Archive for the ‘Dean Graziosi’ Category

3 Ways to Tell If You Would Be a Good Real Estate Investor

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Have you considered investing in real estate? If so, how do you know you would make a good real estate investor? The fact of the matter is that most people jump into this type of investing without having any clue whether or not they will be good at it. They just think that it is an easy way to make an investment, and that they will learn as they go. This is the largest mistake made by new real estate investors. Here are three ways you can know you are going to be good at real estate investing.

 

1.      You have good credit and a strong financial well being. This is the most important thing for investing in real estate. You will have to be able to get a mortgage on the property you are investing in, and you will have to have the money necessary to keep up on the mortgage while you are waiting to flip the property or get tenants moved in. If you don’t have good credit or you don’t have any breathing room in your budget, then real estate investments are not for you.

 

2.      You are a good judge of character and have a sense of urgency when it comes to money. You should be able to judge your potential tenants fairly but accurately in order to make a wise decision on who to rent to. In addition, you need to have a sense of urgency when it comes to money. This means that when a tenant is behind on their rent one month you take action, not wait several months for the problem to correct itself. You have to be proactive and protect your investment. After all, if you are not getting rent anyway it profits you nothing to have tenants. And, if you get rid of non paying tenants, you are making room for ones that might pay on time.

 

If you are going to be investing in property to flip it, you still need to be a good judge of character in order to get a decent deal on repairs and home improvements that need to be made before you sell the property. In addition, you will need to have that same sense of urgency about money. The sooner you flip a property, the better off you will be financially.

 

3.      You have knowledge and resources for making repairs or upgrades on properties. Whether you are going to be flipping properties for a profit or renting out properties, you will save a ton of money if you know how to make repairs yourself. Alternatively, you could have resources at your fingertips for these repairs and home improvements, such as friends or family in the business of construction or HVAC. Having these resources and knowledge will go a long way toward saving you money and keeping your profits from a real estate investment high.

Working with a Realtor Who Specializes

Tuesday, August 30th, 2011

There is a growing trend for Realtors to specialize in one type of home or business real estate. The biggest disadvantage of working with a specialist is that you might not be able to see a variety of properties. Yet, there are many advantages of working with specialist Realtors.

 

Foreclosure Real Estate Specialists

 

A Realtor specializing in foreclosure real estate is a good person to work with if you want to invest. A foreclosure specialist will know all the places to find foreclosed properties. She will understand the pitfalls of buying properties through foreclosure auctions and the best ways to avoid them. She may have connections with banks so that she can list foreclosed homes very quickly.

 

Another type of foreclosure real estate is REO properties that banks hold on their books. The Realtor who specializes in REO deals will know how to find the best houses, how to evaluate the properties, and how to negotiate with the banks. You can work with an REO specialist and you will have all the benefits of her knowledge and experience.

 

Rental Property Real Estate Specialists

 

You may want to buy an apartment complex or a group of duplexes to add to your investment portfolio. Some Realtors specialize in just such properties. These specialists can help you find the best areas of the city to have a rental business. They can help assure that you get everything inspected and repaired to your satisfaction before you take possession.

 

Senior Housing Specialist

 

A senior housing specialist is a Realtor who works with older adults to find homes that suit their needs. If you are a senior looking for a good home for your retirement, you might seek out such a Realtor. The advantage of using a specialist in this case is that someone familiar with the needs of older adults will be quick to spot problem areas like steep steps, low toilets, and difficult maintenance requirements. She can help you find a solution or steer you to a home that is more suited to your age and condition. If you are in good shape physically and mentally, she can help you find a home that will accommodate your active lifestyle now yet still be suitable for you once you slow down.

 

Green Building Specialist

 

A Realtor who specializes in ecologically sound homes can help you tremendously if that is your priority. she should know all the features to look for in a green home such as good insulation, solar panels, and water conservation. Also, she should know green contractors who can be contracted to fix up the home before or just after you purchase it.

 

No matter what your needs, you can probably find a Realtor who specializes in that area.  It may be very helpful in many cases to have a general Realtor to show you a variety of properties and work with you on a number of different types of purchases. If you want someone with deep experience in a specific real estate transaction you want to make, though, you might want to work with a specialist.

How Realtors Help Buyers

Wednesday, August 17th, 2011

It can be tempting to buy a home with little or no help. You are already looking to make a big investment by purchasing a property in the first place, and you do not want to incur any additional costs that are not absolutely necessary. However, realtors can help buyers in many ways.

 

1.      Realtors have the knowledge and experience in the real estate industry to help you understand the home buying process. They can put you in touch with reputable lenders, help you get approved for a mortgage, and walk you through the steps of buying a home. This makes the entire process much easier and gives you less headaches.

 

2.      While many people think that realtors choose prices and terms for the buyer, but this is not true. The realtor will help you make these decisions by providing you with valuable information that you might not be able to come up with on your own. This might include market trends such as the average cost per square foot of similar homes in the area and average sale prices of homes in the neighborhood, both of which should impact how much you pay for your next home.

 

3.      Realtors are great networkers, and have access to lists of reputable companies that deal in things you will need in order to complete the home buying process and enjoy your new home. For example, if your new home will need a roof, the realtor can likely provide you with a list of reputable roofing companies that you can contact for estimates.

 

4.      Successful realtors are great negotiators. They can remove themselves from the situation and negotiate the best price for the home. They can work on your behalf, giving you advice on what to offer and what counter offers are reasonable. They have the knowledge and experience to know what factors should be considered in making the offer, and what factors are reasonable in the counter offer. They can work between you and the seller or their realtor to come up with the best deal possible.

 

5.      There are a lot of issues that can arise when you are buying a house, some of which may not manifest until after the transaction has already gone through. A good realtor will be able to foresee these issues and resolve them quickly and effectively. If issues do arise directly after the purchase of a sale, such as tax assessments, you can contact your realtor for assistance in clearing up these issues.

 

As you can see, realtors help buyers in many ways. It is nonsense to try to buy a home without the aid of a good realtor. The best way to find a realtor is through referrals. A good realtor will always be referred by their previous clients, so ask around to friends, family members and coworkers to find the best realtor for your needs.

Choosing a Lender

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

Choosing a lender is a very important part of the process of re-financing a home. Understanding the different re-financing options and knowing how each of these options work is very important but none of this matters at all if the homeowner is unable to find a lender who is willing to offer them the rates and terms they are seeking. Choosing a lender can be a long and difficult process but there are some ways to make it easier. One simple way to make it easier is to ask for advice from friends or family members who recently re-financed. Additionally, homeowners can do their own research to determine which lenders are able to offer them the best rate. Finally the homeowner should determine whether or not the finances should be the governing factor in choosing a lender. Surprisingly enough, in most cases it is not.

 

Ask for Advice from Friends and Family Members

 

Friends and family members who recently refinanced can be a homeowner’s most valuable resource in the process of selecting a lender. These friends and family members are so valuable because they will most likely be willing to offer you a quite candid opinion of the lender they used. This opinion may be either positive or negative but in either case it is useful to the homeowner. If the opinion is negative the homeowner can remove this lender from their list of lenders to consider. Conversely if the lender comes highly recommended, the homeowner may consider this lender more carefully.

 

Comparison Shop

 

Homeowners who want to know which lender is offering them the best interest rate and financial terms should do a great deal of comparison shopping. The homeowner may even consider requesting quotes from each and every lender. This should make it perfectly clear which lenders are willing to offer the homeowner more favorable rates. When comparing these quotes all of the factors should be considered to ensure the quotes are being compared fairly. For example each quote should be broken down to determine the monthly savings, total savings, etc. All of this statistical data will make it much easier for the homeowner to make a wise decision when the time comes.

 

Consider More than Finances

 

Finally, while interest rates, loan terms and other financial matters are all certainly important none of these are more important than being treated fairly by the lender. For this reason, the homeowner should carefully consider all of their lenders and should determine whether or not they feel as though the lender is responsive to his needs. For example, a lender who does not return calls in a timely fashion or answer questions truthfully and accurately may not be the ideal lender for a homeowner even if he is the lender who is offering the most favorable rates.

 

Additionally, homeowners should trust their instincts regarding their trust in the lender. Some lenders simply do not appear to know what they are talking about. Homeowners might be inclined to avoid these individuals because they may end up doing more harm than good during the re-financing process. Conversely some homeowners may be immediately impressed by the honesty and intelligence of another lender. In most cases, the homeowner would likely choose the second lender as long as the rates offered by each lender were comparable.

 

 

 

 

Where To Find Foreclosures??

Tuesday, July 19th, 2011

When the real estate market is down, finding foreclosed properties is simple. You can just drive around various communities and look for signs hanging from doors.When the real estate market is bad, foreclosed properties are advertised in the paper, on street signs and sometimes the news about foreclosed properties is even spread by word of mouth. However, what happens when the real estate market turns around? Where do you look to find foreclosures then?  The rest of this article explores ways to find foreclosed properties in any market. Weak Markets Usually weak markets have more foreclosures than strong markets. In a weak market, many homes once offered as short sales end up on the foreclosure listings and eventually deeded to the banks. Sometimes it is a good idea to wait until a property has hit foreclosure status. One reason is that your initial outlay of money could be lower with a foreclosed property. Yes, there is quite a difference in the amount of money you will spend on a home that is still being short sold versus one that has already been repossessed by the bank and is now up for sale. Finding foreclosures is as easy as looking through the classifieds. Most of the time, real estate agents specialize in one type of housing.  Another way to find foreclosures in a weak market is to drive around. Many banks or real estate agents will advertise a home that is in foreclosure openly. These signs along with droves of cars are good signs that a property is in foreclosure. Strong Markets Strong markets are different animals. When there are few foreclosures, it can be a little more difficult to seek them out, but it is not impossible. The trick with strong markets is to get an upper hand on other foreclosure investors. This can be done by calling a listed foreclosure agent and asking about other foreclosures that are not listed yet in the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) database. Many real estate agents will wait a couple of weeks before officially listing a foreclosure. This is so they can verify with the bank, the exact listing price they want on the property. By asking ahead of time, your agent can point out other foreclosed homes in your price range. Bank websites are another place to look in a strong market. Many of the national banks, such as Countrywide, Bank of America, and Chase list all of their current foreclosures on their website. While these are hit or miss, because they are on a national scale, it is a good place to start. 

No matter what market you are in at the present, finding foreclosures is not as difficult as you might think. With a little deductive reasoning and a bit of super sleuth work, you will be able to find the perfect house or project for your budget. Use those detective skills you practice while watching Law & Order to help you find foreclosure properties during a strong market. Just pay attention and you’ll find foreclosures in droves in a weak one.

Foreclosures worth checking out

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009


When we read Dean Grasiozi’s investment strategy for buying real estate from a foreclosure event, we were sceptical. Although his arguments sounded plausible, we are cautious people.  We usually follow the old adage, ‘if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is’, so we did some investigating.  We checked the listings in and around our area for foreclosures.  To our surprise, we discovered a listing of properties designated for foreclosure by accessing public records which is where, according to the law, a property destined for foreclosure must be announced.

 

We found 4 different properties all listed at less than 30 000 dollars. One looked like it needed a lot of work; another was too far away from the city for our personal tastes, but the other two seemed like nice properties in good shape so we decided they were certainly worth checking out.

 

While we realized that we would have to keep constant vigil over the foreclosure announcements to find one that would fit our geographical preferences, we were pleasantly surprised to find verification that Dean Grasiozi’s strategy for becoming a real estate overlord could be put into practise.  We also realized that most real estate agents would have ready access to the same foreclosure information as we did, so the competition for desirable properties would be dense, but in theory, we believe the Dean is telling it like it is. 

 

It takes diligence and commitment to make it work, but what successful financial venture doesn’t?  There is no such thing as a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, but there is often a good dollar to be gained from hard work.  Thanks, Dean for the head’s up.

Understanding your Local Market

Monday, June 22nd, 2009

No matter what niche of the real estate market you find yourself in, there is nothing more important than understanding your local market.  First and foremost, you must understand the real estate trends in your local community.  This is crucial for several reasons.  Neighborhoods within a community vary greatly in respect to value.  If you do not keep up with which areas are appreciating in value and which ones are depreciating, you can easily find yourself making risky investments.  Regardless of the national headlines and the poor economic outlook, there are always isolated communities that do not follow the trends.  Your job is to find them.

Secondly, the value of properties is constantly changing, especially in today’s market.  Keeping abreast of the local property values in your market is the key to turning a good profit.  Home values fluctuate by the thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars in a given month and if you are trying to sell a property, timing the sale during the “up” times is imperative.

Creating positive cash flow is the bottom line in real estate investing.  Let’s say you want to rent one of your properties for $800 per month with a $200 positive cash flow.  Now, let’s say that you haven’t done your research and do not know with any certainty that you can rent it for $800.  When all is said and done, your local market will only bear $600 per month.  Now you are flat even with no positive cash flow and potentially could be in the whole if your expenses ever increase, and eventually they will.  This is not the situation you want to be in.  If you want to be a real estate millionaire and profit from real estate right now, you will have to educate yourself so that you can think like one.

How do Women Avoid Risky Real Estate Transactions

Monday, June 15th, 2009

The words scam and fraud are very familiar words in the world of real estate investing.  No matter if you are a man woman, seasoned professional or beginner, risky real estate transactions abound.  Your job as a savvy real estate investor is to avoid them at all costs. 

 

While all real estate transactions have some associated risk, there are things you can do to minimize major financial loss.  First and foremost, it is wise to assume the worst and hope for the best.  Unfortunately, this world is full of people willing to do whatever it takes to make a buck, and lying, cheating and stealing are just some of the tools they use to get ahead.  Expect the unexpected in every situation and you will be prepared for whatever gets thrown your way. 

 

When it comes to protecting yourself as a woman look at your assets in the world of real estate investing there is nothing more important than exercising due diligence. While your word may be as good as gold, you should never trust what someone simply tells you as truth.  You already know as a woman you have to go the extra step to compete in a man’s world. You should always consider yourself to be an investigator.  You should research and verify all real estate documents and paperwork.  In fact, as far as real estate appraisals go, you should never accept an appraisal that you did not personally order.  This will dramatically lessen the chances of you having to go back and fix a mess created by using a false appraisal. 

 

Women Real estate investors can never eliminate risk 100%.  The best thing you can do to protect yourself is to fully understand and take responsibility for all aspects of the real estate transaction that you can control.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Calculating Profit on Real Estate

Monday, June 8th, 2009

Every real estate investor is in the business to make a profit. As in any business, the larger the profit margin, the better. However, real estate has so many different facets involved in the investment that it can be difficult for a new investor to determine the exact dollar amount of their profit after they make the sale. Because of the cost in not only materials, but time and labor expertise it can be easy to overlook assets that have been invested in the property.

First, calculate every penny invested in the property. This can be closing costs, interest payments, and the price of any improvements done to the property. Account for every expense down to the last .10 screw. These are your out-of-pocket business expenses. Your sale price minus this number is not your profit on the property.

Don’t undervalue the work you do on the property. For every bit of work you do yourself, determine a fair wage for a professional to come do the work. Spend five hours deep-cleaning the house or shampooing the carpets? Call a couple of local businesses to find out how much they would have charged to come do the job, and calculate that amount as your expense.

Did you spend time taking sale pictures or visiting with your real estate agent? Time is money, so be sure to calculate in a fair wage for that time spent as well. This can be either your wage at your current job that you have to take time from to do this work, or a fair wage for a receptionist or personal assistant.

While that sale price minus the dollar expense may look like a nice number, it doesn’t tell the whole story on the profit scale. If you spend any kind of time, money or effort on this piece of property, make sure it’s accounted for and figured in. If the numbers don’t pan out with this figured in, you’re not getting your money’s worth out of this investment.

Another Wave of Smears: Dean Graziosi Scam… Now Gender?

Friday, June 5th, 2009

It only seems to stop for a small period of time, before a few unscrupulous competitors start a new round of attacks on the Internet to attempt to take Dean Graziosi back down to their level. We have a new that has been gaining traction… Dean Graziosi a scam…? Nope, been there, done that. Dean Graziosi is not a real estate investor…? No, that one didn’t stick either. The latest attack aimed to discredit him is the most outlandish yet, and it goes to show the desperation.

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