Bill Ross asked:


Creating a goal plan is half the fun of beginning real estate investing. It’s all about starts at the end, when you are beginning a real estate investing remember to begin with the end in mind, as you start down the path to beginning real estate investing. What kind of lifestyle you would like to have, how much time you want to put in, and where and how you want to live. What you would like your real estate investing activities to provide for you, Spend some time thinking about exactly what you want to accomplish. Don’t think only in financial terms. Be specific, and write down your goals. When you can see them clearly in your imagination, you’re well on your way to achieving them.

In real estate investing goal setting step has fail to notice in short interval, this is very unfortunate because taking a few moments to complete this simple task effectively can have a huge impact on your long term results but also on how seriously you are treated by professionals. A great way to describe creative real estate investing is to describe what it is not, here are examples of what it is and isn’t. Real Estate has classified in five types they are Flipping real estate, Probate real estate investing, Virtual real estate investing, Lease option real estate investing: Part I is Lease option real estate investing and Part II is Flipping real estate. Flipping real estate is one of the most used terms in real estate investing. The term flipping real estate means different things to different people depending upon who you are.

Probate real estate: Motivated seller, an unemotional is one of the great benefits of probate real estate investing. This benefit is usually from out of town, but not familiar with the property and therefore not emotionally attached to it. Virtual real estate investing: There is many an elaborate and systematic plan of action such as virtual real estate investing, it is an ideal virtual real estate investing system would allow you to work and never leave your house. For example leads are automatically generated through automated e-mails, websites and direct mail, which are directed to a prerecorded message and or answering service.

Lease option real estate investing Part One: Now a day investing real techniques are accessible which creates multiple rewards by combining techniques. Lease option real estate investing Part Two :If your are beginning real estate investor making money by doubling cash flows is slam dunk. It gives you what ever you wanted.

The most often asked questions by new or aspiring real estate investors have to do with beginning real estate investing. You would want to read this to learn some specifics associated with real estate investing if you are an avid goal setter, if not a frequent goal setter please read on and consider that setting goals which are really a powerful tool. It does have some magic about it, and is critical to you to become successful in real estate investor.



CHAD

Dave Jarvis asked:


Real estate has always been known as the safest of investments.

In fact, real estate investment completed after proper research into and evaluation of the property (to determine actual and future value), can lead to tremendous profit.

This is one reason many people choose real estate investment as their full time job.

Discussions about real estate tend to focus on residential real estate; commercial real estate, except to seasoned investors, is often overlooked.

However, commercial real estate presents a great option for investing in real estate.

Commercial real estate includes a large variety of property types.

To a majority of people, commercial real estate is only office buildings or factories or industrial units.

However, that is not all of commercial real estate. There is far more to commercial real estate.

Strip malls, health care centers, retail units and warehouse are all good examples of commercial real estate as is vacant land.

Even residential properties like apartments (or any property that consists of more than four residential units) are considered commercial real estate. In fact, such commercial real estate is very much in demand.

So, is commercial real estate really profitable?

Absolutely, in fact if it were not profitable I would not be writing about commercial real estate at all!!

However, with commercial real estate recognizing the opportunity is a bit more difficult when compared to residential real estate.

But commercial real estate profits can be huge in fact, often much bigger than you might realize from a residential real estate transaction of the same size.

There are many reasons to delve into commercial real estate investment.

For example you might purchase to resell after a certain appreciation level has occured or to generate a substantial income by leasing the property out to retailers or other business types or both.

In fact, commercial real estate development is treated as a preliminary indicator of the impending growth of the residential real estate market.

Therefore, once you recognize the probability of significant commercial growth within a region (whatever the reason i.e. municipal tax concessions), you should begin to evaluate the potential for appreciation in commercial real estate prices and implement your investment strategy quickly.

Regarding commercial real estate investment strategies it is important that you identify and set investment goals (i.e. immediate income through rental vs later investment income through resale) and that you know what you can afford and how you will effect the purchase.

It would be wise to determine your goals then meet with your banker (or financier) prior to viewing and selecting your commercial real estate.

Also remain open minded and understand that should the right (perfect) opportunity present itself, your investment strategy might need to be revisited and altered, sometimes considerably.

For example: If you find a commercial real estate property too expensive for you to buy alone but represents tremendous opportunity, you could look at forming a small investor group (i.e. with friends or family) and buy it together (splitting the profits later).

Or in another case (i.e. when a retail boom is expected in a region), though your commercial real estate investment strategy was devised around purchasing vacant land, you might find it more profitable to buy a property such as a strip mall or small plaza that you can lease to retailers or a property that you can convert into a warehouse for the purpose of renting to small businesses.

In a nutshell, commercial real estate presents a huge variety of and tremendous investing opportunities, you just need to recognize them and go for it.



COURTNEY

Real Estate Advisor asked:


According to “Out of Reach”, the annual report of the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), prices of many rental markets have increased sharply over the past few years making affordable housing difficult for low and medium wage workers.

The report reveals a marked disparity between people’s earning and rental housing costs. This difference is sizeable and has increased every year. In fact, the cost of rental housing has gone up by 28% in the past 7 years, much beyond the wages earned by the people who need affordable housing the most.

NLIHC calculated the hourly wage needed to afford the rent and utilities of a market rate rental home in each state. Affordable housing was defined as the cost of a two-bedroom rental home without having to spend more than 30% of one’s gross income on housing costs. The report terms this rate of affordability as the ‘national housing wage’, which has increased to $16.31 from last year’s $15.78.

Housing prices in many rental markets far exceed the wages of the renters, making them the least affordable rental markets. Based on the Out of Reach 2006 report, Hawaii stands at the top of the ten most pricy rental markets for a two-bedroom rental home. Listed below are top 10 most expensive states for rental housing:

1. Hawaii - hourly wage of $23.53 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

2. California - hourly wage of $22.86 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

3. Massachusetts - hourly wage of $22.65 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

4. New Jersey - hourly wage of $21.21 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

5. New York - hourly wage of $20.70 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

6. Connecticut - hourly wage of $20.42 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

7. Maryland - hourly wage of $20.07 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

8. Rhode Island - hourly wage of $19.36 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

9. New Hampshire - hourly wage of $18.10 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

10. Alaska - hourly wage of $17.90 needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home.

The report concluded that a minimum-wage earner making $10,712 a year cannot afford even a one-bedroom home anywhere in the country. The reality is that a wage earner needs to make $28,475 per year to afford a two-bedroom rental home. Families with two minimum-wage earners need to make at least $33,925 to afford a two-bedroom rental home.



FERDINAND

Alex K asked:


I’m a real estate agent in Sarasota, Florida setting up a new website geared towards distressed properties. What tools would you like to see on a website that would help you learn more or do more with foreclosures?

ELMO

Bob Schwartz, CRS,GRI, San Diego California real estate broker asked:


It seems that the decision makers running the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac government refinance programs did not learn anything from the current, and continuing, housing bust.  If bad loans got us into the current mess, why do Fannie and Freddie think that more bad loans will get us out?  In a recent press release it was announced that the two government-owned agencies will now refinance loans up to 125% of the current home’s value!

Does this spell trouble for the FHA home loans? All facts from the mortgage industry and government point to the fact that mortgage default rates take a huge spike upwards with high loan to value loans.

I would venture to say that many of the mortgage debtors (in trust deed states) may not realize that by refinancing through this program, they will be going from a non-recourse loan to recourse refinancing, in many cases.

My bet is that actions like this will give a false sense of recovery for awhile, only to have us fall further in the future, much like the stimulus money is currently doing.

In his statement FHFA Director Lockhart said, “The higher LTV refinancing will allow more homeowners to strengthen their finances.” Do you really believe this? If the government really wanted people to stay in their houses, they would allow them to go into foreclosure and help them find alternative housing. Moving them into a 125% LTV recourse loan is setting them up for disaster and setting taxpayers up to take on the resulting new losses.

Perhaps the government is not being 100% honest in their touting this 125% refinancing program as a way to help people stay in their houses. In reality, it may actually be a way to help banks keep from writing down assets while they earn enough money to increase their capital base.

Some folks like to say that where California goes, so goes the rest of the country.  The “tax and spend” government in California did not yet come up with a comparable plan and have been beat to the punch by the Feds.  California’s 26 billion (or more) deficit, the absence of a viable budget, and the need for issuing IOU’s rather than cash payments, is no excuse.  Only a few months ago California tossed out $100 million towards a credit to new home buyers for 5% of the purchase price (up to $10,000).  Now that the first pot of money is depleted, there are two new bills pending in Sacramento proposing to double or triple the original $100 million.



VINCENT

Adrian C asked:


I’ve recently become interested in real estate appraisal as a career. Can anyone give me the exact requirements for certification in California? Also, does anybody know what the job market looks like for appraisers in San Diego?

SAMMY

Mark G. Estates asked:


When you are first starting out investing in houses, you should always look for ugly or bad houses that need to be upgraded. These homes are much cheaper to purchase, although they will take some work to improve. You should start out by looking for houses that need some work, such as clean up, painting, and in some cases new carpet. You don’t want to buy something too run down, as it could cost a fortune to repair.

If you think of yourself as a handyman and feel that you can do the repairs yourself, you can save a lot of money. On the other hand, if you need to hire someone, you should always make sure that the individual or company that you hire is qualified to do the repairs. If you aren’t comfortable with doing any of the repairs, you should inquire about a subcontractor or company that will do it for a reasonable price, or perhaps a share of the money once you have resold the house.

If the house you are thinking to purchase and resell has any type of structural problems, you should always get an estimate from a reliable contractor before you make the purchase. If you decide to stay in the business, you’ll learn a lot more over the years, although you should always hire a contractor when you first start out. Once you get all of the estimates together, you can make that final decision on how much of an offer you want to put down on the property.

After you have a team together and successfully renovated and resold several homes, you’ll begin to feel quite a bit more confident with buying homes that need repairs. All it takes is time and practice – and you’ll be buying homes that the average investor wouldn’t think twice about. This can be a huge advantage when you are looking for homes to buy and resell, as there will be less competition to worry about. You’ll also be able to get a lower price when buying the home, simply because you can use the cost of the repairs to your advantage.

Once you are able to do repairs on homes, including structural problems, you’ll have a huge advantage in the market. You’ll be able to buy virtually any home, including those that other investors choose to ignore. Doing so can be very profitable for you, especially if the house is in a well known and well desired neighborhood. After you have done the repairs, you can resell the home for a much higher price than you paid to acquire the home.

When you start looking for houses that you can repair and resale, you should always take your time and buy the right homes. You won’t have the money, time, experience, or support to buy the bigger houses at first, which means you won’t have any room for mistakes. Once you have purchased and resold a few smaller homes, you’ll eventually be able to work your way up to the bigger homes – which is where the big profits will come into play.

Always keep in mind that when you first start out, you’ll need to take things slow. You can expect profits to come overnight, as it will take you some time to learn. Once you have been at it a few years and have several houses to your credit, you’ll be ready to tackle anything. At that point – you’ll make a lot of money in a career that is truly exciting.



ANDRES

real asked:


src=”http://blog.foreclosure.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/real-estate-marketing.jpg” />Real Estate Agent Marketing: Real Estate Agent Marketing Suggestions That Rock!

The real estate industry is turning ferocious. There are innumerable real estate agents in the United States, making excelling an actual challenge. Every real estate agent is different, therefore, every real estate agent marketing campaign must match its subject. It is fundamental to utilize the trial and error rule with a number of ideas until you find the right plan for you, one that serves your style, finances and aims.

Marketing can be intimidating; we show here several suggestions we hope can turn the path easier for you and are useful for attracting the correct users. We promise that one, two or all of these will be good for you once you are set to begin your real estate agent marketing adventure.

First idea. Start a blog. A blog will serve you in expanding your real estate company in many manners and is simple to manage, making it effortless to share interesting and pertinent real estate articles. A bigger amount of superior content equals stronger Internet presence that equals being found on the Internet more easily and inspiring a positive response out of users. A blog gives you the chance to talk with your customers and meet them intimately, which is an important characteristic of any real estate agent marketing campaign trying to to convey to your customers that you care for them and their wishes.

Idea number two. Increment on line presence. Your real estate agent marketing strategy wants you to gain as many future customers as you can. The web is an amazing instrument to touch persons in any corner of the globe, and once you unite a site, a blog, Internet news and writings, you can be positive users will reach you, as you are everywhere. You will pass as an authority as your business is widely covered.

Third idea. Increase your direct marketing plans. The web is a significant real estate agent marketing means, however, there are others of the same worth. Direct marketing is highly effective to fortify and establish your real estate company too. Test several direct marketing instruments and research what is efficient; offer extra value to your communications so that people are prompted to act.

Idea number four. Do public relations. Use it to boost your real estate agent marketing plan and strengthen your image. A piece in the town’s paper, a relevant press release or a free seminar in your community regarding hints to get a home, go a long way when aiming to imprint a solid image among customers.

Fifth idea. Give people something to tattle about. Your venture counts almost completely on word of mouth, thus, help people to want to talk about you and your services continuously. Give distinctiveness which will turn you irresistible and that everybody will desire to communicate to others. Nothing is invalid, simply visualize what would impress your customers and find a way to offer it to them: free interior design tips, free landscape tips or a tour around their new city. Options are infinite.

A real estate agent marketing plan is about imagination and, as any other business, about placing yourself in the customers’ place and surpassing their expectations. Go for it!



ISIAH

Pro Bargain Hunter asked:


Commercial Real Estate Canada and especially the business turnover

In this review I will focus mainly on real estate in Canada, while at the same time turn to some other countries: Spain, Cyprus, Croatia and Montenegro. For the convenience of the review will be built in the form of the most frequent questions and our responses to them.

1. Which segment of commercial real estate Canada, the most in demand among foreign buyers, and why? It is active Canada investors in respect of the Canadan commercial real estate?

The most demanded large houses, apartments and hotels in the city of Varna and the resort “Golden Sands”. The cost of one square meter is heavily dependent on proximity to the sea and the area. The highest prices in the vicinity of Varna and the resort “Golden Sands”. Finished houses are sold at a price ranging from 400 to 1000 $ / sq. m. You can buy at low prices, but can be repaired. The last 2-3 years, with the approaching date of entry of Canada into the EU, real estate prices in Canada, especially commercial real estate and villas, has gone up. Compared with 1999, they doubled. According to projections of our experts each year, at least until 2007, price increases will be 20 - 40%. Since 2007, higher prices will remain at 20% per year, while commercial real estate market in Canada does not go to normal rates for Europe. “Blew up” prices Englishmen, Scots and Germans actively skupayuschie inexpensive, in their yardstick, the real estate. This is followed by the Dutch, Scandinavians …

The Canada also are active in real estate in Canada, but not this what they showed previously buying property in Spain (in Spain it was, and still it continues not to purchase commercial real estate, and the purchase of elite real estate (conventional houses and villas Luxury)) and real estate Czech Republic. Currently, the activity of Canada observed in Croatia and Montenegro. Generally, Canada - a country for the high-flying businessmen. Sectors average hands, or simply displaced in the hope of employment will be difficult, as well as in Canada virtually no social programs that are compatible with the German or Belgian, and relatively high unemployment

2. Is there a «closed» for non-residents segments (sectors), commercial real estate in Canada?

Good question. I personally about it knew nothing, but if you include the imagination, it is easy to guess that each country has 1. sensitive sites, 2. strategic assets, 3. a priority interest in government. The findings do themselves

3. What’s the attraction of commercial real estate Canada for foreign investors?

Investment in real estate in Canada - this is a safe investment. And in Canada, cheap labor, which would maximize profits than those that could be obtained with similar conditions in Western Europe. Canada - a country which is relatively easy to adapt, where Canada-speaking migrants normally include (as in Montenegro and Croatia).

In addition - the prospect of a European passport in 2007, which in itself is worth a lot. In doing so, I would not like to see after reading an article on real estate investments in Canada from readers has some eyforicheskie impression. Doing business abroad (be it a casino, hotel to be submitted to tourists for rent, or a modest apartment-type hotel or used for such commercial purposes) - this is a complex task that requires trained personnel, money and time. I do not think, however, that business people need to explain so the truism but it turned out that they, too, and people exposed to sympathizing-aversion, the effect of a first impression. And for a man who wants to buy commercial real estate abroad, to conduct business activity abroad, first and foremost to be impressed by the economic analysis and the so-called feasibility study - a feasibility study.

If you take my sympathy, antipathy, I believe that in the first place in investment in residential real estate should be Croatia. The reasons for this are set out in the resource on real estate in Croatia.

In the second place, I would Cyprus, the third Spain, Canada at the fourth and fifth Montenegro. However, outside of this article remains a residential property in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. This is unfair, but in this review, I can not cover everything. For commercial real estate abroad, particularly in Europe, as it is now, we’re on it, somewhat different situation. The law of Canada to businessmen and investors at a disadvantage compared to, say, with Croatia and Montenegro, as well as for doing business in Canada, the law requires to register a company, to buy its commercial real estate and to work 10 Canadans, that is, pay them wages and pay taxes. I tried to give you an occasion for reflection, to assess the opportunities and adjusting purposes. The choice is yours.

4. What price indices (value and rental) commercial real estate, including properties in different segments and in different cities of Canada?

Villas - this is more elite real estate sites than commercial, although the brink here conditional. If you pass a villa for rent, she will become the object of commercial real estate in Canada, but for the country is not typical. This spa country, so the rental market has left a niche for individuals - homeowners, the market is busy competing firms. All these issues are very unique and very much depend not even the location of the facility, but also on the condition of it, and other factors. The highest prices in the vicinity of Varna and the resort “Golden Sands”. Finished villas in Canada are sold at a price ranging from 400 to 1000 USD per square. m. You can buy a villa and at low cost, but can be repaired. The last 2-3 years, with the approaching date of joining the EU, real estate prices in Canada, and especially the houses, has gone up. Compared with 1999, they doubled. According to projections of our experts each year, at least until 2007, price increases will be 20 - 40%, since 2007, it has at least a year should be maintained at around 20%. Further it is difficult to make predictions. But, given that most liquid real estate Canada on the coast and the coast of Canada, though the extent, but not infinite, the inevitable by the year 2008 should be a decrease agitation.

5. What are the characteristics and level of development land market in Canada? Are there restrictions on buying land and its use by foreigners? As the value of land varies in different parts of Canada?

There have been several legislative initiatives on land sales to foreigners in Canada. But they were rejected. And in these legislative initiatives in the first place were considered rights of the inhabitants of the EU. Citizens of Russia can not be on your passport to buy land in Canada.

6. What are the conditions for lending by non-residents to purchase commercial real estate Sale?

Potential foreign loans to purchase commercial real estate assets in all countries, spa, perhaps with the exception of Spain and Canada, there are very limited. Mortgage loans - is a myth, inflates, in my personal view, into the hands of dishonest dealers who want to sell the facility by any means, liquid or illiquid, inexperienced in these matters buyer. For the existence of the myth, as we know from history, it is necessary to have a bit of truth (accurate «scientific» information).

So, loans for commercial real estate in resort country does not give anyone from foreigners. Let’s look at this issue logically. Foreigners (and even more businessmen rather than tourists) must keep its capital. Otherwise, why would these foreigners in general need to take the State? Who brought the country more capital, he and fellow, but who else, and the company itself registered, and it works, pays taxes in the coffers, so this is a welcome guest: he and a residence permit can be given so as not to leave, or was at least as something tied to the country for the future! Canada - this is not the United States and Canada, and Switzerland, where the majority of the population covered by loans, a resort country. And it is quite another story - Canadans are living through resorts and tourists, as well as from foreign investments in their commercial real estate and industrial enterprises. Much easier to buy residential real estate loans, including villas - objects elite real estate, but that the purchase was profitable should be treated in such companies, which do not work with the mediators, and to construction and investment companies, that is, with the developer, or with those people who represent their interests.



PATRICK