Real Estate Marketing BlogReal Estate Internet Great Marketing Blog. The blog for real estate investors and professionals who represent the best real estate in the world.
Whether you're an experienced real estate investor or a newbie, we'll help you learn the marketing required to grow above and beyond the competition.
The Future of Internet Advertising and MarketingWhy advertise in a declining market? Why spend more money to reach fewer people? Traditional advertising, in today’s highly competitive market, has proven to be insufficient in helping many small businesses grow. Newspaper and Yellow Pages readerships continue to decline, while their cost to run ads are increasing. We guarantee that your average placement for relevant Google searches will be on the first page of the Google search results. It is estimated there are over 29 billion web pages in the world today all trying to connect to someone. About half of all American businesses have a website because they realize the need for an online presence but most don’t know how to drive customers to their website. The real question is not do you have a website, but how are you driving customers to it? How can your products and services stand out in your local market when your customers are online? Introducing AdzZoo. AdzZoo is fast becoming a leading provider of internet marketing campaigns for small-to-mid-sized companies. While other advertising mediums continue to decline, the internet has continued to grow. AdzZoo offers local businesses a vehicle for reaching a desired geographic market without blowing the budget. AdzZoo is dedicated to helping local businesses reconnect with their local markets while offering a rewarding business opportunity to our Campaign Directors and Sales Representatives. Our goal in becoming a leading industry provider of affordable internet advertising campaigns for small to mid-size businesses, begins with our commitment to you, our clients. As your business becomes our business, AdzZoo goes to work to ensure that each internet marketing attempt achieves maximum reach and frequency. Visit us at http://www.AdzZoo.org for more information. REIA - List of real estate investor associations across the United StatesREIA - List of the real estate investor associations in the Atlanta, Georgia area and across the United States Search Engine Optimization, Mistakes, and SolutionsSearch Engine Optimization, Mistakes, and Solutions Permalink -- click for full blog post "Search Engine Optimization, Mistakes, and Solutions" Taxes Will Skyrocket – Hello Rental Property!Last week, two local, successful businessmen asked to meet with me. After learning of President Obama's (and the Democrats in Congress) plan to dramatically increase taxes for the purpose of stealing money from America's achievers and giving it America's parasites, they had some questions about the tax benefits that come with owning rental property. After our meeting, I realized that there are probably a good number of business owners who may suddenly be very interested in sheltering their hard-earned income from the steal-every- cent-they- can politicians. Normally, when people think about rental property, they only think about the perceived negatives – tenants destroying the property, not paying their rent on time, etc. Most folks fail to realize all the advantages that come with owning rental property. First and foremost, you have an appreciating asset for which someone else (the tenant) is paying. In addition, because the government is such a terrible landlord – look at any government housing project – they pay (with tax incentives) hard-working citizens to provide housing to folks who would otherwise be homeless. These hard-working citizens are called real estate investors! What types of tax incentives are offered to these investors? First, you are able to deduct the mortgage interest. Second, you are able to depreciate the property over 27.5 years – even though, in most cases, the property actually increases in value. Third, the net profit from rent isn't taxed as earned income. Instead, it is taxed at the much lower long-term capital gains rate. Fourth, you are able to write off all repairs made to the property. Fifth, you are able to write off all improvements you make to the property over a number of years. Sixth, if you find a property you like better, and you follow the rules, you can exchange into the better property with absolutely no tax implications! Seventh – and this is THE BEST reason to own rental property – your tenant is the one paying the house off and giving you all these benefits! The guys I met with loved these benefits, but they weren't thrilled with the idea of finding or managing rental property. No problem. Real estate deals can be broken into the following parts: Growth, Income, Amortization, Profits, Management, Tax Benefits and Use. By dividing these up, win-win deals can be structured. Bottom line: With the coming massive tax increases, consider partnering with successful business owners to create win-win deals! NOTE: Naturally, everyone's tax situation is different. Being such, the folks you partner with should first meet with their CPA to make sure they can take advantage of all the tax benefits. Bill and Kim Cook live in Adairsville, Georgia. They have been successfully investing in real estate since 1995 and write a weekly real estate investing newspaper column. http://www.reioutpost.com/index.html Internet - Web Site and Internet Marketing for Real Estate ProfessionalsWeb Site and Internet Marketing - Increasing Traffic and Visibility in the Internet Accelerate Earnings, Ways To Accelerate Your Earnings During Economic SlowdownAccelerate Earnings - Ways To Accelerate Your Earnings During An Economic Slowdown The Yellow LetterThe Yellow Letter Permalink -- click for full blog post "The Yellow Letter" Realtors Are from Pluto, Investors Are from UranusNorth Metro REIA - Successful real estate investors association in Bartow County, Georgia. (NorthMetroREIA.com). Investors see realtors as nothing but a bunch of they-won't-present- my-offer, deal-killing, I-want-my-full- commission- no-matter- what sales weasels. On the other hand, realtors think investors are nothing but a bunch of low-ball-offering, commission-cutting, money-grubbing, scum-sucking- bottom-dwellers. Ah, a match made in heaven! (Sigh) Here's the main problem Plutonians and Uranusites have: It's a Plutonian's job to sell real estate. It's a Uranusite's job to buy (and hopefully keep as rental property) real estate. You see, right from the start they see themselves on opposite sides of the buy-sell fence. To take up for Plutonians – and this is hard for me to do after having been called a "scum sucker from Uranus" by a good number of them – their job is critical to the real estate industry. I hate selling real estate – that's a realtor's job. All the calls, showings and buyer's questions – it drives me nuts! Let me do what I do best – go out and creatively structure win-win deals with sellers. Now, to take up for Uranusites – the wisest and best-looking species in the solar system – they can make deals work that no one else can. It's sad seeing such a huge number of homes going into foreclosure each month. Even sadder, most homeowners – or realtors representing homeowners – never call a Uranusite to ask whether the foreclosure can be stopped. Why not call? This is exactly what Uranusites do best! Upside down? No problem, let's do a Short Sale. Need a fast closing? No problem, let's do a Subject-To deal. House in terrible condition? No problem, let's get it rehabbed and flipped. Can't find a lender? No problem, let's get a private money lender. Truth is, we're NOT on opposite sides of the fence. Plutonians and Uranusites are both working toward the same goal – solving the seller's real estate problem. The sooner both species understand this, the sooner we can all get busy cleaning up this real estate mess! One last thing: Hey, Plutonians, can we switch planets for awhile? When I hear the word "Uranusite," I think of something terrible that can be caught by swimming naked in the Nile River. Bill and Kim Cook live in Adairsville, Georgia. They've been investing in real estate since 1995 and write a weekly real estate investing column. http://www.reioutpost.com/index.html Real Estate Postcards - Postcards that Get You More Leads, Listings, and SalesReal Estate Postcards - Postcards that Get You More Leads, More Listings, and More Sales! Direct Mail CampaignDirect Mail Campaign Permalink -- click for full blog post "Direct Mail Campaign" Marketing Is A Four-Letter Word!Effective marketing is as much about consistency and repetition as anything else. Once you’ve settled on your message, then you’ve got to get it out multiple times to each prospect. Web Site Content - WhyEvery week I'm asked to look at business Web sites and tell the owners why they're not getting the results they want. Some of these sites are straightforward brochures, others are e-commerce catalogs, and some are those direct-mail-style pitches reminiscent of old mail-order magazine subscription schemes. Some have incorporated do-it-yourself audio and video, and some even have such media professionally produced... but, still, the results stink. Why? 'The Close' Is Always Found in 'The Why' Certainly part of the problem stems from a very narrow definition of what a Web site is: by casting your site in terms of a brochure, catalog, e-commerce-site, blog, or portal, you are falling into the trap of concentrating on "The What" rather than "The Why." This focus on "The What" is exacerbated by some search engine optimization techniques intended to drive traffic rather than to brand product, sell services, or convert traffic into customers. Traffic is important, but converting that traffic into paying customers is more important. Even the best and brightest search engine optimizers will tell you that their job is to deliver traffic, not orders—closing the deal is your job, and anybody who tells you that closing can be done by means of some automatic never-touched-by-human-hands method is just plain nuts. What you want to be careful of is search-engine tactics and second-rate media that actually get in the way of effectively delivering your marketing message—of telling your business story, creating a memorable brand image, and above all generating profitable business clients. Web Video Is a Presentation-Marketing Strategy If you pay any attention to what's going on, you must be aware of the shift in Web thinking and the acceptance of Web video as a fundamental Web-marketing tool. But like most things, there is a right way and a whole bunch of wrong ways to do it. Web video is a presentation-marketing strategy, and its strength and power come from its ability to overcome the Web's natural sterile, isolationist environment by incorporating verbal and non-verbal human elements that effectively deliver bold, well-crafted memorable messages. Can a Web-video campaign cure everything that's wrong with your company, or even your sales department's deficiencies? Of course not. But the right message based on "The Why" using appropriate, cost-effective presentation techniques can position your business, brand your product, and generate sales leads. Foreclosure Market Report
U.S. Foreclosure Market Report for 2008:
Here's a look at the U.S. cities that were hit the hardest in the bust:
Will economy improve in 2009?
By Joel Furfari "Is it a difficult year? I don't know, but it's a very important year," the founder and former director of Georgia State University's Economic Forecasting Center told the group of real estate developers during its annual meeting at the Atlanta Marriott Gwinnett Place in Duluth. Georgia During his approximately 20 minute speech, Ratajczak discussed the underlying problems that caused the economic crisis in 2008 and said he predicts the U.S. economy will continue to shrink until the third quarter of 2009, when it will show tiny growth. Still, plenty of bad news could be coming down the pipeline, Ratajczak says. He told the audience that the financial crisis is being addressed in Washington, but that unemployment will continue to grow this year. "We have a strong feeling that we've seen the worst of the shocks – but we still have to absorb those shocks," he says. Ratajczak told the Council's members that he predicts a 5.8% drop in the GDP during the fourth quarter of 2008, a 3.4% drop in first quarter of 2009, a 1.2% drop in the second quarter of 2009 and then a miniscule .75% rate of growth in the third quarter. What went wrong? For example Ratajczak points out that mortgage companies were issuing adjustable-rate mortgages that lenders knew would be refinanced, allowing them to pocket highly profitable pre-payment penalties. "We didn't actually realize how significant these financial shenanigans were in driving up real estate prices," he says, adding that betting on continuous price appreciation was "a bad game." Other targets of Ratajczak's ire were the credit rating industry and the now-infamous credit default swaps, which are complex credit derivatives that act like insurance but avoid many of the regulations governing traditional insurance. "The halo of regulation didn't protect all these activities, which we found out too late," he says. Why be optimistic? Ideally, the bailouts will help supply the economy with credit and infrastructure programs will make the economy more efficient in the long-term. Ratajczak admits this is a serious recession, but another depression it isn't. "During the Great Depression we allowed the collapse of banks and the
collapse of credit markets," he says. "Now we're fighting diligently against
that."
Commercial Real Estate - How to Start and Create a Commercial Real Estate EmpireCommercial Real Estate - How to Start and Create a Commercial Real Estate Empire Self Directed IRA - Investing options include Real Estate IRA InvestmentsSelf Directed IRA - Self Directed Real Estate IRA Information Effective Marketing Strategies for Real Estate InvestorsEffective Marketing Strategies for Real Estate Investors and Professionals Permalink -- click for full blog post "Effective Marketing Strategies for Real Estate Investors" Real Estate Training and Study Programs Diversified for Real Estate InvestorsReal Estate Training Programs Recommended for Serious Investors, Agents, and Professionals. Unwanted Houses
Recently we received a call from a very motivated seller that was desperately trying to sell. The same week I received a phone call from another seller in the exact same situation. Both of the sellers were desperate to sell due to a tenant situation. People that cannot sell their houses, decide to rent them out and as a result they become inexperienced landlords. These sellers are not the type of landlords that are in the business of making monthly cash flow. They are owners that may have an extra house that couldn’t afford to make the second house payment, so they decided to rent it out, making it the only solution that seemed available. With the current downturn in the real estate marketplace for sellers and with lack of management of tenants, many home owners are desperate because now they are upside down in a property that needs enormous amount of work, not to mention the possible eviction of their current tenants and other holding costs. They are frustrated and mad of the rental business and come begging to get out from under these houses that they've rented. Some of the owners are now facing foreclosure, while others have just witnessed their tenants completely destroyed their homes. There is hope for this home owners. You could still make money easily with these types of deals even though they appear to have no equity by short selling or taking subject to the existing loan. Your first step as an investor is to get as much info from the seller to start the purchase process. We bought one of these two homes, using a short sale process. The house was behind over 3 months and it had a second $22K. Using the "Subject To" technique, we bought it and requested a discount of the second for $1,500. The house is worth $150K and it has a first mortgage of $132K. What made this house a good deal was that the first mortgage has payments of $773 (PITI) at 30 years and it is 5 years already into it. This particular house needed little repairs. For exit strategy, we sold on lease purchase asking $3K down and payments of
$1,100. Loan-modification firms subpoenaed. Companies may be preying on desperate homeowners.All are based in California. Such companies may be preying on desperate homeowners. By Margaret Jackson The Denver Post Learning about Real Estate Investing
I'm often asked, "What's the best way to learn about real estate investing?" Well, it depends. Some folks learn best by reading manuals and studying theory. Others learn better by getting their hands dirty. Since I don't read very well, if I want to learn about something, I like getting my hands dirty and talking with been-there-and-done-that people. I started looking into foreclosures and REO's properties. Because I've had experience with carpentry, I decided to be a rehabber. Well I bought an ugly property and started remodeling so I could rent it and get all my money back (in 30 years?). Instead of jumping into something that I didn't know much about, I decided to first get educated. Reading books is easy but the problem is that it has little information about marketing, legalities, etc. and there is no one you can talk to for questions. I took it a step further and started attending real estate seminars and had the opportunity to talk with many "gurus". Education gets many years of bad experiences and allows you to accelerate the way you buy properties correctly. Remember, when learning about real estate investing, nothing takes the place of talking to an experienced, successful real estate investor who invests in your area! Assist your local REIA meetings to find these resources. Be advised that the traveling "shows" that regularly come to town claiming that you can become a millionaire real estate investor by the end of the month, while only working ten minutes a week, are full of bolony! Success takes time, persistence and hard work – it ain't an instant-win lottery ticket! Hope this helps you to see the steps we took to learn a new way to invest in
real estate. How to Knock on a Seller's Door
There's something about knocking on the door of someone who is trying to sell their home that terrifies people. Folks mistakenly think that the seller will fling open the door, scream, "Go away!" and then slam the door! Truth is, sellers are delighted to see you. Heck, if they had their way, twenty potential buyers would stop by each day until their house is sold. Sadly, especially these days, most sellers haven't seen a potential buyer in months. First, when going to the door, don't worry about what you are wearing. Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable. Second, when you go to the door, don't carry anything, (like a notebook or papers) in your hands. It makes you look like a salesman. Remember: You're not SELLING anything. You are the BUYER! At the door, ring the bell and knock on the door. Often, the doorbell can't be heard or is broken but a knock can be felt. As soon as you ring and knock, immediately walk about twenty feet away from the door. This means you'll be standing in the yard. Why do this? So the homeowner will feel safe and comfortable. If you, a perfect stranger, are standing at the door, the homeowner is more likely to feel crowded and keep the door shut. It's hard communicating through a closed door. If you back away, the seller is more likely to open the door and come out on the stoop. When the owner comes out, you say, "Hi, my name is _____________. I see your house is for sale. I'm looking for a house in this area. Would you mind telling me about yours"? The seller usually answers, "What would you like to know?" I ask about the price, number of bedrooms, and why they are wanting to sell, etc. Before I can get all of my questions answered, eight out of ten sellers ask if I would like to see the inside. I usually answer, "Would you mind?" and in I go. If you will give door-knocking a try, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how
nice sellers are, I promise! Subject To Real EstateSubject To Real Estate and Programs Permalink -- click for full blog post "Subject To Real Estate" Other Methods of Lead GenerationOther Methods of Lead Generation and Finding Sellers Permalink -- click for full blog post "Other Methods of Lead Generation" Finding leads - More Tips To Help You Find Motivated Sellers!Finding leads - More Tips To Help You Find Motivated Sellers! Real Estate Deadly Mistakes You Can AvoidDeadly Mistakes You Can Avoid in Real Estate and your Business Permalink -- click for full blog post "Real Estate Deadly Mistakes You Can Avoid" Real Estate Bandit Signs for InvestorsReal Estate Bandit Signs for Investors Permalink -- click for full blog post "Real Estate Bandit Signs for Investors" Website BloggingWebsite Blogging Permalink -- click for full blog post "Website Blogging" Ways to buy Foreclosure HomesThree Ways to Buy Foreclosure Property With a record number of foreclosures hitting the market, lots of folks are asking us how to buy foreclosure property. There are three methods we use: 1. We buy pre-foreclosure 2. At the foreclosure auction 3. From the lender if the property doesn't sell at auction (a.k.a. REO property) Out of the three methods, buying pre-foreclosure is BY FAR our favorite! It gives us the opportunity to structure a win-win deal with the seller. We are also able to use more of the deal-structuring tools in our real estate investing toolbox. Think of it this way: If we are able to buy a property pre-foreclosure, because it is a true sale, the homeowner prevents his record from being permanently tarnished. In addition, we're able to use a wide variety of deal-structuring techniques to buy the property such as: Short Sales, Subject To deals, owner carry-back financing, etc. One thing: Because you must meet face-to-face with sellers, buying pre-foreclosure can be the most difficult way to buy distressed property. Most would-be investors, because they don't know what to do or say to homeowners, are terrified of this method. Know that, as it is with everything, with time, experience and education, you will get better. The second way to buy foreclosure property is at the foreclosure auction. Though we have bought a good number of properties at the auction, it is our least favorite way to buy because there is only one way to structure the deal – use a big dang hammer! In other words, you have to put cash on the barrelhead. No financing, no terms, no creativity, just 100% cash or certified funds. Yuck! This brings us to the third way to buy foreclosures. Because of the number of homes going back to lenders at the auction, buying REO property (Real Estate Owned or bank-owned property) is coming on strong as a great way to find a pennies-on-the- dollar deal. Just last month, we bought an REO single-family property in Atlanta, Georgia for only $30,000. Sure, the house needs about $15K rehab. Still, $30,000 for a house in Atlanta worth $125,000 – what a great deal! Why are REOs quickly becoming THE way to buy investment real estate? With banks tightening up on lending, most investors can no longer get funds to buy at auction. This means that many of the properties are going back to the lenders unsold! Problem is, lenders are in the money-loaning business, not the home-owning business. For this reason, after the auction, many lenders are willing to deeply discount their REO property in order to get it off their books. For the record, because of the number of unsold homes sitting on the market, this is an incredible time to be buying investment real estate!
Creating business cards for your real estate investing businessCreating business cards for real estate investing business that work! Foreclosures and How to Work with Home OwnersForeclosures and How to Work with Home Owners Permalink -- click for full blog post "Foreclosures and How to Work with Home Owners" Marketing Using Real Estate FlyersReal estate flyers and marketing flyers provide everything you need to effectively market your business for you. Permalink -- click for full blog post "Marketing Using Real Estate Flyers" Quit Claim Deed vs. Warranty DeedWhen you're in the process of selling (or purchasing) a house, you will most likely, encounter several kinds of documents: all with different names and with different uses and functions. Two of the most misunderstood documents are the warranty deed and the quit claim deed. Many think that these two forms are alike, but they are not. A warranty deed is a document which the seller presents to you and is used in majority of all sales transactions. The warranty deed simply states that the seller owns the property being sold and that it is free from any sort of liens. By presenting a warranty deed, the buyer is assured that the holder of the title has the legal right to transfer ownership of the unit and is assured that no one (financial institution or other creditors) would come after him to make a claim on the property. In the eventuality that someone does lays claim to the property that has just been purchased (or that the claims stated in the warranty is erroneous), the buyer is further protected by law, and would be entitled to receive a form of compensation. Warranty deeds seldom stand alone as these documents are usually backed up by a title insurance policy. A quitclaim deed, on the other hand, is presented to a buyer by someone who does not necessarily own the property being sold, but holds responsibility for it. This occurs due to several reasons such as when the owner dies and bequeaths the property to one of his heirs, or when there is a marriage and the owner wants to include the name of his/her spouse to the title (among others). A quitclaim deed offers a lower level of protection to buyers. This kind of document is used primarily when the property in question will just stay within a family. Incidentally, there are times when both a warranty deed and a quitclaim deed are presented to a potential buyer. An example is when the property lies on the border of rivers and or lakes; where ownership of the underwater land on which his property stands on remains unclear. If you are unsure which kind of deed works best for your property, consult a real estate agent or a real estate lawyer. Get A Free Credit Report
We've all seen the ads for free credit reports in our email and on various websites. But are most free credit report offers real? Unfortunately, most are not actually free. In fact, most require a monthly credit monitoring or other fee one that most people really don't need. Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACT Act) consumers can request and obtain a free credit report once every 12 months from each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
To get your copy, visit http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com and you can order your credit report online. Or if you prefer, you can make your request by phone or mail. Other websites that claim to offer free credit reports free credit scores or free credit monitoring are not part of the legally mandated free annual credit report program. What should you do if you find any wrong or damaging information on your credit report? Contact the credit bureau that issued the report in
writing (you can also file a dispute online.) Be specific about what you think
should be removed, and provide an explanation. One way to monitor your own credit throughout the year is to order one credit report at a time, wait a few months, then order the next. While not all creditors report to each of the 3 major credit bureaus, this will give you a good idea about any changes in your credit. What about your credit score? Unfortunately, your credit score is not considered a part of your free credit report, and must be purchased separately. In most cases you do not need to order your credit score frequently, although it is a good idea to know your score before you apply for any major credit purchases. Does credit repair work? Credit repair does work. The credit reporting agencies must remove any items that are incorrect. And there is nothing that prevents you from disputing any item on your credit report that you consider to be damaging. While the credit reporting agencies have no obligation to remove any items just because it hurts your credit, many individuals are able to get damaging items removed from their credit report, and improve their credit score, just by asking for the item to be verified. But be careful there are many companies that will charge you a fee, basically to do what you can do on your own. And beware of any company that offers to create a new identity or credit file for you, as this is fraud, and can get YOU in trouble. Estimate the Market Value of a PropertyOften people fail to make a profit from property investment when they do not understand the true market value of their chosen property, both in terms of resale and rental income. Investors hoping to purchase a run-down home or off-plan development and sell it on at profit when the work is complete; a practice known as flipping, are often caught out by over-inflated prices or under-estimated renovation costs. On the other hand, lease-purchase investors can be seduced by suggestions of high rental values and then disappointed when these do not materialize. Whether you're planning to flip a property or lease-purchase, it is important to ensure that you do not pay over the odds, as money saved on the purchase price will lower your mortgage costs and increase your profit margin. Understanding the local market One of the best ways to estimate the potential value of a property is to understand the local market. Fortunately there are a number of tools to help you do this: Use the internet - Zillow.com now provide information on all properties sold in the United States. Through this you can access information on the property's value, public and loan info. Remember this information will not be up-to-date, but it may give you a broad idea of what the current owner paid. Browse estate agent listings - Using the internet and local papers, you can soon get an idea of the market value for different types of property in the area. It is also worth arranging a couple of viewings, allowing you to make suitable comparisons when you have decided on a place to purchase. If you are planning to lease-purchase, it is also worthwhile speaking to a few investors or real estate agents to try and gauge the general rental prices expected. Again rental listings on the internet and in local papers will help to verify the amounts tenants will be prepared to pay. Once you have decided on a property and feel confident that it reflects the true market value, it is advisable to carry out a full inspection with an real estate inspector. Although it is not a requirement for mortgage lenders to inspect the property, the inspector will look at inaccessible parts (such as the roof, floors and drains), in case that there may be a serious defect. By having a inspection, they will be able to identify such defaults and advise on the potential cost of repair Unfortunately there is no silver bullet approach to accurately valuing property and one of the secrets to running a profitable property business is investing time and money to ensure your buy your property at the right price. What happens when sellers call ! ! !
What do you do when a seller calls? If you are new to real estate investing, the first thing you do is simple – << PANIC >> !!! I still remember the first time I got a call from a seller. Because I had no idea what to say, all the seller heard was static. When I finally talked, I stuttered my head off – I sounded like M-M-Mel Tillis. When the call ended, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die! Truth is, there is not a real way to handle a seller's call. Some investors have a seller's call go to a voice mailbox. Others have the call go to a live operator. I think that if someone took the time to call, I should give them the courtesy of talking with them. Here's another difference among investors: What to say to the seller on the phone. Many gurus provide some type of detailed seller contact form. They instruct their students, that when a seller calls, to ask each question on that form. The goal is to determine whether the seller is a motivated seller. The thought is this: If a seller isn't motivated, why waste time meeting with him? Although this sometimes truth I do it slightly different. When a seller calls, I only want to know three things: 1) What is your name? 2) Where is the address of the house? 3) And how motivated are you? Why don't I fill out an elaborate contact form? Experts say that 90% of communication is non-verbal. If this is true, then it means that when you talk to a seller on the phone, you're missing 90% of what the seller is saying. How can you be a successful investor if you're missing 90% of the conversation? With this thought in mind, most of the time is best to meet with the seller face-to-face. Here are two bonuses that come from meeting with non-motivated sellers: 1. The seller is likely to remember you. Therefore, if three months go by and his house still hasn't sold, he may turn into a motivated seller! If this happens, who do you think he is more likely to call – you or someone he talked to on the phone? 2. Three months after meeting with you, the seller bumps in to a friend who is desperate to sell. Who do you think he'll tell his friend to call – you or a guy he talked to on the phone? Just remember, if you want to be a successful real estate investor, you have to meet with a lot of sellers on a regular basis!
Real Estate Auctions TipsThe popularity of real estate auctions are growing in the USA. Commercial and residential property are available to upper and middle class people. No longer is being wealthy a prerequisite of having the ability to bid on property. Why are real estate auctions so popular? This is something you should investigate before you commit to your first auction. Some believe that both buyer and seller are benefiting from such auctions. It is a fact, the popularity a real estate auction will drive up the sales price. As the seller, you can determine the selling date of your home. This means, if you are currently sitting in a home valued at $235,000 and the opportunity arises for you to get your hands on a newer home because of a builder's buy-out sale, you can place your home in a real estate auction and know it will sell. It won't be long before you are packing up the kids, the dog, and moving into your new home. When real estate property values are down, the easiest way to unload a home is with a real estate auction. You can work a real estate auction as an independent auction company who obtains its own properties to sell or a partner with a real estate broker who provides you with properties to sell. The benefit of being an independent is a full commission. Some states require that you have a realtor's license. If you attend an auction, I would recommend following the guidelines of that state. You will more and likely invest some capital into marketing your services to home sellers or real estate firms. The most work you'll do is what has to be accomplished through advertising. Working a real estate auction is really a comfortable way of selling properties. There is not protocol to attending, except for the real estate license, and it is up to you how much money you can make. Great Marketing Techniques
Here are five successful marketing techniques you can use to increase sales. All of them are simple and they're effective for building any businesses. 1. Keep Adding Something New Adding a new product or service to the list of those you already offer usually produces a big increase in sales. The added product increases your sales in 3 different ways: a. It attracts new customers who were not interested in your
current products and services. 2. Become a Valuable Resource 3. Separate Yourself from Your Competition Determine the unique advantage you offer to customers that your competitors do not offer. Promote that advantage in all of your advertising. Give your prospects a reason to do business with you instead of with your competition and you'll automatically get more sales. 4. Promote the End Result For example, car buyers want convenient transportation with a certain image.
Dental patients want healthy and good-looking teeth without suffering any pain.
Business opportunity seekers want personal and financial freedom for themselves
and their family. 5. Anticipate Change Expect change and prepare for it. Don't wait until your income declines to take action. Develop the habit of looking for early signs that something is changing. Then confront it before you start to lose business. Wholesale Flipping Houses - How to Locate Wholesale PropertiesWholesale Flipping Houses - How to Locate Wholesale Properties Real Estate Terminology, Terms & Definitions - Investing GlossaryReal Estate Terminology, Terms & Definitions - Investing Glossary
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