How to Start Real Estate Investing and Hit the Ground Running
This article covers six dynamite real estate investing tips intended to help anyone just getting started in real estate investing to successfully launch and hit the ground running with real estate investment property.
1. Develop the Correct Attitude
To stand a chance of succeeding at real estate investing, foremost, you must understand that real estate investment is a business, and you will become the CEO of that business.
As your first order of business, then, it's crucial to develop the correct mind-set about investment real estate and be able to make this distinction between buying a home and investing in real estate:
"You buy a home to live and raise a family; you buy real estate investment property to pay for the home, live comfortably, and raise your family in style"
As one very successful real estate investor said, "Only women are beautiful, what are the numbers?" In other words, you will not succeed at real estate investing until you acknowledge that it's not curb appeal, amenities, floor plan, or neighborhood that should turn you on or off to the investment opportunity; what counts most is the property's financial performance.
2. Develop Meaningful Objectives
A meaningful set of (realistic) objectives that frames your investment strategy is one of the most important elements of successful investing. Yes, we may all desire to make millions of dollars from real estate investing, but fantasy is not the same as expressing specific goals and a method on how to achieve it.
Here are some suggestions:
How much cash are you willing to invest comfortably? What rate of return are you hoping to achieve by making the investment in real estate? Are you expecting instant cash flow, looking to make your money when the property is resold, or merely looking to achieve tax shelter benefits? How long are you planning to hold the property before you dispose of it? What amount of your own effort can you afford to contribute to the day-to-day operation of running the property? What net worth are you hoping investing will help you to achieve, and by when would you like to achieve it? What type of income property do you feel most comfortable owning, residential or commercial, or does it matter?
3. Develop Market Research
If you're new to real estate investing, you undoubtedly know little about investment real estate in your local market. So, do market research to learn as much as you can about income property values, rents, and occupancy rates in your area. The better prepared you are, the more likely you are to recognize a good (or bad) deal when you see it.
Here are some good resources:
(a) The local newspaper, (b) A local appraiser, (c) The county tax assessor, (d) A qualified local real estate professional, (e) A local property management company
4. Run the Numbers
I can't stress enough the importance of running the property's cash flow, rates of return, and profitability numbers. Remember, real estate investing is a business, and as the CEO of your investment enterprise, you've got to know what you're buying, especially if you're trying to determine which of several investment opportunities would be the most profitable.
You have two options:
(a) Invest in real estate investment software. This will enable you to discover for yourself the investment property's cash flow and rates of return, and create your own analysis reports. Plus, by running the numbers yourself, you gain a broader understanding of real estate investing nuances, and in turn might be less likely to fall victim to the wiles of someone with little concern about how you spend your money.
(b) At the very least, work with a real estate professional that has invested in real estate investment software and can calculate, present, and discuss the property's financial data with you.
5. Develop a Relationship with a Qualified Real Estate Professional
Working with a qualified real estate professional is a great way for beginners to get started with rental property investing because an astute professional can acquaint you with local market conditions, recommend a property that meets your investing objectives, and discuss strengths and weaknesses about specific property performance.
Here's a warning, however: Work with a real estate person who understands investment real estate.
Be sure the agent has a firm grip on key financial measures inherent to real estate investing, knows how to measure profitability and rate of return, has the ability to present the data you need to make wise investment decisions, and, most importantly, shows a genuine interest in how you spend your money. The last thing you want to do is to get involved with a real estate agent that would throw you under the bus just to make a commission.
Here's a good way to interview for an agent. Ask them for the property's cap rate and then request an APOD. If their response (even to these basics) is to stand there looking at you like a deer into the headlights of a car, find another agent.
6. Start Investing
Hopefully, this has given you some insight into real estate investing, highlighted a few things to make you a more prudent real estate investor, and perhaps alerted you to a couple of things that should be avoided.
Okay, that does it for us, now it's time for you to get started. Here's to your success.
Watch the video related to Real Estate Investing
Steve Cook offers a few quick tips to attendees on getting started in the flipping houses business.
Help answer the question about Real Estate Investing
How can I get started with real estate investing.?I have no money and poor credit. Is there really ways to get started in real estate investing with this situation. Also how do the tax sales in illinois and wisconsin work?
About Author
James Kobzeff is the developer of ProAPOD Real Estate Investment Software. Want to start working with rental property today? Discover how to create cash flow, rate of return, and profitability analysis presentations in minutes at => http://www.proapod.com
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September 1st, 2009 - 18:23
How do u do that effect?
September 1st, 2009 - 17:43
NO they are all scams – enlist the services of a realtor or real estate attorney and find a really smart mortgage broker who is a member of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. Several of those "get rich quick investing programs" are under investigation by the states and federal Attorney generals offices-
http://www.FTC.gov
September 1st, 2009 - 18:28
Have you heard of Robert Kiyosaki, who wrote a book called Rich Dad, Poor Dad? check out one of his books @ the library, read it, and then go signup up for RichDadWorld.com – there is free information there on how to start. Best of luck to you.
September 2nd, 2009 - 07:00
I think you should wait until you are able to be more aware of what is happening in that state you want to invest in. It's kind of like being blind to what's going on if you can't be there for a while. I think you should wait. The market will always have a favorable time again to buy if it changes.
September 2nd, 2009 - 17:04
Yes, you can, but if you have never owned real property previously, you need to learn a lot before you get started. You will be dealing with people who do this type of work day in and day out. You will be dealing with Mortgage companies, Title Companies, your County (taxes and deeds), as well as everyday people who might know more than you do. There are forms, contracts, not to mention home inspectors, etc …
If I were just starting out now in real estate, I would do these three things first -
1. Learn how things are done in your part of the world. This includes all of the paperwork involved.
2. Find out how much it really costs! Title companies charge more fees than just about any other business I have ever seen, but they are very good at what they do, you definitely get what you pay for. This is not the area to cut corners.
3. Make sure you don't overlook the best deals. When I started out, I worked the area within 10 miles of my home and missed out on a lot of opportunities. If I had been willing to do a little more driving, I probably could have had an easier time because I would not have been limiting myself geographically.
September 3rd, 2009 - 03:23
since each state has different laws and taxes, you did not say where.
i bought some apartments in pennsylvania years ago, very good return
and the write off each year is amazing. thing is, i have them very close to where i live so i can keep an eye on the maintenance and upkeep. i'm not a slum lord nor do i want to be.
i had a rental house in florida, but it was too much of a pain. when it was rented it was profitable but you need to count on Realtors to rent it and they never keep an eye on it after they get their 2 months.
no matter how bad the economy got, people still needed places to rent especially when they could not afford to buy. i am one of the few landlord that allow pets. sometimes that bites me in the butt, but in general people who would rather move than give up their pet, seem to be more responsible. my 6 apartments have been rented by the same people for the last 5 years…when i have a good tenant, i tend to lower their rent a few dollars, everyone is happy.
good luck…whatever you put your money in, keep an eye on it yourself.
September 3rd, 2009 - 03:29
Check out your local Real Estate investment Group ( http://www.reia.org/ )
or check out the Cashflow Clubs from Richdad.com
-Angela
http://www.ratraceclub.com
September 3rd, 2009 - 18:05
Your best bet are duplexes for rent or buying a house that needs a lot of cosmetic repairs. You just need to make sure you have enough money to pay the mortgage until it sells. The "real investors" purchase now and hold on until the market is high. Buy low, sell high pertains to real estate investor too. A real investor does not buy high and sell a little higher.
September 3rd, 2009 - 18:32
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September 4th, 2009 - 11:53
cash flow, cash flow, cash flow, cash flow and cash flow.
People that get into investment real estate hear all the stories about NO MONEY DOWN. But the problem is, that you lose money every month. Rents are less then expenses.
My rule of thumb is that my PITI equals 50 percent (or less) of my gross monthly rent. The other 50% is NOT profit, but covers up keep and other expenses.
On all my properties I have a positive cash flow and a ROI of around 14% per year (before taxes and tax breaks).
September 4th, 2009 - 19:03
Most government grants are in blighted areas where they want to spur rehabilitation of neighborhood properties. As far as I know there are no federal grants avalable unless you are revitalizing a property which will end up on the national register of historic properties, but these would have little to no profit potential due to the high cost of rehab to get the property to standards. The local programs generally only give 5-20k for help in rehabbing homes, but unfortunately come with so many strings attached that you will be begging them to take their money back just so you can get them out of your hair. Once you invite them in, you many times lose the grandfather clauses on any number of code requirements that have been put in place since the particular home was built and you have to spend as much if not more than the grant money to get the place up to the government standards that they require in exchange for the grant.
In my honest opinion, better to just get your own loan and go it alone….