Even though each person has different tastes and outlooks, some properties should be avoided at all cost. While you may think that the price is good, or the house is charming, you will find that other aspects will cause you no end of misery. Therefore, you should consider the inconveniences associated with the following traits in mind before you purchase or rent properties that have them.

Characteristic 1: Ground Floor or Lower Apartments

Typically, apartments located on the ground floor of a building tend to be cheaper. Aside from being darker, ground floor rooms also tend to be damper. If the area is often subject to flash flooding, you are likely to find that these rooms, and everything in them will be affected. In many cases, landlords also tend to put trash bins and other items below windows at the ground floor. You are also likely to find that ground floor apartments are broken into more often. Even if the windows have metal grilles over them, you will run a higher risk of theft and other problems. Finally, there is no question that you will always hear stomping and noise from upstairs neighbours. (more…)

Buyers look for extras or amenities when they purchase a house. Aside from the bedrooms, living area, kitchen and bathrooms, they would appreciate surprises. The question is, should you install a pool to attract buyers and add value to your property? The answer depends on your market. Most would say that a pool would attract buyers because homeowners would want to have a swim any time they want.

However, not all homebuyers have this in mind. Sure, it is inviting to be able to relax at any moment they want. But potential buyers would want to avoid other issues relating to pools. This is especially true with families with young children. There has been a growing incidence of children drowning due to accidents in pools at home.

The safety issues in having swimming pools can even decrease the number of buyers who will be interested in your house. There are just several ways that children and even pets can injure themselves in the pool. Although there are some safety structures available today, many parents are not taking their chances. This is not a good idea to have as well especially if you are living in a community where there are many children. They can sneak in your backyard and swim. Potential buyers do not like the idea of being responsible for any accidents that may occur.

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If you’ve recently attended a tax sale with the hopes of buying tax properties for just the delinquent taxes owed, you probably left empty-handed. Many people research properties and show up at the tax sale without realizing they stand next to no chance of getting their desired properties. Large companies with teams of lawyers and full-time researchers attend these sales and buy up all the good properties– and because they have more money, they can afford to make a smaller return on their money. You’re virtually guaranteed to be outbid, every time.

The truth is, buying tax properties at tax sale is probably the worst way for the average investor to buy tax property. Even if you are successful in bidding, in most states you won’t be able to take possession of the property for at least a year. This is because the tax commissioner or other tax authority generally gives the delinquent owner a year or more to resolve their tax issue. In some states, you have to wait as long as five years before you get the deed or can foreclose!

It’s disheartening, but you’ll be happy to know there is a much simpler way to buy tax properties, without ever attending a tax sale– by purchasing these properties directly from the delinquent owner, just before they are about to lose the property permanently.

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At many of my real estate seminars I am often asked the question “what does it take to become a successful real estate investor?” More specifically what are the intangibles that separate successful real estate investors from their less successful counterpart’s? If I had to boil it down to three components it would be knowledge, systems, and action.

Flipping Homes Intangible #1: Knowledge
Knowledge is power. This statement is paramount in its application to real estate investing. In the real estate game, the most knowledgeable players are always the most successful. Knowledgeable investors thrive on information and they are consistently seeking and finding resources to improve their knowledge base. The information they seek is specialized knowledge, the finer details you might say, within the niche in which they operate. If you do not continue to acquire knowledge at a rapid pace, you will fall behind the curve. To stay on the cutting edge in any field you must continually seek new information. With the ever changing real estate market, those who are educated will always be in a better position to succeed. (more…)

I have fielded many, many inquiries in the past few months asking me the same question: Why should I buy a Single Tenant Net Leased real estate investment when I see these troubled assets selling for pennies on the dollar? Ask yourself this question: do I have the time and talent to handle all the issues attached to a foreclosed/distressed property and what is my tolerance for risk?

Let’s use an example – You are interested in an income producing property that is in trouble for any number of reasons, and believe that if only you owned the asset you could turn it around and make it work. Here are the critical issues of which you need to be aware and the timeline in a typical foreclosure proceeding:

The lender initiates a Complaint for Foreclosure of its mortgage interest. The bank obtains a judicial lien report from a title company which discloses all the liens and encumbrances such as taxes, other mortgages, mechanic’s liens, etc. 30 – 45 days. (more…)

Traditionally, the twin benefits of investing in property are capital appreciation and rental returns. Capital appreciation is significantly dependent on how good are the rental returns. Thus, the issues of capital appreciation and rental returns are intertwined.

Another important point to be considered while investing in properties like shopping mall and shop houses is human traffic. It makes sense to study before investing what type of crowd will be attracted towards the rental property you want to buy. This will give the buyer a fairly good idea of the value of the property. The rule is simple, the higher the human traffic, the greater are the possibilities of appreciation of the property. Even rental value will depend on this factor.

It also makes sense to acquire knowledge about future development plans in your area. To have a fair idea of developments in the near future, it is advisable to network with property developers and real estate agents. One can also acquire a good understanding of this business by reading reputed magazines related to real estate investing. (more…)