office usually issues.

These tax liens can be auctioned off to investors. If you win a tax lien auction, you will earn interest until the homeowner pays off the outstanding taxes. You receive your share and accrued interest when the homeowner sends the county a tax payment.

Interest rates on a tax lien can be as high as 12%, which would give you a very nice return on investment. In very rare cases, you may even be able to foreclose on and acquire the property for an incredibly low price.

Tax lien investing can be confusing and maybe more work than a passive real estate investor is willing to commit to. Depending on the state you purchase the tax lien from, you may be required to notify the homeowner frequently in an attempt to collect the debt. This is certainly not for everyone.

Crowdfunding

Another type of passive real estate investing is crowdfunding. With real estate crowdfunding, groups of investors combine their money to purchase commercial properties, apartment complexes, and single-family home portfolios. These are mostly managed and executed through online platforms where investors are able to view progress and send payments.

Crowdfunding is very popular because it is so easy and does not require a large investment. Neighborhood Ventures is a Phoenix-based real estate crowdfunding company. Their projects are usually funded in a matter of days. They buy old apartment buildings, renovate them and then rent them to tenants. They take on projects in their own neighborhoods in an attempt to keep their investment dollars local and improve the communities where they live and work. Investors can very easily and quickly create an online account, upload their funds – as little as $1,000, choose a project, and watch their money grow.

Crowdfunding is another very hands-off investment. Since there are so many crowdfunding companies that are very transparent in the properties they will be purchasing, you do have the ability to choose a project in a real estate market with the potential for large returns. With a company like Neighborhood Ventures, you would be investing in the Phoenix Metro area which is one of the hottest real estate markets in the country, seeing double digit returns each year.

Many real estate crowd funders do require holding your money for a specified period of time. This ties up your money and makes it difficult or impossible to cash out at a moment’s notice in the case of an emergency.

Passive Real Estate Investment or Stocks? Which is the Better Investment?

Deciding between real estate or stock investments is a personal choice that depends on your financial situation, risk tolerance, and goals. You can make money two ways with stocks: value appreciation as the company’s stock increases and dividends. Your returns are based on stock market activity as well as the company’s earning.

Real estate has proven to bring in higher returns in a shorter period of time in most major real estate markets. According to the S&P 500 Index, the average return on investment in the US real estate market is 10.6%. Comparatively, the average annual return for the S&P Index over the past 20 years is only 8.6%. Real estate also tends to be less volatile than the stock market. REITs and crowdfunding reduce the risk further since you are able to enter into the investment for little money out of pocket.

Overall, real estate and stocks both present risks and rewards. There is no right way to invest and people have seen both huge returns as well as huge losses by investing with each.

Risks in Passive Real Estate Investing

Every investment comes with a series of risks, and passive real estate investing is no different; you carry the ongoing threat of losing your principal. First, if you are hoping to make a lot of money through passive real estate investing, you may be disappointed. Something else to be aware of is that there are a lot of passive real estate investment opportunities out there, and they are not all created the same. Always do your due diligence before investing, as no investment can guarantee you either a return or even protection of all your principal. Performing your own due diligence can help you find safer and possibly more profitable investments for your capital.

Here are some things to look out for when considering investing:

  • What is the company’s track record? You could take a look to see their past projects and how much money they made. If the company is consistently failing to complete projects or are not generating the returns they advertise, you may want to pass.
  • How much debt is the company in, and what are the details? Look to see if their debt is due to mismanagement. If so, this is another red flag, and you should probably pass.
  • What do other investors say about the company? You should be able to find online reviews about them.
  • Do they communicate with their investors? It is usually not a good sign if you invest money and then have no idea what the project’s progress is.

The Bottom Line

Many investors have made a lot of money through passive real estate investing. If you find the right REIT or crowdfunding or other passive real estate investment company to invest in, you can make money while you sleep. So, if you are looking for an easy, low-cost investment, passive real estate investment may be your best bet.


Joe Arias and his partners have flipped hundreds of properties in the Southern California Region. He has developed cutting-edge systems to simplify and scale the entire remodel process that can easily be applied to flipping, rentals, wholesaling, and other passive income strategies. More recently, Joe founded a real estate investing education company called RealSuccess Investments, allowing him to share his tools and systems with hundreds of up-and-coming investors. 

RealSuccess is focused on education on flipping, rentals, passive income, and wholesaling.

Joe is also a best-selling author. He has written 4 books: Finding your RealSuccess, First Steps to Flipping, R stands for Rentals and Retirement, and Wholesaling Real Estate.

“I came from Argentina when I was 20, I am 40 years old now. I didn’t know anyone, I am CERO generation, usually people say, I am first or second generation but I was the one that crossed the border, no language, no friends, no family, no money, nothing, nada… If I can do it, anyone can.”

From a young latino immigrant  to a celebrated real estate investor, Joe is a true testament to hard work and discipline. As an investor, he has made it his mission to help others achieve financial freedom while enjoying living a life of passion, fulfillment, and empowerment.

RealSuccess Website

www.ourrealsuccess.com

Personal Instagram: 

https://www.instagram.com/joeariasinvestor/

Real Estate Investment- Instagram: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/realsuccesseducation/

Video For Finding Money from All Day Training (10 Hour Seminar)

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/528446162

1 Hour Webinar

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/530996751

Amazon Book#1:

Amazon Book#2


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Tips To Minimize Your Risk & Maximize Your Profits (Part 2)

By Tamera Aragon

“Real estate is definitely a path to be seriously considered in building your wealth. Where to invest varies depending on the location of the investment as well as market timing. My investment choices change as often as the market does. Being sensitive and aware of changing market trends is helpful to know where to invest and the most profitable strategy to follow”.

What was just quoted was a highlight to part of this real estate investing article series of minimizing risks and maximizing profits for investors. You can review the first 3 rules here: “Top 7 Tips To Minimize Your Risk & Maximize Your Profits P1”.


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Top 7 Tips To Minimize Your Risk & Maximize Your Profits

Rule #4 – Use a Tried and True Strategy

Why make all of the mistakes others have already made if you don’t have to? Find a good investment strategy that works with your goals and stick to it. You will be tempted and pulled in many directions by all the different gurus out there saying their way is best.

Find a mentor and coach with experience in today’s market and then follow where they lead. After all, why would you walk through a mine field alone if there was someone else familiar with the route who could lead you safely through?

Rule #5 – Have Attorney Review Contracts

Hire a professional real estate attorney to review all your processes and paperwork before utilizing it in your market. Because most trainers and coaches are not attorneys, as much as we try, we cannot be experts on laws in every state in the U.S. For this reason, it is vital for you to make sure the contracts and steps you are taking are not going to lead you to the courthouse.

Anyone can sue anyone these days. The way to avoid this is to first of all, always be nice and come from a place of caring in your dealings with others. Don’t avoid dealing with situations personally or you may find a costly summons to court forcing you to deal with things the expensive way. A second way to avoid litigation is to assure your paperwork and procedures are legal to the best of your ability.

I know attorneys can be expensive which is why I signed up to use a service that offers me unlimited consultations and a certain number of document reviews for only $50.00 a month. I recommend this way to be the most cost effective resource to be able to accept advice from a licensed real estate attorney in any state.

Rule #6 – Have Basic Computer Skills

You will want to know how to use email, internet and office products like Microsoft Word and Excel (Google had free versions of these). It is helpful to know how to create graphics but not necessary. You will need high speed internet to enjoy utilizing this wonderful tool and avoid the frustration of being unable to watch videos and waiting for pages to load.

You can do your entire real estate business from a computer. You will absolutely need to type contracts and do research and there is no faster, easier way than this. If you do not know how to use email, the internet and basic word on a computer, find a class you can take to learn the skills you lack. If you have tried to do business without these tools, you will find them to turbo-charge your business once you have them.


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Rule #7 – Diversify Your Investments

Don’t put it all into one area or one type of real estate. So how did I go from having no money to the prosperity I enjoy today? It started with a book called the “One Minute Millionaire” by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen. This book showed me I could really have the kind of lifestyle I desired, if I would diversify my income, while at the same time making wise investments.

I studied this philosophy on money found in this book as well as in others like it. Then, I did something many are too afraid to do, “I put what I learned to work in my life”. I currently divide my income into various investment strategies such as real estate, stocks, business ownership, savings, Money Market, IRA’s, and others.

However, since I see that 40% of today’s billionaires made it in real estate, I have chosen to place a large percentage of my time and money into this strategy. What type of real estate do I invest in? This varies about every 6 months depending on the market conditions as I mentioned earlier. I also have relationships with “power team” of experts so we have all the correct data to consider our strategy as the market changes.

In summary, there is no hard fast rule that applies to all investing – except one. That is this. In order to profit from your investments, we have found it important to diversify them. Consider different types, different areas and different strategies that make the most sense, therefore bringing you the highest return on your investment.


Tamera Aragon

Tamera Aragon is a professional online entrepreneur and has bought and sold over 300 properties, establishing her as an expert in the real estate investing field. Since 2003, she has purchased over 10 million dollars in real estate and currently holds properties all over the world. Tamera’s focus is on the booming Foreclosure market, buying Pre-foreclosures, REOs and Short Sales. Tamera who is a noted Author, Success Trainer, Speaker & Coach, shows her passion for helping others with the 17 websites she has created and several specialized products to support fellow investors throughout the world. When Tamara is not busy running her website, she is very involved with her Fiji joint ventures and investments. Tamera Aragon is one of the few trainers and coaches who is really “doing it” successfully in today’s market. Tamera’s experience has earned her a solid reputation in the industry as well as the respect and friendship of many of the top national real estate investment and internet marketing experts. Tamera Aragon believes her success has garnered her the financial freedom to fully enjoy her marriage and spend quality time with her children.


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