Real Estate Update

Archive for January, 2011

With the current real estate market slump, there are more motivated sellers than ever before who are looking to get rid of their houses. A lot of these are profitable deals, but at the same time, lots of them cannot be profitable deals for the majority real estate investors.

With this proliferation in the number of deals available on the market, most real estate investors end up with more phone calls from distressed sellers looking to sell their houses.

Needless to say, most of these phone calls cannot yield any deals at all. You must therefore filter time wasters from real deals without wasting valuable time and effort, while still attracting all the good deals from motivated sellers.

And why not do it hands-off if you can? This is why you need a good real estate investing website, which is a basic necessity of any real estate investing business. Identifying a good real estate investors website therefore becomes crucial.

At the same time, in the current world, every person expects every legitimate business to have a web site. Most people looking to buy or sell their house start their search from the internet even before they consult a professional such as a real estate agent.

Every person in America nowadays is has access to the internet. Most motivated sellers would rather to submit their house information in privacy over the internet. Providing them with a link to your web site as well as a phone number gives them the choice to contact you through their most convenient method.

You must therefore have a real estate investing web site that is informative, efficient and interactive and one that makes your work easier and fun. Here are a few basic rules you must follow in order to get the best real estate investors web site:

1: Privacy
You must have control of your web site and it’s contents. The web site must belong to you. Especially you must be able to host it where you want without undue limitations where only you controls access to your data. If the company provides hosting, then ability to control the hosting account and your web site is a must. Try to avoid companies that ask you to sign up for free, build up your web site with their templates, then pay them a monthly fee. If the web site must run on their server, be careful. In reality they own your web site for a monthly fee.

2) The web site must be database-driven
It must be able to collect information into a database and allow you to manipulate it any way you want, such as sending email, importing and exporting data and so on.

For example, when a motivated seller comes to your web site, they should be able to submit their property information easily. When you are selling houses prospective buyers must be able to sign up into your buyers list effortlessly. If at all possible, when someone submits information on the web site, you should receive an email and that information should be logged into the database.

3) It must be interactive
The ability to interact with visitors is a fundamental, necessary element of a modern web site, also particularly necessary in your real estate investing business. You must be able to collect the information you want from motivated sellers, house buyers, or any other visitors that you target in your real estate business.

Your motivated sellers must not only be able to submit their houses for sale, but should also be able to leave testimonials, a crucial element to profitable real estate investing.

A modern real estate investors website also needs to be web 2.0 compliant. Especially, it should allow you to share properties on social media web sites like Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and others. Even if you do not personally use these services, allowing your visitors (who also include other real estate investors) to share your properties with their friends on social networking media serves to distribute your properties wider to more people resulting to a quick sale. In today’s world, most real estate investors use social networking sites.

4) It must be uncomplicated, well designed and informative
You do not want your web site to look like every other real estate investors website out there. The web site you buy should offer a big selection of designs to choose from and the ability to customize the designs to suit your real estate investing needs. You should be able to keep your brand such as logo or even a custom look if you need to.

If at all possible, you should not have to pay extra to choose any design you want.

Equally important, nobody wants to go through a maze to find out how you buy and sell houses, or how you run your real estate investing business regardless of your business model.

A good real estate investing web site must be simple and informative enough for motivated sellers to submit their information on the web site instead of making a phone call thereby pre-screening and pre-negotiating deals for you.

The web site must seek to convert your target audience, such as pre-educate motivated sellers so they see you as the only professional qualified to solve their house problems. It must persuade them to submit their information right there instead of calling you saving you lots of time.

When you are selling your properties, it must serve to present them in an easy, friendly manner so a potential buyer can tell in a few minutes if it’s a deal for them or not.

5) It must be optimized for search engines
Motivated sellers must be able to find you on the internet. So must house buyers or other leads that you target in your business. Your real estate investors web site must therefore be well optimized for search engines. Targeting your local market on the search engines is especially important if you buy and sell properties in your local market

6) It must be easy to maintain
Most real estate investors are not computer geeks. A good real estate investing web site must be easy to run and control. Preferably, the web site should be controlled from a virtual back office (admin panel). The front end should completely free of maintenance.

7) The web site must be easily adaptable and flexible
There is no one size fits all does in real estate investing. Each business is unique, and a good real estate investors web site must adaptable to your current real estate investing model you might have without major changes. You must be able to create new pages, add or modify content easily, and create any forms to collect any type of information you choose. You should have the flexibility to choose designs and business model easily without major changes. Most real estate investors also have other side businesses, such as being a mortgage broker, credit restoration, Realtors, etc. Your real estate investing web site must allow you to supplement these services along with investing in real estate if you want to.

It should offer automation capability
Automation is a indispensable necessity for marketing on the internet and making the running of your business easier. A good real estate investing web site must allow you to create unlimited follow-up autoresponders to manage email campaigns for your motivated sellers, buyers lists or any other lists you manage on your web site.

For example, you can set up a Thank You message to motivated sellers after they submit their information, so that once they submit their house information, they get an instant message that says something like Thank you for your enquiry. We will get in touch with you within 24 hours or something like that.

Similarly, you should be able to create automated reminders to remind you of any important events on your real estate investing business. Your busy schedule should not get in the way of important follow-ups so crucial to successful real estate investing.

9 ) It must be reasonably priced
Sadly, most real estate investing products are too costly. If you do not get hit with a big upfront invoice, you stuck with a big monthly fee. The real estate investing web site you choose must not offer these constraints, otherwise it quickly becomes a liability instead of than an asset for your real estate investing business. The web site must allow you to install it and run it from any web hosting account you choose.

10) It must offer free lifetime support and upgrades
When you buy your real estate investing web site, you must get free lifetime support and upgrades. If a web site charges for everything they do for you, run the other way. Free support must be a compulsory part of any real estate investing business.

These are just a few tips to look out for when shopping for a real estate investing web site. There are many other minor things but if you stick to these basic rules, you should be happy with the web site you get. In one sentence, the real estate investing web site you choose must make your business fun and simple to run.

With fears abound that the property market is going to grind to a complete stop it is unsurprising that many property sellers are attempting a wide range of tactics to aid them in selling their property. However if sales are to be rapidly pursued it is important to remain objective and sensible in terms of where to place investment. For instance there is little point in fitting a new kitchen or bathroom into a property if the site in question is experiencing subsidence or the roof is in tatters; in this case money would be better spent on correcting structural deficiencies rather than aesthetic ones.

Having a property in a good state of repair generally assists sellers in a number of ways. Firstly it makes the house or flat more attractive to buyers when listed on the internet or in local publications. Secondly, having a property in a good state of repair gives the seller a certain amount of protection from renegotiation on prices. For instance, having a well maintained property will decrease the ammunition for buyers, increasing the power of the seller in the exchange process. Most experts agree however that the most effective way to increase the sales price of a property is to add extra space, hence performing loft conversions and constructing extensions can be extremely rewarding financially.

In addition to adding space to a property here are some of the most commonly employed tactics to speed up sales.

The golden rule of selling property is to start with the exterior; the ‘curb appeal’ of a home is the first thing to be seen by buyers and like much of life, first impressions count for a lot. This can be done by making sure the gardens are well tended and ensuring the exterior paintwork is fresh and bright. Ultimately it is about improving the general look of a property, this may mean giving the windows a good clean or simply clearing litter from the street, nearly anything will help in improve the external appearance, so get those hands dirty and the sales offers will come rolling in.

In terms of the interior it is always advisable to imagine yourself as a buyer and enter their thinking process. This naturally means that the first area to tackle is the entrance hallway. The easiest part of improving this area is to de-clutter as much as possible; a hallway that is cramped and resembles a jumble sale rather than a room is unlikely to be popular with buyers. Additionally by ensuring it is well lit and free from any odours will make it as welcoming as popular.

The kitchen is seen by many buyers to be the most important room in the house. Improving the kitchen however can be expensive if you opt for the complete refit. This does not have to be the case however; there are ways to update a tired looking kitchen that will not break the bank. By giving worktops a new coat of varnish, by painting the cupboards or even changing the handles it is possible to create a kitchen that looks wholly new. The result will be faster sales and greater impressed buyers.

Hopefully this article has given an insight into ways to speed up property sales. In these times of financial slowdown it is increasingly important to utilise these sorts of tactics with gusto. Fundamentally it is about making a home as presentable as possible, using a bit of psychology to enter the buyer’s mind is also helpful in the process. If this advice is remembered property sales should be readily forthcoming.

There is a secret to successful real estate investing that most successful investors don’t want you to know. Now, the secret that I am about to reveal to you is something that is so obvious and yet it is something that few investors know about. But, before I give you this little known real estate investing secret, let me give you some background information on who I am and why you should listen to me.

I’m famous for starting a home-based real estate investment business that generated over 3.2 million dollars in equity and cash profits for my syndication partners within our first 93 days through properties we had bought, contracted or assigned.

In 26 months we had transacted over 14 million dollars worth of real estate across 5 markets in North America, primarily from a laptop and BlackBerry® because of the benefits of real estate investment syndication, and the use of proven business-building processes. And, we did this with little risk.

Here’s One of My Secrets to Help You Close More Real Estate Deals in This Poor Real Estate Market, With Less Effort

The secret to closing more real estate deals right now is risk management. Now, investing in real estate is not without risks especially in today’s real estate market where many homes show for-rent and for-sale signs. And, it seems like these signs are there forever!

Restaurants are practically empty and many big chains like Steak and Ale have closed. Malls and shopping centers have many more open spaces for rent than in recent years. The economy is definitely in a pinch and many people are feeling it, especially those real estate investors who are investing the old way.

You see, old-hat real estate investing requires YOU to use your credit and for YOU to use your cash.

However, there are ways for savvy entrepreneurs to make a killing in today’s market!

You can make more money now in the “Perfect Real Estate Storm” than what even the most seasoned real estate professionals have ever seen in their lifetimes. But you have to find creative ways to minimize the risk when you invest in real estate whether you’re investing in commercial or residential properties.

This is where real estate investing syndication comes in.

What Is Real Estate Syndication and How It Will Help You

The idea of real estate syndication is pretty simple. I define it as matchmaking. Think about it: A matchmaker or dating service finds out the needs of two different parties and matches them up for a fee.

Real estate syndication is usually made up of investors who have money to invest in the real estate market but do not have the expertise required to close deals. They want to limit their exposure and minimize their risk and they do so by spreading their money amongst a number of deals and in a number of syndicates rather than just one.

You, as the real estate syndicator, put the deal together and receive a significant share of the profits (between 20% and 50%) without having to invest your own money. Using your real estate knowledge and negotiating skills, you will drive the whole real estate investing syndication business model forward and close more deals.

By operating this way you can:

* Become a major player in the market without risking any of your own capital
* Build a formidable reputation
* Do more deals by leveraging this concept
* Create a fortune for yourself without using your own money

In other words, when you transform your real estate investing business into a syndicator, you create a win/win/win for everyone involved.

More Specifically Real Estate Investing Syndication Allows You To:

1. Create a HIGHER VOLUME of deals without additional effort on your part

2. Generate a GREATR FREQUENCY of profit as syndicating your real estate investing business will enable you to systematize your business so deal making becomes a recurring cycle so you have a repeatable business model that grows geometrically

3. Get MORE done in LESS time to generate more profit

4. Produce MORE WEALTH with LITTLE RISK in a short period of time. (Remember, our business syndicated over 3 million dollars in real estate profits just 93 days.)

This is why syndicating investing is the ultimate way to close more real estate deals and make money fast. You can learn more about real estate syndicating simply by going to http://www.RealEstateSyndicationRiches.com and sign up for my new special report: 6 FIGURE Real Estate Syndication Secrets.

When you take the steps to syndicate your business correctly, you will build a 6-, 7- and even 8-figure real estate investing business. Just take a look at those who have also studied my techniques, and are growing their wealth rapidly. For example:

* Using real estate syndication, J. Benson of Toronto closed 3 deals in the last month and made more than 0,000 profit in 30 days!

* With just 10 hours of effort, Robert Beagle closed his first real estate deal and made over ,000 profit as a real estate syndicator!

* Thanks to real estate investing syndication, Tom and Claudette Cooke now have 0,000 in Private Money at their disposal and they’ve setup a business in another city they’ve never visited before!

You can experience these results if you arm yourself with the tools, information and resources you need to become a real estate investing syndicator.

Over the past few months there has been a lot written and publicized about Distressed Spanish Property sales and Spanish bank property repossessions with lots of different real estate companies making fantastic claims and fantastic offers. So what is the difference and more importantly given the choice between a distressed sale and Spanish bank repossession which represents the best value, well that probably depends on what type of property you are going to buy and what sort of budget you have to spend according to the Spanish property experts Spanish Hot Properties

“Firstly you have to understand the major difference between the two types of property sales. A Bank repossession is basically what it says on the tin where the bank has gone through the whole repossession process which includes hefty costs that are then added to the price of the property and nearly all Spanish banks are looking receive 100% of the total debt. With a distressed sale this happens before the bank goes to repossession and again by its very nature the owner needs to sell quickly with the main reason he needs to get the equity out of the house before the bank repossesses the property or the Owner desperately needs the money for another reason.  However the most acute distressed sales happen where the Owner has three months or less before the bank repossesses their property” explained Nick Stuart Managing Director of Spanish Hot Properties.

“Bank repossessions aren’t always good value because banks originally lent high loans to value and due to the practice of some mortgage brokers some people borrowed more than the purchase price and when you add the costs to the outstanding loan then there are very few bank repossessions under €500,000 in Costa del Sol that represent good value.  However as you start to go above that level then there becomes some very interesting properties.  A recent Villa sold for €715,000 in El Rosario was a good example of this as the property had a bank Valuation of €1.8m with a realistic value being €1.35m, however the property did need €100,000 spending on it but when the work is complete the new owner will have a property worth at least €1.5m that will have cost them €815,000.  With distressed sales the majority of these come at the bottom to middle end of the property market where the Owners are desperate to sell.  So in conclusion you are probably better off with a distressed sale if your budget is under €500,000 and as your budget increases then some Spanish bank repossessions start to become more interesting” commented Nick.

If you would like to find out more about distressed Spanish property sales in and Spanish bank repossessions then you should contact Spanish Hot Properties by either phone or email.

Though sometimes you may be tempted to go it alone in the consideration of selling your home, without a Realtor that is, there are many benefits to working with a professional agent. Your financial interests are significant and the consideration of working with a professional Surrey Realtor should not be one taken casually.  If you choose to go it alone and it is not  working well switch strategies sooner than later and hire a Surrey Realtor. No matter your decision, it’s important to carefully consider the following before making a decision one way or the other.

Your Surrey Realtor knows the area:

You may be new to the area or you may be a lifelong resident, but chances are good you don’t know as much about your area as the realtor. It is their job to know which new residential developments and businesses are coming in and how that affects you, which schools are the best for your needs, where the hot trendy neighborhoods are located if that is important to you. By working with a realtor in Surrey or anywhere for that matter, you will also be more likely to hear about available properties much sooner than you would on your own – possibly even before they hit the market – and that puts you at a competitive advantage over other buyers.

The Realtor you choose in Surrey has a network of other top professional agents:

Whether you need to sell your home or are looking to buy one, a realtor has plenty of connections to help you get the word out. Top agents work with other top agents. Top agents typically have fantastic systems in place within their business that help them get their new listings to each other fast. This means that if you are buying you will get access to new properties that hit the market faster and if you are selling – your property will be in front of other top agents and their buyers – fast. Top Realtors are active in their community and network actively every day. Thus they will likely be able to pair sellers with buyers faster and more accurately.

Your Realtor in Surrey likely has great marketing techniques:

While the open house is one example of a realtor’s marketing techniques, there are certainly many other techniques at the realtor’s disposal. Yard signs, web sites, face-to-face networking, internet marketing, social media and flyers or brochures are all among the tools a realtor might use to promote a property on the market. And don’t forget that realtors have the ability to get your property listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) immediately. This is important because over 85% of home buyers are shopping online first to determine whether they even want to visit the property or get further information. Top realtors can help home sellers and buyers access and get information out fast.

Your Surrey Realtor is affordable:

It may seem at first glance as though a realtor will cost home sellers and buyers more money out of pocket, but that’s simply not the case. The realtor’s commission will come out of the final profits off the sale of the house – and in the long run, sale price can be much higher anyway because the realtor is a professional negotiator. In the case of a realtor helping home buyers, there is no cost to the buyer at all. The commission for buyer’s agents also comes out of the seller’s final proceeds off the sale of the house. The buyer’s agent commission is, in fact, half of what the seller’s agent would have made off the sale. So working with a realtor can be very affordable while taking a lot of do-it-yourself pressure off individuals. Why not see what the market holds and get started with your Surrey Realtor today!