Tampa Real Estate Investors Alliance Blog
Too Many Loyalty Cards?
Posted on July 6, 2015 by“I always say shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist.” ~Tammy Faye Bakker
The other day I was in the grocery store picking up some milk. In the checkout line, the checker asked the guy ahead of me if he had one of those loyalty cards. Well, this guy took out a shoebox full of those cards – a shoebox! –and started searching through them. It took forever!
Okay, maybe I made that up. Actually, if anyone needs a shoebox for those cards, it’s probably me. And if I were to pull out that shoebox in the checkout line, I’ll bet no jury would convict the checkout lady if she shot me right then and there.
Now, just in case there’s anyone who still doesn’t know about loyalty cards, it’s time you did. They’re promotional wallet cards that big retailers and businesses give out, usually for free. When the checker scans the barcode on the back (or when you give the checker the phone number they have on file for you), you can get all kinds of deals that are only available for people who sign up. Read More→
Market is Hot? Don’t Let It Mess With Your Numbers.
Posted on July 6, 2015 byYou may have noticed that the Atlanta market in general is hot right now. Prices are going up. The newspaper is telling people values are going up. CNN, Fox and more are reporting more new developments every week it seems. If you are a homeowner, this is the news you have been wanting to hear. ‘Sellers’ market!’ is being proclaimed by agents in recent months and to a reasonable degree, that is the case.
So where does this leave you as a wholesaler? I would argue it leaves us in one of a few positions:
- Ride the wave and pay more for properties and hopefully wholesale for higher LTV’s
- Learn more about creative financing
- If you want to wholesale, stick to your formulas that you know work based on today’s values
Which is the right answer? As a wholesaler, clearly number 3 and to some degree number 2 if you want to branch out from just wholesaling. Yet answer number 1 is the answer that seems to be taken by the majority of wholesale deals that cross my desk. Read More→
Get More Private $$$
Posted on July 6, 2015 byUnless you are already rich and have all the cash you need to build your real estate empire, you will probably need to explore the world of private money. Private money can come in many different forms such as investor’s capital, private loans, and hard money loans. Most real estate entrepreneurs start with capital from friends and family. This may be the best place for you to start raising money for your deals. Depending on the relationships you have with your friends and family will determine if this a good place to start or not. They may be willing to join you in your deal or they may still see you as the person they remember growing up and not the new real estate mogul you are now. Regardless of their opinion the best way to start raising money from your immediate contacts is to focus heavily on your real estate education. Friends and family will know you are new to the business and may be hesitant to jump in. If they see the amount of education and work you are putting into your new business then that attitude may change.
When you are ready to start farming cash from new sources then you need to start by networking. Networking is one of the best business skills you can learn. In the beginning most people are nervous about networking. I have found that this is usually because the person is not comfortable enough discussing the subject of real estate. Again you need to be constantly working on your education. This will lead you to be able to network confidently, discuss and answer questions, and to start building trusting relationships with new investors. If you are not comfortable and confident in your ability to discuss real estate investing they will not likely be confident in you. Read More→
How To Use Signage to Locate Even More Deals
Posted on July 6, 2015 bySignage is an important tool for you to use in your real estate investing business. Using signage is another inexpensive way to draw motivated sellers and deals to you. Many real estate investors find that signage can produce more deals in a year than some of the other methods they use in their businesses. Once again, you need to test and track the results in your own business. There are several different types of signage you can use. Some are permanent, some are temporary. Some are very inexpensive and some will cost more. I will discuss several different types of signage I have used in my own business.
One type of signage you can use is magnetic signs or vinyl lettering that goes on your vehicle. You can also “wrap” a vehicle with signage. Wrapping a vehicle means signage all the way around it. There are sign companies who will design this type of signage for you. This is a little more expensive and a little more permanent; however, it can be easily removed should you decide to sell your vehicle. Magnetic signs work very well, especially if you only own one vehicle. Sometimes you will be working with a seller who doesn’t want their neighbors to know they are selling their house and you will need to remove your signage before going to see that seller. Make sure your message is short and to the point since other drivers have only seconds to see your message unless your vehicle is parked. Read More→
Are You Planning Poorly or Positively Profiting on Your Deals?
Posted on July 6, 2015 byCalculating costs to purchase, fix and resell a house has always been a downfall for many Investors. At a recent Real Estate Investor Meeting, I heard a great explanation of how people come up with their numbers. You all need to be sure you don’t fudge your numbers and fool yourself into thinking you are going to make a profit. This Article focuses on all the things you must consider when purchasing a property, such as holding costs, cost of the money, and closing costs that you will incur on properties.
When a student contacts me on a property and says “This is a great deal,” I always ask “Why do you think so?” Their response is “because.” Well….”because” is not a good enough answer. This is how I analyze a deal. First, I look for the Sold comps in the same subdivision that have sold in the past 90 days. I will then look at a total of 6 months in that subdivision. I look at square footage, garages, bedrooms, bathrooms and pools. I then look for the Active, Active with Contract and Pendings which all affect the value of my property. I budget accordingly as if I am going to hold it for at least 4 months, which is required in order to sell to a retail buyer with FHA funding. Depending on the price point, about 80% of our buyers have FHA funding. I look at the Active, Active with Contract and Pendings and note what ‘type’ of listing they are. If they are short sales, I really give weight on these sales because it’s very possible they would not be bank-approved and could sell lower or higher than list price. If they are Pending sale which is a straight sale, I can assume that they are close to list price; however, until they sell, I can’t be sure. I will then look on MLS or REIFAX and search a half mile radius to see what other comparables I can find. Based on all the comps and the repairs in which I plan on doing, I will determine if I believe the value of the home will be close to the middle value of the comparables or the high value of the comparables. Read More→
Last month I taught you about two ways to make money in real estate. I covered retailing and wholesaling. Those two methods generally involve buying houses that are in need of repairs at a deeply discounted price. This month, I will teach you about the other two ways to profit in real estate that is considered to be the Pretty House Business.
Lease-Options – Many people are not aware you do not have to buy a property to profit from it. In the case of lease-options, we lease it from the seller with an option to buy it at some predetermined price and term. Our objective then is to install another tenant-buyer in it, sublease it for a higher price and monthly payment, then collect a non-refundable option deposit from our buyer. In my case, the minimum is usually $10,000 except on a few very low end houses where I’ll accept about $5,000. This deposit never gets returned to the buyer if they do not close. It does, however, get applied to their down payment. But if they move out of the house and don’t close on it they lose the deposit. That’s made real clear up front, and since all of our transactions are closed with an attorney, it’s made clear at the lease-option closing as well. Read More→
More Deals, Less Time
Posted on July 6, 2015 byRecently I was coaching a student, and we came across what appeared to be an excellent opportunity. Because of my knowledge of the area, I was immediately able to give the student the right price to offer. I showed him how to negotiate the contract, which he did perfectly.
The result? With my knowledge, we were able to do only minimum work. While we found that the property wasn’t the deal we expected, we did so without wasting time. Since time equals money, it is essential to know your market so that you don’t work too hard for nothing.
We decided that this student, a new investor, was going to buy a house for $5,000 and wholesale it to an area landlord. Rents there were approximately $800/ month. Rehabbing would be close to $30,000. When we subtracted management, vacancies, taxes, insurance, and maintenance, the property would earn a 20% return. This was a great opportunity for anyone who wanted to become a landlord in that area—and a great opportunity to make a $7000 wholesale fee. Read More→
Prices Sure Are Rising, But Maybe Not For the Reasons We Think
Posted on July 6, 2015 byReally good real estate investors know and rely on the valuation of their deals as the key to success and profits. The economic slump that richer countries have suffered during the past seven years can be blamed on a runaway housing bubble that started right here in the U.S. All the market areas covered by REIAComps, insure when pricing changes happen you are not caught off guard.
When it comes to the tic of the housing bubble, there were other issues like poor oversight of the broader financial system which led to the crash. But without the real estate bubble, there would likely have been no financial crisis.
Which is why the fact that similar-looking bubbles inflating in countries from Canada to the U.K. have economists worried that there might be other catalysts of future crises laying wait for us in the weeds.
Last week, in a Forbes article, IMF economist Min Zhu published an article called “Era of Benign Neglect of House Price Booms is Over,” in which he sounded the alarm over rising global home prices. Zhu explains how he determines whether home prices in a particular country are overpriced. Read More→
How To Get Your Real Estate IRA Purchase Offers Accepted
Posted on July 6, 2015 byBuying properties for your real estate IRA is competitive. That’s especially true for investment properties, where it’s critical to buy properties at an advantageous price. Real estate investors must be more price-sensitive than retail buyers and owner-occupants.
But these days, It’s routine in many markets for buyers to encounter competitive bidding situations: Where multiple buyers are making offers on a given property at the same time.
According to data from the Redfin Corporation, 61 percent of offers from their agents were facing competition from other buyers in March of 2015. This number has bounced around between 45 percent and 75 percent – the high coming in early 2013. But the number seems to have made a substantial uptick in recent months, zooming from the 45 percent low at the end of 2014 all the way back up to 61 percent in just a few short months.
In San Francisco, 94 percent of offers are facing competitive bidding, according to the brokerage company’s agents. Read More→
Why Does Everyone Want to Become a Wholesaler? – Part One
Posted on July 6, 2015 byI have noticed over the past months that almost everyone I talk to today tell me they want to be a wholesaler. These people want to wholesale deals as a way to generate fast money to pay their living expenses each month. What in the world is going on here? Why is it that all of a sudden everyone wants to become a wholesaler when there are so many other different ways to profit from real estate other than wholesaling?
Don’t get me wrong I’m not suggesting that wholesaling isn’t a great way to get started as a real estate investor. All I am suggesting is wholesaling is only one way to make money buying real estate but it’s not necessarily the best way in my opinion. Having done many wholesale deals over the years I have come to the conclusion that if the only way you buy real estate is wholesaling where the investor either buys or gets the property under contract with the seller and then resells the property to another person or assigns their assignable purchase agreement to another investor and passes along the deal you structured with the seller for a fee. Read More→
Let’s Agree to Disagree
Posted on July 6, 2015 byRecently, I was in one of my favorite marketing forums (name withheld) where I usually exchange brilliant ideas with other geniuses, and one of the members happened to mention some negative things about real estate, some of the teacher/gurus, and how ‘this real estate stuff doesn’t work.’
This guy was insulting several of our well-known teachers that we’ve come to know and love. After reading a little bit of what he said, it was clear to me that he hadn’t done any deals, and like most people who say this kind of stuff, was speaking from a place of ignorance and/or frustration.
“Guru X is a scamming d-bag who only makes money from selling courses!”
“Guru Y USED to do deals, but not anymore, and now he just sells this stuff to people who don’t know any better.”
Normally, I don’t like to waste my time with small-minded or ignorant people. But in this case, I chose to set things straight, because there were plenty of other people who would also be reading what was said. And those people deserved to hear the truth. Read More→
What Makes the Best Rental Property?
Posted on July 6, 2015 byOver the past twenty years, Kim and I have bought a wide variety of investment homes – everything from a one-bedroom, one-bath duplex to a six-bedroom, four-bath McMansion. Experience has taught us what makes the best – and worst – rental property!
Jack Miller said: Everything else in real estate is harder than a house. With that said, Kim and I stay away from townhomes, condos, duplexes and apartment buildings. We’re not saying these are bad investments; it’s just that they require a lot of hands-on attention, and our goal is freedom, not a j-o-b.
When it comes to single-family homes, the most in-demand property is a three-bedroom, two-bath home…with a garage…without steps…on a level lot…in a nice, convenient neighborhood. We call these Walmart houses.
Think of a Walmart house this way: Go to a checkout register at Walmart that has ten people in line. You hold up a picture of your investment property and ask, “Who would like to live in this home?” You want eight out of ten hands to go up. Next – and this is the most important question of all – you ask, “Who can afford to live in this house?” The eight out of ten hands need to stay up. If several hands drop, then your rental property is too high-end – which means you’ll have fewer prospective tenants able to afford the monthly rent…and having fewer applicants is not better when it’s time to rent your property! Read More→
How To Stop A Foreclosure In Its Tracks!
Posted on July 6, 2015 byIf you ask most people they would probably tell you that the foreclosure crisis is over, and that we’re in the middle of a housing recovery. The fact of the matter is that foreclosures are continuing, but the banks have slowed and managed the process a bit to keep the government off their backs. That’s the bad news. The good news is that a recent Supreme Court ruling has provided homeowners with a silver bullet that could stop a foreclosure in its tracks!
As spelled out in a January ruling by the Supreme Court, a homeowner’s right to rescind their loan could immediately stop a foreclosure. The right of rescission is essentially a consumer protection built into the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) that allows a borrower to rescind their loan if the lender failed to fully comply with all of the requirements of TILA. As you might imagine, TILA violations are incredibly common. So how does the right to rescind stop a foreclosure? It’s simple. From the moment you drop your notice of rescission in the mail, the note and mortgage are nullified. The bank can’t foreclose on a note and mortgage loan that have been nullified. The bank has 20 days to challenge the rescission, but until they have effectively argued that they have the right to enforce the note and mortgage (without being able to use the note or mortgage in their proof of standing, the foreclosure cannot continue. It should be noted that this only works on primary residences. It will not work on second homes or investment properties. This also works better on refinance homes than on original mortgages, but it is still possible on original mortgages (purchase money mortgages). Read More→
Tampa REIA Meets on July 9th with Special Guest Reggie Brooks
Posted on July 2, 2015 byat the Doubletree Suites Tampa Bay
with Special Guest Speaker, Reggie Brooks
Tampa REIA Members Can Attend at No Charge.
Guests Can RSVP Online Now for $15 or Pay $20 at the Door.
Tampa REIA Members Please RSVP on Meetup.com
if you have a meetup account.
Whether it’s quick cash that you need right now, or long term wealth that you’re looking to build, it can be done fairly quickly. Vacant Property specialist Reggie Brooks is the expert to teach you how to do it.
Mark you calendar right now! July 9th at 6PM at the Doubletree Suites Tampa Bay located at 3050 North Rocky Point Dr West in Tampa, FL. Reggie’s going to teach you the steps he took to go from making $3,000 per month at the telephone company, to over $42,000 per month in his real estate business. He did it doing exactly what he’s going to be teaching, with Vacant, Distressed, Abandoned Properties!
Here a smidge of what Reggie’s will be teaching…
- Why the banks won’t lend on these properties, making owner financing easier than ever! With owner financing, you don’t need money, credit, or a job
- How to make serious money with properties that are upside down, meaning the value of the property is less than what’s owed against the property
- How to use Reggie’s “Secret Weapon” which will speed you toward finding those owners who’s mailing address is the same as the vacant property
- How you can easily make $10,000 within the next 2 weeks with vacant properties
- A little known Government program that can easily make you rich while you help other people – You’ll be amazed!
- How to get all the money you need for you investments “chasing you”, instead of you chasing it. And there’s No Qualifying!!!
- How a blind student easily made over $14,000 on his 1st deal. He’s a rich man now!
- And Much, Much More!
Reggie is a dynamic speaker/educator. Come prepared to take lots of notes. You don’t want to miss out on golden nuggets like very creative ways to find motivated owners of vacant properties, or the various case studies of people who have used Reggie’s system to make big profits buying and selling these unwanted properties.
WIN A 4 NIGHT STAY IN CANCUN: All participants who attend the Tampa REIA Meeting will entered into a drawing for a chance to win a *Complimentary 5 Day, 4 Night Stay in Cancun! *You must be present at the meeting to win. Giveaway does not include dining, transportation, transfers, taxes, upgrades, etc.
Tampa REIA Members Please RSVP on Meetup.com
if you have a meetup account.
*Please Note: Meeting agenda is subject to change.
After the conclusion of the Tampa REIA Main Meeting (around 9:30PM), we will be reconvening at Whiskey Joe’s Bar & Grill located at 7720 West Courtney Campbell Causeway in Tampa for the “Meeting after the Meeting”. Come eat, drink, network and have fun with us as hang out late into the night on Tampa Bay!
Full Day Workshop on Flipping Houses with Reggie Brooks on July 11, 2015
Posted on July 2, 2015 by$30,000 Flips In Your Own Back Yard
A Full Day Workshop With Reggie Brooks
Saturday, July 11th from 9AM-5PM
DoubleTree Suites Tampa Bay
3050 N Rocky Point Dr W, Tampa, FL
Join Reggie Brooks at the $30,000 Flips In Your Own Back Yard Workshop on Saturday, July 11th from 9AM to 5PM at Doubletree Suites Tampa Bay located at 3050 North Rocky Point Dr West in Tampa, FL. where he will show you how you can make $30,000 cash in the next 60 days.
While you’ve been keeping your nose to the grindstone, paying taxes and worrying about keeping up with inflation…… silently all across America, shrewd real estate investors are cleaning up. But, right here and right now, things are going to change.
“There Are Millions To Be Made In Real Estate – Right Now, In Today’s Changing Market”
“In Fact, If You Don’t Make $30,000 Or More In The Next 60 Days, You Didn’t Attend My Training!”
The truth is it’s very easy and simple to make millions… IF you just have and use the know-how. Right now, right here in your area, there are undervalued properties ready to be scooped up for pennies on the dollar. This is the time to buy these deeply discounted properties and make “a killing” down the road. The money is there for the taking.
Some of what you will learn includes…
- How to take the vacant, abandoned property opportunity to the next level, where the BIG money is
- Lots of unconventional ways to find the elusive owners of vacant, distressed and abandoned properties
- How to write the purchase contract using powerful, money-making clauses
- Easy steps to take a zero profit deal and turn it into a $25,000 deal
- How to make money with these vacant properties using no cash and no credit
- How to use creative financing to fund your vacant property deals
- Understanding the Dodd-Frank Act and how to get rich anyway
Mark you calendar right now for July 11th! Reggie’s going to teach you the steps he took to become a multi-millionaire. And he did it doing exactly what he will be teaching you!
A little more of what you will learn…
- How to formulate the correct amount to offer on a potential investment property
- How to buy investment property well below market value
- How to earn 12% to 50% interest on your money, and your checks come straight from the Government
- How to buy houses, apartments, commercial, etc. for pennies on the dollar
- Loads of hot new tips and insights that the pros use to find good deals in this changing market
- Clever ways to automate the abandoned property system – get these properties chasing you instead of you chasing them
- Amazingly simple, low cost ways to fix up properties for maximum profits
- How to buy properties at market value and still make $10,000 to $50,000 in profit
- How to make tens of thousands of dollars on deals that other investors walk away from
- Quickly getting rid of fear and get moving quickly toward your level of success
- And Much, Much More!
It should be obvious. If you use any of the investing tips and techniques that you learn, you could add huge money to your bottom line. The potential truly is unlimited. There are great deals hiding in every real estate market and this training makes finding them easy to find and make money on. You may never have to work at a job again.
Don’t let this great learning opportunity pass you by. Register now!
Reggie Brooks is a dynamic speaker/educator. As an active investor, Reggie pecializes in unique ways of finding and repairing properties for resale higher than the prevailing market. Having risen above a life of poverty, Reggie has achieved what many people consider to be impossible. He went from making $36,000 per year at the local telephone company, to making over $40,000 per month in his real estate business.
Peter Fortunato’s One Step Beyond Seminar in Atlanta on September 12 & 13, 2015
Posted on July 1, 2015 byOne Step Beyond
Sat & Sun, September 12th & 13th in Atlanta, GA
9AM – 5PM Both Days
Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta – Atlanta Airport Millenium Center, 2301 Sullivan Road, College Park, GA 30337
Pete will present two days of lecture and discussion, with real-world case studies. This is the only presentation for One Step Beyond in 2015! Questions and Debate always encouraged! Get involved – this class is for you.blease
Location – Hilton Garden Inn Millenium – ATL Airport. Room Block – Fortunato – One St
Pete describes – Using what you Want, to get what you Need, to get what you Want
- Recognizing, Inviting & Utilizing Catalysts
- Options & Other Contracts
- Equity Participation – Lending & Investing
- Deferring Taxes via Installment Sales
- Exchanging & De-Financing
- Sandwich Lease for Cash Flow & Yield
- Seller Financing in Not a Loan
- I Have no Other Collateral
- Borrowing with Real Estate
- Preserving Installment Sales
- Sale and Option Back
- Exchanges as Equity Financing
Pete describes – Using what you Have, to get what you Need, to get what you Want
Some of the Documents included in this Seminar:
- Deed Reserving Remainder Interest
- Seller Financed Note – Non-Recourse
- Substitution of Collateral Agreement
- Agreement for Deed – Lease Option Style
- Exclusive Right to Purchase a Note
- Option Agreement
- Purchase Money Mortgage
- Mortgage to Secure Otion
- Equity Participation Loan Note
- Lease with Right to Suep Beyond. $89/night (includes parking). Please visit PeterFortunato.com for more info on this Seminar.
4 Easy Ways to Register: Download and complete the Registration Form and 1) Fax to: (678) 550-2155, 2) Call (770) 815-8728, 3) Email to Kim@CashflowREI.com or 4) Mail to: CashflowREI, PO Box 22, Adairsville, GA. 30103.
Register Now for Pete’s One Step Beyond Seminar
Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July!
Posted on June 30, 2015 byHappy 4th of July!
Have a wonderful and safe holiday. Enjoy spending time with your family and remember those who fought and continue to fight to protect our freedom.
Beach REIA Meets Tonight in Treasure Island
Posted on June 18, 2015 byLet’s Meetup at Gators Cafe & Saloon
12754 Kingfish Dr, Treasure Island, FL
Tampa REIA Members & Guests, Please RSVP on Meetup.com
if you have a meetup account. Non-Members can attend at No Charge
Come join your fellow real estate investors in a fun networking atmosphere at the Beach REIA! We meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:30PM at Gators Cafe & Saloon located at 12754 Kingfish Dr, Treasure Island, FL Gators is an awesome waterfront restaurant right on John’s Pass and the beach, which makes for a great sunset backdrop during the meeting while networking and doing business!
Our goal is to get the Real Estate Investing community together in a fun setting where we can discuss opportunities, ideas, brainstorm, network, and figure out additional ways to help each other make more money investing in real estate. There is no fee to attend. Everyone is welcome!
So come on out and network with us and let’s have a good time and talk about deals! Bring your deals and business opportunities to discuss.
Tampa REIA Members & Guests, Please RSVP on Meetup.com
if you have a meetup account. Non-Members can attend at No Charge
The Profit June 2015 Edition
Posted on June 8, 2015 byThe June 2015 edition of The Profit Newsletter is now available for download as a High Quality PDF (print quality) or Low Res PDF for mobile devices. The Profit Newsletter is the official newsletter of the Tampa Real Estate Investors Alliance and is a digital, interactive newsletter for serious real estate investors delivered as an Adobe PDF file to read on your computer, tablet, or smart phone with a PDF reader. Many of the articles and ads in The Profit contain hyperlinks you can click to get more information online. The high res version of The Profit is “print ready”while the low res version june load faster on your mobile device. Also, be sure to Subscribe to The Profit so you don’t miss a single monthly issue.
Scary Websites
Posted on June 8, 2015 by“Currently computer graphics are used a great deal, but it can be excessive.”
~ Hayao Miyazaki
The other day, I was web-surfing while I waited for a program to download, and I came across a site that really caught my attention. In the upper right-hand corner, a big Jolly Roger pirate flag was waving. In the upper left-hand corner was a little animated dancing hamster. A tiny cartoon kitten ran across the bottom of the screen, and in the middle of the page fireworks burst out in an infinite loop. Then suddenly, my iPad started blasting “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin. It was a full-blown spectacle!
I tried to scroll down the screen to find a “music off” button. But the screen went on and on… and on… and on. One very long screen with a black background and neon-colored type. No links, just text. And every few lines, new and even cheesier animation.
At this point, I was desperate to stop the music. So I backed out of the site so fast I still don’t know what it was advertising. A funeral home, I think. Or maybe socks. All I know is, I had to get out of there. Read More→