Property Investing Secrets 8

Property Investing: A Buyer's Secret Weapon When Purchasing Real Estate

My friend, Roger, does property investing and is a licensed real estate agent. Recently he looked at a property in another state that was probably worth $225,000.

After some rapport building, the agent told him that he may be able to purchase the property for around $200,000. Roger loves property investing and he follows fundamental rules like doing his home work. He still thought the property was expensive and did not pursue it further. About a month later, Roger received a call from the real estate agent.

The agent said that the seller would probably now accept about $180,000. The agent explained that the seller had paid about $180,000 for the property eight years earlier and he just wanted to get his money back. Roger was surprized that the seller had not factored in costs of ownership.

It also happened to be April Fool's day and Roger sometimes he has an off beat sense of humour about property investing. He said to the agent, look tell the seller I'll pay $150,000. Roger also said he would sign a contract now and fax it to the agent immediately. After that was done the real estate agent rang him back the next day and said, "I can't believe it....you've bought the thing. Had I known he would have taken that price I would have bought it myself!"

There are a couple of lessons in this example. First do your homework when you're property investing. That means you know where bottom of the market it is-before you meet the real estate agent. Secondly, do some rapport building with an agent. Now some of you may be wondering how Roger could make an offer of $150,000 to the agent. Roger presented himself as a serious buyer.

Roger's secret weapon was that he didn't care whether he purchased the property or not. In fact when property investing he never gets emotionally involved. He told me he'll make an offer on a property, not caring whether he owns the real estate. This is a secret weapon of many accomplished property investors-thought at times it can be difficult to put in practice.

I've found when property investing that if a seller wants to sell to me today, when I make an offer it's the best I can do on that day. Just as Roger's best offer was $150,000. More often then not, this strategy will enable you to purchase property at a discount. Bottom line it's important not to get emotionally attached and chase real estate.

Rick Otton is the director of We Buy Houses Pty Ltd. He has been property investing full time for 14 years. Rick has completed over 351 property transactions in Australia and the United States.

Rick specialises in creating positive cash flow through a variety of strategies he perfected in the United States and adapted to Australian conditions. He sells home study courses on vendor finance, one year mentoring program as well as a yearly 3 day boot camp on the Gold Coast. Go to http://www.rickotton.com for more property investing information ring 1800 003 588 in Australia.

More than 40 states signed onto a proposed $25-billion deal with major mortgage servicers over faulty foreclosure practices. New York, Nevada and Delaware joined California in holding out for better terms.

More than 40 states signed onto a proposed $25-billion settlement with major mortgage servicers over faulty foreclosure procedures, but California, New York and other key states were still not among them.

California has until Monday to share in a multi-state deal with banks to obtain mortgage relief and reforms. Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris, who walked away from talks last year, says the door remains open.

With a Monday deadline at hand, California officials have resumed direct talks with the Obama administration about joining a multibillion-dollar, multi-state mortgage settlement with the nation's largest banks, a source said Sunday.

The talk show host pays $12 million for the 4,088-square-foot house with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The ocean-view home sits on 1.26 bluff-top acres with beach access.

In one of the more talked-about transactions in town, actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have sold their Malibu beach house to daytime host and comedian Ellen De Generes for $12 million.

The four-bedroom, five-bathroom house built in 1920 for industrialist James Wigmore lists for $2,875,000.

A decorative cast stone entrance opens to this restored Spanish Colonial Revival-style house in Pasadena's South Orange Grove area. Built in 1920 for industrialist James Wigmore, the house retains such original details as coffered wood ceilings and arched doorways.

They don't believe they can sell their property for what it's worth, so they're spending money on making their homes more comfortable.

Do you fit any of these descriptions?

A biennial research report by the National Assn. of Realtors indicates that a handful of real estate agents and brokers and their clients either don't know the law or don't care to follow it.

When it comes to lawsuits, real estate agents and brokers tangle mostly among themselves.

The president aims to help about 3.5 million people with good credit who are unable to refinance at historically low rates because their homes are worth less than their mortgages.

 

The White House hopes to help millions of homeowners lower their monthly mortgage bill with a $5 billion to $10 billion plan to set up a streamlined refinancing program for people who are current on their payments.

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index of 20 large U.S. cities fell 1.3% in November from October as foreclosures continue to drag down the housing market.

Three straight months of home-price declines in the biggest U.S. cities showed that foreclosures remain a significant drag on a housing market that is entering its fifth year of deterioration.

L.A. Clipper Chris Paul may be quick down the court, but he moves pretty fast when it comes to buying multimillion-dollar real estate too.