A Diamond Amongst the Coal – Making Money With Foreclosure Properties

May 8, 2008 by John Krajewski

You have been looking at that house on the corner for some time. You know that the previous owners moved out some time ago – something about the widow not being able to afford the payments after the spouse had died. Still, the house is in great shape, sits on a prime lot, and you know that now that it is in foreclosure, it might be very easy to buy the house for a sweet price.

Foreclosure properties spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E for banks and finance companies. When they foreclose on a home buyer, they are suddenly saddled with a property that isn’t making money. Every day it sits in the hands of the lender, the property is costing the bank money. Often, to minimize these losses, banks will happily settle for selling foreclosed property at a reduced price – often well below wholesale or market value. Because of this, foreclosure properties represent a boon for investment.

But why real estate investing? Studies prove that real estate investing involves less risk than typical stock market investing, for a similar annual return on the investment – about 7% to 10%. There is more direct control over the investment – for example, if you are using your investment as a rental property, you control the price of rent, the terms of the lease, and the type of tenants that get to move in. And it is tangible – not just pieces of paper saying you own a share in something. This idea appeals to many people. For these and other reasons, real estate investment remains one of the best ways to make money.

When looking at real estate investing with foreclosure property, it is always wise to do some homework ahead of time. Some properties may come with strings attached… and despite that nice price you may have gotten at auction, you may find yourself unpleasantly surprised when the responsibilities of liens, taxes owed, or other financial banes, land at your feet along with that SOLD sign. Read the fine print, the finer print, and then the finest print. Enter into the deal knowing where the pitfalls are, and have a plan in place to avoid them.

Finding real estate investment properties is fairly easy. Foreclosures are as easy to find as your local bank. Banks generally keep track of their foreclosed properties, and are usually more than happy to talk to a potential buyer about them. Alternately, consider enlisting the help of a real estate agent who also specializes in investment properties. They can save you valuable time, steering you toward the properties that have the characteristics you want, within your price range or budget. The right real estate agent may even be able to help you find traditional or more creative financing sources to help you seal the deal.

Real estate investing is profitable. While not a get-rich-quick scheme, real estate investments, particularly foreclosure investments, offer a respectable return with very little outflow of your own personal cash and is a solid foundation on which to build for the future.

Get your 7 FREE secrets to foreclosure investing by visiting-

http://www.4closuresecrets.com

 

Foreclosure Real Estate – What You Need to Know Before Investing

April 23, 2008 by John Krajewski

Real estate investing isn’t just for retirees looking to earn income. The promise of guaranteed earnings and the huge earning potential make REI one of the more popular ventures for many younger folks as well. With REI, the old adage of starting with the end in mind rings very true.

To begin, decide what type of REI you want to do before you ever look at your first house. Are you looking for a property to flip? Are you planning to renovate the property for some other use? Will you rent it out as an income-producing property? What kind of area are you looking to buy in – rural, urban, or suburban? Knowing which direction to head in will save you some time and help you find the professionals and funding that are right for you.

Once you know what type of real estate investment you want to make, start talking to area real estate agents. The right agent will know the market, and be able to offer guidance from an investment perspective. Depending of the type of REI you have chosen, a knowledgeable real estate agent will be able to help you quickly locate properties that fit your needs and your budget. Don’t be afraid to let the agents know you are talking to others… REI is a huge money-maker. The promise of commission on a huge sale will be more than enough to make the real estate agents compete for your business.

Once you have an idea of what’s out there for the type of real estate investment you want, start shopping around for financing. Have no credit or bad credit? Consider creative financing through private money lenders. PML’s are often the funding choice for companies and well established real estate investors. They offer flexible funding terms, and can also put up money fast … two very important things to keep in mind on deals that must close quickly. Otherwise, talk to banks and other financing companies to find out what’s out there. It is best to prequalify for funding before going house hunting. This will prevent headaches later for everyone!

Real estate investing is not as hard as people might have you believe. It does take research and persistence. The income potential is amazing… there are tons of true stories out there of everyday, normal people making thousands of dollars through REI. It is possible, and it can be you. If you do your homework, and master the basics, it won’t be long before people are reading your story of excellence and success.

Get your 7 free foreclosure invsting secrets and visit-

http://www.4closuresecrets.com

Foreclosure Investing – Minimal Upfront Costs Mean More Profit

April 14, 2008 by John Krajewski

We have all seen the commercials. In them, there is an everyday Joe who was so down and out that he didn’t know where the money for his bills was going to come from. Still, he purchased and followed in some multimillionaire’s easy x-step program and made tons of money in the real estate investing. Like most people, you probably kept flipping the channel, or kept the television on for the noise, meanwhile refusing to pay attention to that little voice inside asking if these people were for real. In truth, real estate investing can be a very profitable business. To be successful, all it takes is a little creativity, a willingness to do your homework and research, and planning. Think real estate investing might be for you? Read on…

One major type of real estate investing involves the purchase and resale of foreclosure properties. A foreclosure is the result of a property owner defaulting on a loan that is secured by his or her real estate. As a result of defaulting, the lending company takes over ownership of the land and/or home. This is not necessarily a good thing for the lender. Not only are they now saddled with a property that is not making them any money, but they have also lost funds due to the collection of the outstanding debt.

For the lending bank, holding on to foreclosed property is certainly not a good thing. Because of this, many banks are willing to sell the property in an attempt to reclaim some portion of the money they have lost. They are often ready and willing to deal with the foreclosure real estate investor, and will sell the home significantly below market value in the process. The investor can now choose the best way to profit from this, either through flipping the property or using it as an income-producing rental.

Foreclosure real estate investing can be very profitable over time. If you are worried about finding properties to invest in, consider going straight to the source: the banks. Many banks track their foreclosure properties in their own company databases, so real-time information is often a call or visit away. The internet is also a wonderful tool for finding foreclosure properties. Often these are listed for browsing, either for free or for a small fee, on many public websites. A simple search for foreclosure listings can reveal many properties in your area that might meet you specific needs.

For more great tips and FREE information on foreclosure/ and real estate investing,

get over to http://www.4closuresecrets.com

An Overview Of Foreclosure Real Estate Investing

April 3, 2008 by John Krajewski
Today’s economy is having a tremendous impact on the housing market. As cost of living expenses rise disproportionately with salary, many people are finding that they are living in houses they cannot afford. While perhaps an unfortunate experience for the homeowner, the investment potential for such a situation is astounding. For this reason, foreclosure real estate investing is gaining popularity in America.

Foreclosure real estate investing can be extremely profitable, if done correctly. Often it involves finding properties in foreclosure, and offering to acquire the property through what is known as the short sale. Short sales allow banks and other lien holders who have assumed ownership of a defaulted property to recover some of their potential losses. Through short sales, the potential buyer negotiates with the lien holders to purchase a property, often at a price well below the value of the property. In nearly all cases, the amount of the short sale doesn’t even cover the loan balance of the defaulted mortgage, a bonus for the foreclosure real estate investor.

Despite the loss of monies, there are some advantages to be had by the bank or lien-holding institution. A short sale guarantees a financial institution that at least some of the money from a defaulted mortgage loan will be recovered. A Loss Mitigation Department can negotiate the best deals to reduce the overall loss margin for the bank. Even with the loss of some funds, holding on to foreclosure properties can represent a huge liability to the financial institution. The recovery of any money is better than none at all, so the short sale is a way out, so to speak. The real estate investor wins.

Finding properties for foreclosure real estate investing is not difficult. Many listings can be located through online databases. Additionally, many financial institutions may advertise their foreclosed properties both in print and on the internet as a part of the institution’s site. The driven real estate investor recognizes that potential sales are everywhere, and uses all of his or her resources to locate short sale candidates.

Foreclosure real estate investing is a great opportunity for investors to obtain homes cheaply, and sell them again for large margins of profit. As with any type of investment, there are some risks involved. However, in today’s ‘Buyer’s Market,’ the benefits more than outweigh those risks. For the right person, foreclosure real estate investing is an excellent and secure way to invest.

To discover 7 FREE secrets to foreclosure investing visit my site at-

http://www.4closuresecrets.com

Finding The Best Foreclosure Properties

March 31, 2008 by John Krajewski
One of the biggest decisions in foreclosure real estate investing is what properties to go after, because it is one that will either make you tons of profits or leave you broke. The most successful real estate investors have an eye for spotting ‘diamonds in the rough’ – homes that have a fault that allows them to negotiate a good price for it, but that will go for much more once it is fixed and sold. The flaws in these properties can often be fixed quickly and cheaply, allowing the real estate investor to make a substantial profit.

You may be wondering “If it is so easy to fix the flaw and sell the home for a profit, then why doesn’t the person who owns the home do it themselves, instead of selling it to real estate investors for a lower price?” The answer is simple: The ‘people’ who own these properties are often banks. Banks don’t want to deal with fixing a small flaw just to resell the property for a small profit. They want to write it off, cut their losses, and wash their hands of it. Basically, they want to get what they can from it and not have to deal with it any longer. This means easy profits for those who have the time and means to fix up and sell the property. A $10,000 profit for a month’s worth of work is exciting for the Regular Joe, but for the bank … not so much.

There are three main property types that real estate investors look for:

1. Properties that need to be fixed up – In other words, they have cosmetic flaws that can be fixed with nails, a hammer, and some paint.

2. Properties that have a non-cosmetic flaw – A good example of this is a property that is in an undesirable location, such as situated in between two business establishments or near train tracks.

3. Properties that are located in slow-moving markets – Although they may not be slow-moving forever, banks aren’t going to want to wait for the market to improve; they just want to get rid of these properties now.

Remember, finding the right property is key when it comes to making an easy profit. The more time you invest into finding your ‘diamond in the rough’, the more money you can make from your effort.

Claim your 7 free secrets to foreclosure investing by clicking on the link below-

http://www.4closuresecrets.com

Foreclosure financing techniques

March 7, 2008 by John Krajewski
Financing options for foreclosure investors are not in short supply. On the contrary, there are a variety of options – both traditional and more creative – for foreclosure investors to choose from. There are many people who would like to try their hand at foreclosure real estate investing, but feel held back by their lack of financing. They wrongly assume that having the cash outright or taking out a large mortgage are their only options available to them. In this article, we will explore the top 5 foreclosure financing options – that touch both creative and traditional approaches.1. Make payments on the sellers mortgage in order to get it current and out of the pre-foreclosure phase. You can then have the loan transferred into your name and take over future payments. To go this route, you have to contact the home owner before the property goes into foreclosure and is sold at auction.2. If you have an investment that you can borrow against, such as a life insurance policy or a retirement fund, it is a great way to get a large sum of money without taking out a traditional bank loan, dipping into your savings, or risking a high-value asset such as your home.

3. If a large loan is out of your reach due to credit problems, you may still be able to get approved for several smaller loans. If you take them all out within days of each other, you can secure them all before they start to hit your credit report and affect your eligibility for other loans. Plus, paying all of these loans off will help your overall credit situation immensely.

4. If you own a home, you can use the equity you have in it to secure funds through a home equity loan. Since you are using your home to guarantee the loan, you will have an easier time with the approval process, than you might if you tried to take out an unsecured personal loan.

5. Lastly, if you can’t secure financing on your own, then it may be a good idea to find a partner who has the assets, credit, or cash to help you finance your properties. You will have to split your profits, but you will still be making your share of money off of each deal.

Although these are great options to choose from, they are not the only ones available to you. There are many other financing options out there to explore and the more time you take to explore each of these options, the easier it will be to discover which financing options are best for your investment strategy. Choose the right financing options and you could make a killing in the foreclosure real estate market.

Discover  free secrets to foreclosure investing at my

webite- http://www.4closuresecrets.com

Foreclosure REI: Why Now is the Right Time to Invest

February 28, 2008 by John Krajewski

When it comes to real estate investment options, the decision to invest in foreclosure properties is always a sound choice, even under the best market conditions; however, currently foreclosure properties may be an even better choice for profitable real estate investment than ever before. The reason: rising foreclosure rates.
It all comes down to supply and demand. The lower foreclosure rates are, the quicker real estate investors need to be in order to snap up the most profitable properties before they lose them to competing investors. On the other hand, a growing foreclosure rate means that there are more properties to choose from, more to invest in, and more great properties to go around. There is less competition among investors, which means more profit with less headaches and stress for those investing in foreclosure properties.
There are two ways to invest in these properties:
1. Finding a list of properties that are in pre-foreclosure phase (those in default with three or more missed payments) and approaching the owner of each property before the foreclosure process begins. This is a method that is chosen by real estate investors because it not only gives them first dibs on the property, but also allows them to help save a family from the foreclosure process.
2. Cutting a deal with the lending bank after a property has been put into foreclosure, but before it is put on the auction block. This is a method that is chosen by investors because they want to get the property without direct competition in an auction setting, but also feel more comfortable dealing with the bank instead of the person who owned the property.
3. Waiting until properties are up for sale via bank auction and going up against competing investors and others who are looking to get a great deal on a good property. This is a method chosen by real estate investors because it assures them the lowest price possible – if they aren’t outbid. Over the rest of the year, and possibly well into next, the foreclosure real estate market will continue to increase in these types of properties as people from all walks of life and all income levels continue to lose their home to the foreclosure process. This will no doubt pave the way for aspiring real estate investors to get into the game with little risk, as properties that are both cheap and highly profitable become more and more common

For a more in depth look at foreclosure investing visit my website at

http://www.4closuresecrets.com

Foreclosures/networking/ and marketing

November 21, 2007 by John Krajewski

Wow, everyday I see a new column in the paper about foreclosures, and now it seems to be the topic on our newscasts as well. As a real – estate investor this can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the strategy I implement. If someone is thinking of buying a foreclosure and flipping it, now may not be the best time. (depends of course on your local market). As for myself I am in a buy and hold pattern and continually strive to grow my fellow investor database. Networking is huge in this business and I am constantly striving to learn more about it!! I also have to put a lot of thought into building a huge retail buyer list, and I market for buyers every day. Daily marketing is an essential part of any business, a fact that has taken a while for me to absorb!! If  anyone is looking to network, has any comments on networking forums, events, or ideas please comment. Take a moment to check out my website at  www.investorjohn.com to join a worldwide investor network.  If you have interest in investing in foreclosures get over to  www.4closuresecrets.com  I will continue to post about my marketing strategies as well as my networking ideas.