Behold the Cockroach – It has survived and thrived

By Randy Hughes, Mr. Land Trust

Starting in the late 1970s and up through the 1990s pitchmen were all over television extolling the ease at which you could “become rich in your spare time” if you just followed their real estate investment “program.” After 52 years in the real estate investment business, I know of no one who became rich through real estate quickly (I am sure some investors got rich quickly through luck, but I have never met one).

I do know a lot of people who became rich using real estate as their vehicle. They all earned it by working hard and putting in years of devotion.

This article for Realty 411 is for all of you who have not yet become a millionaire in your “spare time.”


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What does all this have to do with cockroaches?

When it comes to being able to survive and expand its operations, nothing has ever surpassed the lowly cockroach. Despite chemical warfare, I often find them in my houses after tenants vacate. Some tenants seem to cohabitate with cockroaches intentionally (and quite well)!

In New York’s Museum of Natural History, they used to point tourists’ attention to a pickled roach between the toes of their biggest dinosaur to demonstrate that roaches have survived in the same form since the period before dinosaurs stalked the Earth.

This means that cockroaches lived on even after the mass extinction of the dinosaurs. For perspective, man has been on Earth during only 1% of the time that cockroaches have existed on the planet!

How have cockroaches survived?

How have cockroaches survived so successfully for millions of years? 1). It never challenges anything bigger than itself 2). It stays out of sight 3). It can survive for lengthy periods under adverse conditions or in a hostile environment 4). It is fast and elusive 5). It lives in the cracks of society never calling attention to itself 6). It reproduces quickly and with ease 7). It can make a meal out of about anything organic regardless of how unappetizing!


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What can we learn from the cockroach lifestyle?

We small investors must be adaptable, maintain a low profile, and be prepared to move quickly when either an opportunity or danger presents itself. We must be able to recognize opportunities, whether foreclosures, rehabs, discounted paper, single-family house opportunities, or value-added property prospects. We must also avoid hostile environments (and hostile tenants) which are high on risk and low on rewards.

You can skip “make a meal out of about anything organic”. I don’t recommend that.

About those Pitchmen

I knew a real estate guru once that bragged that he bought a property every month. He later confessed that he felt so obligated to follow through with that public statement that he would buy bad deals just to “keep up his image” as a monthly property buyer.

Be patient, be diligent, analyze, and then act. Some investors never succeed because they catch the “paralysis of analysis” fever. They buy books (sometimes they even read those books they buy), attend meetings, talk with other investors, analyze data, buy mentor programs, and never buy any real estate.

I encourage you to learn more by going to my FREE online training at www.landtrustwebinar.com/411 and text the word “reasons” to 206-203-2005 for my free booklet, Reasons to Use a Land Trust. You can also reach me the old-fashioned way by calling me at 217-355-1281. (I actually answer my own phone, unlike most other businesses in America today!)

Apply these lessons from a cockroach lifestyle and you WILL succeed!


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Why the Middle Class Tend to Stay Middle Class

By Steve Davis

It is a fact that it is hard to break out of the middle class and become wealthy. There are many obstacles that must be overcome. The good news is that most of these obstacles can be easily overcome through education. Not formal education, high school, or college, but from self-education.

I was born and raised middle class. The strategies that the middle-class implement were engrained in my head.


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The strategy was to do well in high school, go to college, get a job, scrimp, and save in an IRA or 401k, work for 45 years, retire, and live off of your savings. This was the map I was given. I bet that map sounds familiar to you, doesn’t it? All middle-class people are given this map. The problem is the map doesn’t work. Ninety-five percent of Americans fail to retire by age 65 using this map. The average savings for a 65-year-old is less than $200,000. No one can retire with that amount of money.

What opened my eyes was after working for the same company 70 hours a week, for 5 years straight, I won a national sales contest. They sent me to Hawaii for a week. When I got back, they cut my pay by $20,000 a year. This woke me up that the map was wrong. I had to do something different. I began self-educating. I bought every book and tape program off late-night TV on real estate investing. Within 2 months I was making more money than at my job. I quit the 70 hours a week immediately. It saved my marriage by the way.

Here are six things that I learned that keep the middle-class, middle-class.

Number 1:

Thinking you can cheap your way through life and save enough to retire.

People cut coupons, conserve water and electricity. They drive across town to save a dollar on tomatoes. They think they can be cheap and save their way to retirement. This is just not true. You may be able to save a few hundred dollars a month being cheap, but think about it, can you live off a couple of hundred dollars a month in retirement?

Let’s do the math. Let’s say you work from age 20 to 65 (45 years). You make an average of $100,000 a year. Less at the beginning, more toward the end of your career. That is $4.5 million over the 45 years.

Let’s say your average expenses were $5000 a month. That is everything from food to mortgage.

How much could you save?

Income:                                   $4.5 million

Taxes: @23%                           $1 million

Expenses: $5000 a month     $2.7 million

Max Savings:                           $800,000

Using the 4% rule that would give you about $32,000 a year in retirement plus your social security which would be around $2000 a month. That would give you less than $5000 a month in retirement. You would have no money for romance, travel, or anything fun. This would be a horrible retirement by any definition.

It is nearly impossible to save your way to retirement. The numbers just don’t work. What you need to understand is that you don’t have an expense problem, you have an income problem. You just don’t make enough money.

Put the coupons down and read a book on how to make more money. That is why I started investing in real estate. I realized the system was flawed. I focused not on saving money but making more money. That is what is effective.


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Number 2:

Thinking a job is there to build wealth.

The middle class think that a job is a way to build wealth. It is not. They think they are going to climb the corporate ladder to success. This success story is so rare, it is not even worth mentioning. Waiting for people to die, get old, retire, or get fired so you can move up is futile and ineffective.

Why do people think they can do this? Because when someone does do it, they publicize it as the norm.

I used to look up to Jack Welch of GE. I wanted to be like him. The press promoted him and bragged about his $100 plus million paychecks. They did not let you know that he had 150,000 employees that were just barely surviving.

This is much like the casinos that when someone wins $1 million, they promote it all over the place not mentioning the other 10,000 people that were losing money at the exact same time in the exact same casino.

Plus, imagine playing Monopoly and just circling the board and collecting your $200 paycheck every time you passed go. Would you ever win the game? No. To win the game, you can’t just depend on a paycheck. You must buy income-producing assets such as rail roads, utilities, and real estate. It is the same in real life.

Number 3:

Thinking high school and college teach you about building wealth.

The sad truth is neither high school nor college teach you anything about building wealth. They teach you how to get a job and nothing more. That is what they were designed to do.

You are responsible for your financial education. Jim Rohn put it this way. “Formal education will make you a living, self-education will make you a fortune.”

Seventy percent of Americans never read a non-fiction book after high school or college. This is a huge mistake. They think they know everything, and they end up broke at 65.

You must read, listen, and attend seminars and workshops if you are going to learn the rules of money and wealth.

Number 4:

They waste massive amounts of money trying to impress others.

The “keeping up with the Joneses’” costs the middle-class billions a year. Constantly upgrading their clothes, watches, cars, and homes to impress people who don’t even care.

Remember this point: “Dance like no one is watching. They aren’t.” This is very true. They just don’t care. They have their own lives and problems to worry about. They don’t care what kind of car you drive or where you live. Stop trying to impress others. It is a waste of time and money.


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Number 5:

Buying toys first and assets second.

The middle-class has it backwards. The say this to themselves. “I will buy all the things I want first, and then I will start saving and investing.” It doesn’t work. By the time they buy the clothes, watches, cars, and houses, they are living paycheck to paycheck. There is no money left over to save and invest.

The people who end up wealthy buy assets first, and with the profit from these assets, they buy the toys.

I have never made a payment on my boat, Ferrari, or beach house. My assets pay for them.

Number 6:

They fall victim to lifestyle creep.

Do you remember in your 20s and 30s when you made very little money and lived paycheck to paycheck? Of course. You didn’t make much money, so it makes sense.

However, it is 20 years later, and you are making 3 times as much but you are still living paycheck to paycheck. Where did that other money go? Lifestyle creep.

When you got your first raise, you decided to buy your first home and took on a mortgage way higher than your apartment rent.

You got your second raise and now you needed a nicer car. Maybe a BMW.

You got your third raise and now your kids are not in the right school district, so you must buy a more expensive home in a nicer subdivision.

Are you starting to see what’s happening? Every time you get more money, you are spending it to improve your lifestyle leaving you continually living paycheck to paycheck.

These 6 things combine to keep the middle-class middle-class. It is a sad situation but can be solved fairly easily by stopping the madness.

Be aware, I did every one of these things at one time or another and I turned my life around very quickly by stopping. You can too.

Steve Davis,

Total Wealth Academy CEO and Lead Consultant

Host of the TWA Real Estate Investor Radio Show

www.totalwealthacademy.com

[email protected]


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 pageCLICK HERE.

How to Start a Property Management Company

By Joe Arias

If you are thinking about getting into the real estate investment business, you might consider starting a property management company. A good deal of experience and knowledge is required, but it can be quite lucrative if you succeed in setting up a profitable property management company. This article will go over the necessary steps to set up a successful property management company and start making money through real estate investing.

If you’re interested in setting up a property management company, you’ll need to establish a legal entity. Many different legal entities can be used in the real estate investment business, but the most common is a limited liability company (LLC). An LLC can be a good choice because it allows you to operate an enterprise as an individual or with partners without worrying about filing forms and going through the costs of becoming an S Corporation. An LLC might not be the right choice for everyone, so it’s important to talk with your attorney to determine the best option for you. 

Obtain a License

You need to complete one more important step before you can begin your property management company. You’ll have to get a real estate license. Each state has different requirements for getting a real estate broker’s license, so you’ll have to check your state’s licensing and regulation department to determine the specific requirements. A real estate license will allow you to perform transactions on behalf of a property owner as a property manager and will enable you to handle all related paperwork. Depending on your state, you may also have to get a property management license, limiting you exclusively to property management. 

Brand Your Business

Now that you’ve established your legal entity and obtained a license, it’s time to brand your business. Decide on a company name and logo. You may even decide to hire a professional to help you determine your branding. You may not realize it, but font choices and color go a long way in establishing yourself as a reputable, trusted company. 

Separate Your Finances

It’s essential to open a bank account for your business to keep it separate from your personal expenses. This will help you keep track of your business and avoid any trouble when doing taxes. 


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Create a Website for Your Business

Once you’ve established your legal entity and obtained a real estate license, it’s time to create a website for your property management company. Many property management companies use websites to establish their brand, conduct business online, and keep records of interactions with clients. A good website will cost some money, but if you choose the right web developer, you can create a great-looking site that is optimized for Google. This will ensure that anyone looking for a property management company will come across you before your competitors.

In today’s world, it’s more important than ever to have an online presence. Your website needs to be filled with important keywords that your clients could be searching for. These will help you show up in their Google search results and will lead to more business. Knowing what you are doing online makes you appear more reputable and will help gain trust and credibility. If you don’t know where to start, consider hiring someone to take care of your digital marketing. 

Hire a Real Estate Team

Any good real estate investor knows that you’re only as good as the team you work with. As a property management company, you will want to create a solid real estate team to help you succeed. Starting off, the three most important professionals you will need are an accountant, a real estate lawyer, and a trustworthy contractor. An accountant will be necessary to manage the day-to-day accounting related to your company’s operations. A real estate lawyer will play a key role in handling any legal issues that might come up. And a contractor will be necessary for everything from mowing lawns to painting houses. Each of these professionals can represent you at public meetings, so you don’t have to attend them all the time personally.

Set Up Property Management Technology

When you’re running a property management company, it’s crucial to have a good system for keeping track of everything that’s going on. A few years ago, this would have been much harder to do, but you can set up an entire system just using the internet with today’s technology. There are specially designed services for companies looking to increase efficiency and cut down on expenses through technology. From customer and vendor management tools to marketing solutions, you can find what you need through an online service. If you plan to manage short-term rentals, you will need management software that helps you keep track of all check-ins and check-outs, as they will be more frequent and hard to keep track of on your own. 


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Establish a Pricing Structure

Once you have the basic nuts and bolts of your business taken care of, it’s time to establish pricing. Your pricing structure will differ based on the type of real estate that you’re managing. For instance, if you manage properties in a city where there is a lot of demand for affordable housing, you may be able to charge less than if you were managing high-end condos in a neighborhood with very little retail space. An excellent first step if you are just starting off is checking and seeing what competitors are charging in your area. Some fees to consider when creating your pricing structure are:

Setup Fee: This is a one-time fee that is charged to new clients as soon as you take the job.

Property Management Fee: This is the monthly amount that you charge for managing each property on your list.

Real Estate Commissions: This is the percentage of your client’s total rent that goes directly to you. Technically, it’s called a ”total real estate charge,” but most property managers call it a “fee.

Ongoing Management Fee: This is a percentage of the total rent that you charge each month to have you manage your client’s property.

Maintenance Fee: This is an hourly fee that you charge your clients for any maintenance or repairs that need to be done at their property.

Multiple Management Fee: If a client is also using another property management company, then you can charge the rental amount of one of the properties as a multiple management fee for your services.

Leasing Fee: This is a fee that occurs when there is a vacancy that you need to fill. It covers the cost of staging, listing, showing, and eventually renting the unit. It typically comes out to about one month’s rent. 

Insurance Fee: If you take on a bigger job that requires higher insurance coverage, then you can charge an additional fee per month to cover the extra cost of the insurance.

Renewal Fee: If there are any fees associated with renewing a rental agreement, then you can charge your client an additional renewal fee as part of your monthly management fee.

Eviction Fee: If you need to evict a tenant for violation of the lease, then the landlord can charge the tenant an additional fee as part of your management fee.

Deposits: If your clients are required to pay a deposit when they sign their property management contract, then you can collect a monthly percentage of that deposit.

Pet Fee: If the property is set up for pets and has pet deposits, then you can collect an additional fee from those who choose to rent with pets.

Pursue a Marketing Strategy

Regardless of what marketing strategies you choose, you need to make sure they are appropriate for your business. For instance, if you’re just starting out, you might want to focus on word-of-mouth referrals from existing clients. If you already have several clients or a steady number of people coming into your business, then it might be best to focus on local advertising through classifieds. 

If you’re just starting out, you’ll need to work a lot harder than the more established property management companies. The best time to start marketing your business is when you are still very new and unsure of the business. Don’t ever take on too much at the same time. Let your current clients know what your services are and how this will benefit their rental property. Then start new accounts by providing referrals from other potential clients in your area.

For a more modern marketing approach, take advantage of social media and digital ads. Create a Facebook page and an Instagram and update it often. Since the same parent company owns the two social networks, you can run ads across both platforms for a reasonable amount of money. Facebook ads can be adjusted to target specific demographics, locations, and niche interests. You will also want to either learn how to run Google ads or hire a company specializing in them. Investing a few dollars per day into some high-ranking keywords in your field may help you pull in leads and get your first few clients. 

Network

Many people find the most effective way to market their business is to get to know their potential customers simply. This means going out and meeting them, but it also means making a personal connection through social media. Once you’ve established a rapport with someone, you might be able to refer them to your business later.

Summary

Once you learn how to start a real estate property management company, the next step is to make it successful. Even the best business plan doesn’t mean much if you can’t market it correctly. It’s essential to understand your target audience and have some marketing strategies in place before you set out on meeting people and renting out properties. Moving forward, be sure to track your progress. Keep a log of all important numbers, such as contact information for people who expressed interest in your business, how many units you rented out, etc. Keeping tabs on your company’s progress might help you if you decide to apply for bank loans or seek investors in the future. If you have trouble getting started, find a mentor who already runs a property management company and learn through them before you are ready to get started on your own.

To learn more about a career in real estate investment, make sure to sign up for our investment seminars.


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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SPECIAL REPORT: The Do’s and Don’ts of Media Follow-Up – 15 Things the Media Loves / Hates

By Jill Lublin

The way you handle the media is the key to achieving desired success. They are finicky. Aim for the headlines. Jill Lublin has the inside scoop on what makes the media smile and what makes them cringe.


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15 things the media hates:

1. Not take “no” for an answer
2. Long news releases
3. Lying, hype, and misrepresentations
4. Lack of Preparation
5. Small Talk
6. Overkill
7. No repeated cold calling
8. Freebies
9. Name dropping
10. Lack of focus
11. Confirmation calls
12. Gimmicks
13. Not following up requests
14. Same ideas
15. Getting upset

15 things the media loves:

1. News
2. Brevity – Be Clear
3. Knowing targets
4. Relationships
5. Preparation
6. Broad appeal
7. Ties
8. Experience
9. Visualization
10. Celebrity tie-ins
11. Prompt response
12. Courtesy
13. Visual aids
14. No road blocks
15. A pleasant attitude


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Jill Lublin is an international speaker on the topics of Radical Influence, Publicity, Networking, Kindness and Referrals. She is the author of 4 Best Selling books including Get Noticed…Get Referrals (McGraw Hill) and co-author of Guerrilla Publicity and Networking Magic. Her latest book, Profit of Kindness went #1 in four categories. Jill is a master strategist on how to position your business for more profitability and more visibility in the marketplace. She is CEO of a strategic consulting firm and has over 25 years experience working with over 100,000 people plus national and international media. Jill teaches Publicity Crash Courses as both live events and live webinars and consults and speaks all over the world. She also helps authors to create book deals with major publishers and agents, and well as obtain foreign rights deals. Visit publicitycrashcourse.com/freegift and jilllublin.com

Jill Lublin International Speaker | Master Strategist |Four-Time Best-Selling Author
www.JillLublin.com 415-883-5455 [email protected]


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The Lock-In Effect and Keys to Success

By Rick Tobin

There sure seems to be more bad news than good news these days about the state of real estate. During turbulent times like we’ve all seen in recent years, the most common first human reaction is usually denial or acting somewhat like a locked up “prisoner” with a frozen “deer-in-the-headlights” look in our eyes. Yet, this is exactly when we should stay focused on the potential opportunities more so than the temporary obstacles standing in our way.

As foreclosure filings continue to increase to an average near 50% higher than the pre-pandemic years (2019 and earlier), struggling homeowners and landlords will need to focus on solutions such as loan modifications, forbearance agreements, short sales, and quick sales for cash. As an investor in the near future, you will likely find more deals readily available to choose from if you know where and how to look for them.


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Some metropolitan regions like Houston have 56% higher foreclosure rates. Other places like Minneapolis/St. Paul saw +106% foreclosure rates in March. Nashville was +35% higher and Phoenix + 33% higher in May; Rhode Island was up 32% in May.

During the depths of the Credit Crisis / Great Financial Recession years between 2008 and 2013, California was hit the hardest with a -41% home price drop average from peak to trough. Nevada, Arizona, and Florida weren’t too far behind.

Some California home prices have risen as much as +41% over a period of just 18 to 24 months in recent years, so an equivalent -41% price drop is easier to imagine as some values may drop back towards 2021 levels.

The typical home today is about $80,000 higher than it was just two years ago. The average monthly rent payment today is more than $1,000 higher than it was in 2020. Middle-income first-time buyers are unable to afford 70% of homes. As California unemployment rates continue to rise at a faster pace than most other states (Big Tech layoffs, especially), it will be more challenging to continue making mortgage payments.

Rental Market Trends

Today, there are 65% more active short-term rental listings on Airbnb and VRBO (965,000+) than all homes listed for sale nationally (554,000+), as per Realtor.com and other sources. At some point, the vacant short-term rentals will become listed homes for sale or distressed properties due to higher vacancy rates.

Ironically, the founders of Airbnb originally used air mattresses to cover their own San Francisco apartment unit’s rent. Eventually, air bubbles go pop one way or another.

Rent Increases

The following metro areas have experienced the greatest year-over-year rental price percentage increases through May 2023:
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA (+17.44 percent)
Kansas City, MO (+13.20 percent)
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI (+8.97 percent)
Raleigh-Cary, NC (+8.05 percent)
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC (+7.65 percent)
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (+7.59 percent)
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT (+7.47 percent)
Columbus, OH (+6.81 percent)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (+6.20 percent)
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (+5.97 percent)

Rent Decreases

The following metro areas have experienced the largest year-over-year rental price percentage decreases through May 2023:
Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX (-20.76 percent)
New Orleans-Metairie, LA (-20.42 percent)
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV (-10.57 percent)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX (-8.42 percent)
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (-8.28 percent)
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN (-6.49 percent)
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ (-6.46 percent)
Birmingham-Hoover, AL (-5.98 percent)
Memphis, TN-MS-AR (-4.85 percent)
Oklahoma City, OK (-4.44 percent)
Source: Rent.com

Multifamily Trends in Southern California

Sales and prices for multifamily apartment buildings have started to really fall in Los Angeles and other metropolitan regions across the nation. Specifically within Los Angeles, the number of units fell 11% in the first quarter of 2023 as compared with the previous fourth quarter in 2022. More shockingly, multifamily apartment building prices collapsed by -37.5% year-over-year as per a report shared by NAI Capital.

During the same first quarter time period, the average sales price per apartment unit dropped by 18.4%. One major factor for the falling price and sales volume numbers for Los Angeles County was directly related to the Measure ULA “mansion tax” that affected both luxury homes and commercial real estate properties priced above $5 million as of April 1st.

While $5 million may seem pricey for a luxury home in Los Angeles or elsewhere, the same $5 million dollar price tag for a rather small multifamily apartment building is much more common.


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Strangely, both vacancy rates and apartment rents continue to rise together at the same time in many parts of Los Angeles and elsewhere. Average rents rose to $2,156 per apartment unit in Los Angeles, a +1.9% year-over-year increase.

Some regions of Los Angeles had more negative rent, sales price, and vacancy trends. For example, the first quarter numbers for these Los Angeles multifamily submarkets were more negative than positive and were as follows:

  • San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita Valley: The average multifamily sale price per unit fell by -35.9% year-over-year while the vacancy rates increased by +22%.
  • San Gabriel Valley: The average sales price per unit decreased by -20.3% while vacancy rates skyrocketed by +32.2%.
  • L.A. Westside: The average sales price per unit fell by -9.5% while vacancy rates increased by +10.7%.

Historically, rising vacancy rates and rental payment trends are usually inverse to one another like a seesaw with payments falling as vacancy rates rise. We shall see how long this trend lasts.

A very high number of landlords haven’t collected a rental payment for two or three years either, especially in Los Angeles County. When will the foreclosure and tenant eviction rates really begin to accelerate and adversely impact both tenants and landlords?

The Locked-In Homeowner and Unlocked Treasures

There are upwards of 16 to 20 million vacant or distressed properties across the nation. Additionally, there are millions of distressed FHA mortgages alone. Many homeowners haven’t made a mortgage payment for more than three years just like so many tenants.

Loan modifications, forbearance, and loan forgiveness plans continue at near record paces across the nation. Lenders are not filing foreclosure as aggressively as they would have in years past, partly due to ongoing pandemic restrictions in place. This is a major reason why the national home listing inventory supply is so low.

Another reason why there are so few homes listed for sale is because upwards of 92% of homeowners with a mortgage have an existing rate at or below 6%, as per a study released by Redfin. Let’s take a quick look below at the fixed rate estimates for homeowners as of the first quarter:

  • 91.8% of mortgaged homeowners have rates below 6%.
  • 82.4% of homeowners have rates below 5%.
  • 62% of homeowners have rates below 4%.
  • 23.5% of homeowners have rates below 3%.

It can be rather challenging for a homeowner to consider losing their 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, or even 2% fixed rate mortgage with a 30-year term and move to another home with a rate closer to 7% or 8%. As a result, it’s referred to as the “lock-in effect” because so many homeowners don’t want to lose their near record rate locks.

The market may change for the better or worse later this year depending upon a few factors such as follows:

First, will future unemployment trends improve or get worse. A loss of income is generally the #1 reason why someone loses their home to foreclosure.

Second, will lenders and loan service companies start to file foreclosure notices at a much faster pace than in recent years?

Third, will tenant protections in place be eased up or tightened? Most landlords are small investors who may be fortunate to own just one or two rental properties. After months or years of no rent collected, the landlords may be at risk of losing their rentals and primary home to foreclosure.

Your key to future success that unlocks your potential as either a homeowner, investor, or tenant is to focus on the positives and negatives while minimizing your risk and maximizing your gains. With the right mindset and guidance, it will be akin to a literal key that unlocks a treasure chest!!!


Rick Tobin

Rick Tobin has worked in the real estate, financial, investment, and writing fields for the past 30+ years. He’s held eight (8) different real estate, securities, and mortgage brokerage licenses to date and is a graduate of the University of Southern California. He provides creative residential and commercial mortgage solutions for clients across the nation. He’s also written college textbooks and real estate licensing courses in most states for the two largest real estate publishers in the nation; the oldest real estate school in California; and the first online real estate school in California. Please visit his website at Realloans.com for financing options and his new investment group at So-Cal Real Estate Investors for more details. 


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Enjoying The Mindset Of A Successful Real Estate Investor

By Tamera Aragon

Quote to live by: “The one thing you can’t take away from me is the way I choose to respond to what you do to me. The last of one’s freedoms is to choose ones attitude in any given circumstance.” ~Viktor Frankl

You Own Your Thoughts, Now Control Them

What if it was possible to be happy even when things aren’t going your way? What if there was a simple way to be happy, despite your environment, while staring adversity straight in the eyes? Would you like to know how to ignore the “nay sayers” and the media full of gloom and doom telling you every reason why you cannot be successful investing or flipping properties in today’s market?

Would you like to get rid of the noise in your head telling you every reason why you shouldn’t make an offer on a property or you cannot really make money at buying and selling houses or some other crazy negative thing. That’s right – no more hurtful critical thoughts! Can you imagine?

I know it sounds like a great idea, but doesn’t seem to be very realistic at first glance. The good news is, it doesn’t have to be realistic, it just has to work, and it will, if you stick with a few basic principles. The key here is in the simplicity, and in keeping yourself accountable for sticking with the following principles.


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My Experience

This is a system I’ve been using for quite some time, and can testify to its merit. I decided that I was tired of being unhappy, and letting my own made up fears or even the real environment and the people around me control how I felt.

Be Selective In What You Think About

The wonderful thing about thoughts is that you genuinely own yours. No one else has power over what you think about. With this power, you are faced with a big choice that can impact your entire existence.

  • Positive Thoughts. You can choose to think about goals, ambitions, people you love, beautiful scenery, and things you enjoy. This affects your physiology by making you stress free and healthier.
  • Negative Thoughts. You can choose to think about death, disappointment, destruction and misery. It’s so stressful to think about how unfair life is, which causes your immune system to take a dip.

Ask Yourself the Important Question

Yes, a single question is powerful enough to change your thoughts. Just ask yourself: How do I want this to affect me?

When you ask yourself about what you want, you are able to take control. If being happy in the face of adversity is what you want, than you choose to let yourself be affected positively. You take negative situations, and treat them as a learning experience.

Instead of taking minor discomforts and turning them into major frustrations, let them affect you in a positive way. For example, you can turn a 48-hour commute into a learning experience.


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Switch Channels

Treat your life as a television set, and when your thoughts project channels of unhappiness, hit the next button on your mental remote. Switch to something pleasant and stick to the happy networks.

Remember, you control whether your thoughts are positive or negative and with this choice you own your happiness – which, in affect, will make you healthy, wealthy and wise.

Steps to Success

  1. Put a rubber band on your wrist (not too tight – don’t want to cut off your circulation)
  2. Every time you notice yourself thinking something negative, pull that rubber band and snap it… just enough to make you jump. This is called cognitive conditioning. By inflicting some discomfort when you perform a behavior you want to change or stop, this will help you to subconsciously avoid doing that thing over time.
  3. In addition to inflicting discomfort, change your mind’s channel by asking yourself the question: How do I want this circumstance I was just thinking about to affect me? Of course you “want it” to affect you positively somehow. This question, though you may not have the answer in the moment, will get your brain working on the solutions rather than focusing on the problem.

“Positive and negative are directions. Which direction do you choose? When you affirm the positive, visualize the positive and expect the positive, and your life will change accordingly.” Remez Sasson


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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Don’t be AVERAGE! Start Planning Your 2023 Goals Today!

By Hugh Zaretsky

Do you want more money, time, or magic in 2023? Most people want all three, but some only want 1 or two. To achieve your desired goals in 2023, you must create your plan today. This way you are prepared and implementing your plan on January 2nd at the latest. This simple key gives you almost a month’s head start on the average person.


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How do I know? I have worked with and trained over 10,000 entrepreneurs and real estate investment students. (Go to www.hughzaretsky.com to learn more about Hugh) When I ask people how do they prepare for the new year most tell me the same thing. The average person waits until January 1st to make a New Year’s resolution or the first week in January to create a plan. Then they must prepare, and implement their plan which can take another 5 to 30 days. You see this all the time at the beginning of the year with people going to the gym, starting a diet, or whatever change they want to make. That is why a gym is always packed at the beginning of the year. At the end of January, it is back to the normal number of members. That is because the average person does not prepare a month or so in advance to make a change.

When you plan a month or more in advance you can prepare yourself mentally for the change, you can learn a new skill, put a new system in place, etc. You can test your plan and see if there are any problems or holes with your plan. You can then tweak or modify them in preparation for your launch. This way on launch day, all you need to do is take the actions and execute your plan. This way you start the NEW YEAR running or sprinting out of the gate.

Now, another common mistake that people make when setting goals is tying their goals to an outcome instead of to an action. What do I mean by this? You can say all the right things to a person, and they still do not buy your service, invest in your deal or whatever it is you want them to do. You also can say all the wrong things to a person, and they may still buy your service, product or whatever you want them to do. Which scenario should we celebrate? Which scenario do most people celebrate?

That is the problem, we will celebrate the sale or the thing you got them to do. What we really should celebrate is the fact that you were perfect and did everything right regardless of the outcome. This is the way to build better skills and behaviors. This leads to you taking consistent daily action (CDA) which ultimately produces the success that you want. What are your goals tied to?


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If you simply make these two simple adjustments, then you will see a lot more success in 2023 then you did in 2022. Don’t wait, create your plan today so that you can get the jump on your competition and build the life of your dreams.

To learn more about how to create your CDA and track your actions you can pick up Hugh’s new book “The Launch Button” on Amazon, go to www.hughzaretsky.com or go to join the www.eframily.com ohana.


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Insider Strategies for Success: The Common Habits of High Achievers

By Linda Pliagas 

Success is that magical place that combines perfection in both the physical  and spiritual realms. Success leads to ultimate bliss. Some call it “success”, some say it’s “heaven on earth”, others name this exceptional feeling “nirvana” or being in “the zone.” 

Regardless of the name, success can definitely be felt. It can be experienced for minutes, hours, days, years and even decades. Certainly success can be measured as well. 

In fact, when one hears “success”, the first things that may come to mind are material objects: an ocean-view mansion, name-brand clothing, a luxurious private jet, a rare fine watch, the list goes on. 

Most people envision these things as the ultimate “must-have” items of success. The ability to purchase whatever one wishes, whenever they wish, is certainly one measure of success.  

Before I provide some strategies that I’ve observed in successful individuals, I’d like to share why I’m qualified to write about what success is and means. 

As a journalist for the past 25 years, I’ve had the honor of interviewing numerous successful people in many industries. I began publishing magazines my junior year in college and began to interview people in high regard, such as best-selling author Brian Tracy, financial guru Suze Orman, fashion designer icon Oscar de la Renta, celebrated performer Jennifer Lopez, among others.   

Fast forward to today… as the publisher of Realty411 and REI Wealth magazines I regularly speak with wonderful leaders. Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jason Oppenheim from the Netflix hit, Selling Sunset

With our real estate conferences, we’ve also interviewed HGTV’s Good Bones. The  mother and daughter team, Mina Starsiak Hawk  and Karen E. Laine, also shared such wonderful insight. 

During interviews with my sources, my goal as a professional journalist  was always to ask poignant questions. I tried to make my sources comfortable so that they would reveal as much insight as possible to help our readers become successful.  

How did they get to where they are now? Do they follow a regimen? Did they obtain special education? Do they have specialized knowledge? Can they share any insider secrets? 


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One of the benefits of being a journalist is that one is exposed to a never-ending stream of knowledge, information that I also have implemented over the years. I’ve seen incredible accomplishments in my life from the application of just a few concepts. I’d like to share some of these with you so that you can also see some amazing results in your life as well. 

Following is an outline on some of the concepts we will focus on in this chapter. 

1. Have a Successful Schedule 

2. Practice Pro-Success Habits 

3. Create a Long-term Plan for Success 

Let’s dive into some of these lessons I’ve learn along the way from some of the most successful people in and out of real estate.  

1. Have a Daily Schedule to Maximize Performance  

Every high-achiever I’ve ever met has a written daily plan in order to achieve maximum success. I’ve seen many different types of preferred schedules, including: a calendar synced to an email, a preferred online program, (such as Calendly.com), an Excel spreadsheet, and even a traditional notebook planner. 

Regardless of format, having a daily plan for success gives individuals an edge. Little time for idleness exists when life is planned in advance. Having a routine is not only important for working adults, mothers, educators, and nurses alike all have set schedules for those in their care. 

So I ask you what is your current daily schedule? Do you have one? Do you regularly miss important appointments? Are you late with work deadlines? 

Before we go further, let’s examine your daily schedule. Is it one suited for success? Do you know what would a successful schedule look like? 

Well, one of the wisest men of all time, Benjamin Franklin said: “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, happy, and wise.” 

I follow the words of Benjamin Franklin, a great statesman, writer, scientist, inventor, diplomat, political philosopher, and publisher. 

Many successful people I know have a morning routine that goes something like this: 

They awake before dawn, pray or meditate, exercise, spend time with family, and then the daily hustle begins. 

Writing down a daily schedule of tasks, as well as having a set calendar, are important guidelines for high achievers. Little room for mistakes exists when everything is written down. High achievers know that having a daily schedule will maximize performance. 

Keep in mind that a successful person’s schedule allows room for a balanced lifestyle, which includes time for family and friends, self care, such as quiet “me” recharges, regular stretching and exercise, education and self-improvement, hobbies and fun, and time for spiritual reflection. 

From all my interviews with successful people, I’ve come to realize that their daily schedules are all quite similar. 

Remember: Planning for a life-time of success begins with planning a successful day ahead. 

2. Practice Pro-Success Habits 

Everyday habits are creating the life you are leading right now. If your goal is to increase your success, then it’s important to take accountability of your time. How is it spent? 

John C. Maxwell, an author, speaker and pastor who has written many books, primarily focusing on leadership, wrote: “You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” 


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With this in mind, it’s essential to fill your time with pro-success habits. Many books on successful habits have been written by numerous experts. While they may explain the success formula differently, it seems they all promote the same important habits. 

From my research in reading on the topic, as well as in-person interviews with many successful people, it seems some of the habits they all share include: 

1. Successful people rise early to seize the day 

2. They exercise regularly to maximize functioning 

3. Many of them spend time in daily prayer, meditation or quiet reflection 

4. For high achievers, life-long learning is a top priority 

5. Networking with influential people is important for them 

6. Successful people spend time organizing their office, home, and life — in preparation for even greater success 

7. Influential people recharge regularly by spending time with loved ones 

8. They take MASSIVE action!  

From the above points, we can see that the most successful of people are hard workers who take calculated risks and are rewarded for their efforts. 

In my opinion, success is a way a life… it’s a journey, rather than a destination. By engaging in positive habits, you’ll position yourself for greatness every single day. 

3. Create a Long-Term Plan for Success 

Writing goals down on paper is an essential part of creating a successful business and life. Some people wait all year before they even contemplate their goals. And then, on New Year’s Eve, they reflect on what lies ahead. Some may write down their New Year’s resolutions, even then, some just don’t even bother to do it at all.  

And yet people wonder why they’re stuck in the same old job year after year. The reality is if you’re not actively creating the life you want, your life will be reactive. It’s time to be pro-active and take charge to create the life you desire.  

We touched upon creating a written daily schedule as well as engaging in pro-active successful habits. Now, let’s discuss designing a long-term plan in your ultimate life success playbook. 

Writing down goals is something that high achievers do on a regular basis. When was the last time you wrote down your goals? It can be a list of your professional goals, personal goals or a combination of the two. 

In addition to yearly goals, I also like to have a five-year plan and a 10-year plan as well. The task of writing down goals on paper makes it concrete, and begins to get everything started on the right track. 

Many years ago, when I was cleaning out a portion of my desk, I came across a 10-year plan from my early twenties. Miraculously, most of the goals I had written down did in fact materialize in my life: meeting my husband, buying a home, traveling to Europe, having a family, becoming a successful journalist. 

In fact, I surpassed my humble goals, which taught me to aim higher. I challenge you to create three different “goal plans”. First create a one-year plan, then a five=year plan, and lastly a 10-year plan. I promise you’ll start to see incredible things unfold in your life. 

It’s time to set the course of your life on the path of success, too. 

I hope these success strategies can help you and all of our readers create the life you want and deserve. I challenge you to continue in your quest for greatness by practicing proactive daily habits. Remember to keep learning and preparing for the incredible success that lies ahead.  

Best regards,
Linda


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Marketing Tip – Developing Your Dream Team

By Kathy Kennebrook

Putting your “dream team” in place while establishing your real estate business is one of the key steps to developing a successful real estate investing business quickly and efficiently. Your dream team is going to consist of those people or vendors who can help you find deals, provide funding, get your deals closed and then sold or leased quickly.

Having your dream team in place and being able to close deals quickly will give you a distinct advantage over your competition by allowing you to complete deals they simply won’t be able to finish in a timely manner.


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The first element you need to think about is your marketing team. Your marketing dream team will include the people who can help you locate good deals, such as “bird dogs”, Realtors, mortgage brokers, promotional companies who will supply your business cards, signage, t-shirts and whatever advertising materials you need, and people who will implement your direct mail campaigns for you. You also need to add to the mix the account representatives who will handle your classified and display ads in your local newspaper and shopper guides.

The more you can automate this part of your business, the more deals you’ll be able to do more quickly.

Next, your dream team needs to include a title agent and/or a real estate attorney. These people are going to insure your deals close smoothly and with a clear title. A real estate attorney can help you to solve a lot of problems that can arise during a closing, such as a title glitch, a survey problem, or estate and probate issues, just to name a few. As you develop a relationship with your title agent and/or real estate attorney, they will become a major asset to your business by being better able to work one-on-one with your sellers and you to make sure all your deals close as smoothly as possible. You also need to make sure that your title agent and/or real estate attorney are bi-lingual so they will be able to work with your Spanish speaking sellers as well. This part of your team is one of the most important. If any part of a deal is going to fall apart it is going to be during the process of closing. Make sure you choose the best in the industry to close your deals from the very beginning, even if it costs a little more!


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Then have in place those vendors who can get repairs to a property done quickly and efficiently. Once you develop your dream team, don’t keep changing vendors. This will cost you a lot more money in the long run. Developing a great team of people in your business will help you get more deals done and create bigger profits.

For more information on getting deals done and finding the sellers none of your competitors know anything about check out my website at www.marketingmagiclady.com

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.

Do I Have to Network to Succeed in Real Estate Investing?

Image from Pixabay

By Tamera Aragon

Yes! I know you may have wanted a different answer, but this is the honest truth. Networking is such an important part of your business. You must introduce yourself and let others know what you are doing. Everyone can be a referral resource for you… and you for them.

The best book I’ve read to help me to become more comfortable with the idea of networking is called ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ by Dale Carnegie. It’s a great book that helps you to understand why you need to network with others as well as teaching you exactly how and what to say when you meet with new contacts.

Throughout my own 30 years of owning several businesses, (W0W – Am I that old?!), I can honestly say personal networking has been the most effective … and the most fun way to market myself!


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How to Network Your Way to REI Success

As a real estate investor, where can you reach out to network your business?

1) Search Real Estate Investor Clubs in Your Area.

2) Check meetings and trainings for local Real Estate Associations.

3) Check meetings and trainings at local Title Companies.

4) Check on handyman, builders and contractor associations in your area.

5) Ask everyone you talk to for referrals for networking events that have worked for them.

6) Of course chamber events and networking clubs that meet at breakfast and lunch are a general source to get to know the general public.

What do I say? Just remember the acronym F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

I know the biggest fear and reason many people don’t attend networking events is they don’t know how to approach or what to say to others when first meeting them. I am going to give you a script that will be easy for you to memorize…

Image from Pixabay

For every person you come in contact with at any type of networking meeting, your conversation might go something like this: Just remember the acronym FRIENDS:

F is for Forthright. Be forthright in reaching out and saying hi. Don’t wait for others to come to you.

“Hi there, my name’s __________. What’s your name?”

R is for Remember. You need to first always remember to ask them their name.

Ask for their card – and them hand them yours.

I is for Income. Ask them what they do for a living? How do they make their income?

“Say their name, and ask “What is it that you do?”

E is for Everyone. Everyone likes to talk about themselves.

Ask questions like, “How long have you been doing this?” or “What do you like most about what you do?”

N is for New Business. No matter if the person you are talking to has an occupation that is real estate related or not, you will want to find ways you both can support each other .

Ask : “What sort of clientele could I refer to bring you additional new business?

D is for Determine. After listening for possible ways to support each other, Determine where to take this relationship from this point.

S is for SUMMARIZE: When the time comes to share what you do, be prepared! Have a 30 second summary of what it is you could say to leave an impression on your new friend.

1) Hand everyone you network with your business card.

2) Summarize your business in 30 seconds or less. This is where spending time writing down how you want to market you and your business is important. You want to be concise and clear in describing what you do and what types of referrals would be most helpful. Try to incorporate something that differentiates you from the rest?

SAMPLE: REI 30 Second Commercials

6 Important Things to ALWAYS REMEMBER When Networking;

  1. The important thing is that you are interested in what they do for a living.
  2. Don’t talk about yourself until asked or the timing is right.
  3. Ask them questions about their occupation and how you can be of support to them in their line of work.
  4. If this person is a potential power team member for you, ask if you could contact them in the future. (You would be able to follow your list of questions for power team members and take notes when you called them back)
  5. Make sure to collect a card from everyone you meet
  6. Make sure you have their email address, fax, cell, and correct spelling of first and last name. (Write on the back of the card if any of this information is missing – it shows your interested!)

Questions To Ask When You Meet Real Estate Investors

  • “Do you buy, fix and sell or do you buy and hold?”
  • “How many properties do you own and/or have you sold?”
  • “What part of town do you invest in?”
  • “Really, why that area?”
  • “What do properties cost in that area?
  • “Do you pay cash for them or what banks do you use that are investor friendly?”
  • “What title company do you enjoy using the most?”
  • “Do you know any of the other people here?”
  • “Who are the big investors in this area?”
  • “If you ever come across some good deals and you don’t want them let me know.”
  • “By the way, do you have any property you want to sell?”
  • “We sometimes have properties for sale as well, if you’re looking to increase your inventory.”
  • “Well, Mr. /Ms. Investor based on what you told me and where you prefer to buy; if anything comes along I’ll make sure to call you first”.

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Final Important Points To Maximize Your Networking

Always write notes on the back of business cards you collect, helping you remember the next steps you will want to take with this contact in the future. Often times, just a “nice meeting you” card in the mail or email can be seen as a memorable gesture encouraging future communication to support each other’s business needs.

… as you get in front of people and

NETWORK YOUR WAY TO REI SUCCESS!


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.