Real Investing

Got any leads?

Brandon writes:  How do I start finding leads for my first deal?

Do I need an LLC?

Aiden writes:  How should my real estate company be structured?

What are the best tax benefits for real estate?

Kristina writes: What are the best tax benefits associated with real estate investing?

What is the best marketing strategy for new investors?

Erica writes: What marketing campaigns are best for new investors?

How do I pick an exit strategy?

Natalie writes: Which is the best exit strategy for my real estate goals?

What is an ARV?

Rudy writes: What does After Repair Value mean?

Do investors need a license?

Jeff writes: Do I need a real estate license as an investor?

Financing your first deal

Jonathan: How do I finance the first real estate deal I find?

Advice for working with a private lender

Mike writes:  How Can You Take Advantage of Your Next Opportunity with a Private Money Lender?

Observations from a Mastermind

I am finishing up a trip to the Boardroom Mastermind by Kent Clothier.  I wanted to share my thoughts after hanging around with hundreds of entrepreneurs for the last 3 days.

How do I make more money?

Shirley writes: How Can I Maximize My Investment Property Profits?

How should I market?

Max writes:  What are the Most Effective Marketing Campaigns for New Investors?

What are the tax benefits of real estate investing?

Jacque writes:  Does Investing in Real Estate Result in Potential Tax Benefits?

How do you determine value?

Alex writes:  How Does One Determine the Value of an Investment Property?

Should I get a real estate license?

William writes: Is Getting a Real Estate License as an Investor Necessary?

Is the drop in mortgage demand something to worry about?

Eddie writes: Do you think the mortgage demand dropping to a 22 year low is significant to the market that is still considered a high demand housing market?

Does the Chinese economy impact the US real estate market?

Kenneth Writes: How might a possible economic collapse (real estate and banking) in China affect the real estate market in the United States?

Make sure you do what you say

I almost forgot this today.  It's embarrassing.  I've just had a lot going on.  I wanted to make sure I lived up to my example, and ultimately, that is my message to you!

Sell now or take on a long project?

Glenn writes: Do you think with recession, interest rates rising, etc. one should off load/assign instead of fix and flip? Ideally if I were to fix and flip, I would want this one to hit the market in March of next year. Thanks in advance

What do I list my house for?

Jennifer writes: How do I decide what I should list my house for, if I want it to sell fast?

How far will home values drop?

Terrence writes: How far will home values drop?

Are we in a buyer’s market?

Abigail writes: Are we in a buyer’s market? 

Why are rates going down?

Kevin writes: Why are interest rates on mortgages going down when the Fed rates are going up?

How do I get the best interest rate?

Ken writes:  I've bought 3 homes over the last 5 years and refinanced one. Every time, I get surprised by a higher interest rate than what I expect, when it's time to lock the rate. Can you share any thoughts about how to ensure you get the best interest rate or how to better understand what interest rate to expect?

How do I become a loan officer?

Maricela writes:  What would you suggest for first steps in becoming a loan officer?

Are hedge funds hiring?

Kevin writes:  Do you know if hedge funds are hiring?

Should I back off buying?

Nathan writes:  Is what you are seeing taking place like buyers backing out of contracts, less buyers overall and tons of price reductions a sign that I should back off?

What are my thoughts on the Real Estate Market?

Huy writes:  What is your thought about the RE market from now to year end. YOUR OWN THOUGHT based on the date you have researched? This is a great topic, and I really enjoyed covering FACTS about the real estate market!

How do you make money in real estate investing?

Emma writes:  How do you make money in real estate investing?

When should I refinance my low interest investment properties?

Sam writes: 2 of my investment properties have 30 year fixed rates in the mid 2's and low 3's. At what LTV does it make sense to cash out refi with these higher interest rates?

Fueling up my mind at Investor Fuel

This week, I attended a mastermind in Nashville.  It was a really good event with hundreds of attendees.  My good friend Mike Hambright is the host.  It was a great time in the market cycle to get to hang out with hundreds of active single family and multifamily investors from across the nation.   To sum it up, everyone is cautiously optimistic. Have a listen.

What is the difference between wholesaling and flipping?

19 Erin writes:  What is the difference between wholesaling and flipping?

Is owner financing a good investment strategy?

Quinton writes:  What is owner finance?  Would you recommend doing that as an investment strategy?

Should I use a general contractor on my flip?

Roberto writes:  I am going to buy a home with the intention of fixing up and then re-selling it.  How would you go about finding the right contractors?  I’ve heard so many horror stories about contractors not doing a good job or running off with people’s money.

Freaking out about home prices?

Mary writes:  I purchased a home a few months ago with solid comps showing $350 ARV.  Yesterday my realtor told me the ARV is looking more like $315.  I’m really freaking out – what should I do?

Are masterminds a good idea?

Jordan writes:  What do you think about master mind or real estate clubs?  Do they offer any value?

How do I become an equity partner?

Adam writes: My question is two-fold. I have an innate ability to find and negotiate deals with my team however, I do not have the capital or the experience to come in as an equity partner. Being that I can find deals that are lucrative for investors and their strategies, how can I come into the deals as an equity partner and how can I most effectively pitch that to investors when I do not have an established relationship or track record?

Is it time to sell?

Fouad write:  If the plan is to buy sell and cash flow real estate while holding, but you appreciate 500k in less than a year…do you sell?

How do you finance unconventional rentals?

Jeff writes:  How would you finance unconventional residential rentals (commercial) in this market?

Should I buy a mountain home?

Stephen writes: What is your view of investing in short term vacation home rentals (and using VRBO) versus longer term dwelling rentals? Assume 5 -10 year investment horizon and assume short term rental would be purchased in mountain area with both winter and summer attractions. Long term rental would be closer to home.

Do you sell when deprecation runs out?

Michael writes: As you hold a rental property you can deprecate it. Based on the accumulated depreciation over time would use that as an indicator of when to sell?

Are investors paying less in today's market?

Adam Writes:  To compensate for longer transaction times and declining ARVs. Are investors offering less on their percentage when making offers and how much less is it? This was a great question from Adam.

AirBnB your personal home as a house hack?

Ryan writes:  Do you think it’s a good idea for me to go living with my parents and make my home an Air BnB with the intent to save money and get into real estate investing?

Are there strategies for people without a lot of cash?

Jason finds himself in a spot where I think many of us have been.  Jason writes:   I don’t have a lot of cash in the bank – is there any strategy for me to purchase an investment property?

Is wholesaling a good way to build capital?

Derek wrote in, and had a great question:   Derek writes: Being a complete newbie to real estate investing I started with listening to podcast, reading blogs and forums and looking to network with others. My question is, would wholesaling being a good avenue to build capital so that I can venture into flipping and/or buy and hold opportunities?

What are ways to find a home without spending so much money in advertising?

Sara had a great question, that many investors struggle with when they get started.  She wrote: I hear a lot of investors spend thousands of dollars in advertising.  What are some ways I can find a home if I don’t feel comfortable spending so much in advertising?

Do you like the daisy chain model?

Blake writes: 1. Can I buy you lunch?  2. Do you like the daisy chain model?

Rental properties: Loans or free and clear?

Jeremy asked:  Why would you do a loan on a rental VS pay for it in full?  Is one plan better than another?  

If you had $100K, how would you invest?

Is It A Good Time To Buy?

Jennifer asked, is it still a good time to buy real estate?  Here is my answer, YES!  But, there are some things to consider.