Important Property Investment Secrets

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There are times in your life when you have the opportunity of getting really good advice that has the potential of changing your life and to give you the encouragement to achieve your dreams. I recommend that you investigate the full potential of investing in property and perhaps if you are serious about changing your financial future then you may consider taking some really good advice from the experts. Once you have received all the necessary information, then you can make an educated decision about whether this is for you and if so, avoid making all the most common property investing mistakes that could lose you a fair bit of money in the process and not have the need to say if only I had have taken some advice.

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Six Property Terminologies Every Investor Should Know

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By Elly Graham

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Important Property Investment Secrets
I am aware there are a lot of real estate investors who say that they will go it alone with their property investing and that they know how it is done, but these people tend to make many if not all of the most common property investing mistakes, which has the potential to lead them to either financial ruin, or else they may be totally oblivious to the money they are losing along the way, through ignorance. Do you want to retire early and have a fun and exciting life with lots of investment properties in your portfolio? Just imagine what it would be like for you if at the end of your property journey you have loads of cash to live a life of freedom with no money worries. Let's investigate and consider the following real estate investing strategies.

STRATEGY 1: MAKE A PLAN

The first thing that is very important is that you need a plan. In other words have a big dream, know where you are going and start mapping out where you want to be. It is so important to have a goal to work towards, therefore:

1. Set goals
2. Develop a plan for achieving those goals
3. Remain focused and take action on implementing your plan.

With clearly defined goals you can easily devise a plan and with an end result in mind you can easily work towards your dream. This dream must be your dream and not someone else's this will ensure you stay focused and motivated at all times even when things may not be going quite as planned. However in order to turn your dreams into reality consistent action is required. And a plan will enable you to do so and can be achieved by following these steps:

1. Set your property goals and write them down.
2. Set a time-frame for your goals.
3. Identify the things you need to do to achieve your goals and put these into little bite size pieces.
4. Take immediate action and remember to review your plan on a regular basis to make sure you are on track.

STRATEGY 2 - GET A MENTOR

It would be a good idea not to ask family and friends unless they are expert property investors. I would recommend that when it comes to financial decisions and investment planning you need a proper coach. Just think about all the famous sports stars and millionaire identities and you will realise one important thing about them and that is, one of the reasons these people are mega-rich and successful is because they all have a mentor or coach. They fully understand that seeking the personal guidance of those who are experts in their field to assist them in getting to the next level. A mentor is accessible to you either in person or through books and you can be in contact with them either by email and phone calls or else you can follow them around by attending their seminars or talks.
Mentors use their experience and knowledge to guide and motivate you towards the goals you set yourself and generally they are happy to do so encouraging you to reach for the stars and often assist you to get out of your comfort zone and move you to the next level of success. They are happy to support you every step you take on your journey to the top! In order to find a mentor you need to start by keeping your eyes and ears open to identify the best people from whom you can learn professionally. Funny thing, when you seek you will find. No point in saying who will mentor me and why would they anyway? Simply be on the lookout and ask lot of questions. Find a mentor that has a good reputation and who has a proven track record a real estate investor and has built long term wealth, obviously, someone you look up to and is successful in the field.

STRATEGY 3 - FIND A REALLY GOOD PROPERTY INVESTING NETWORK

Align yourself with a property investing network or group consisting of experienced people and professionals. Here are some simple measures you might want to take to help you easily identify a good Network.

1. Find out what the network, are they ethical do they share your core values.
2. Check and ensure those professionals in the network are all registered in their field of expertise.
3. Speak with other property investors to find out the reputation of the property network and get the network to provide you with testimonies from past clients.
4. Make sure to conduct your research into any information the network provides you.

These measures will go a long way in protecting you and help you identify the best advice and support that you can find.

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STRATEGY 4 - DO NOT LISTEN TO NEGATIVE FRIENDS AND FAMILY

Although friends and family may have your best intentions at heart the advice they give is not always the best for achieving your personal goals and realising your dreams. Therefore you would be well advised to:

1. Remember your personal and financial position will be quite different from others therefore you may want to consider this when someone gives you advice based on their own financial position.
2. Think twice about taking advice from someone who has made bad financial decisions.
3. Be aware of the area of expertise your advice giver has and see how that relates to the advice they are giving.
4. Only ever take advice from people who have already achieved the goals that you are aiming for as these are the people with the experience to help you navigate any obstacles you will face.
5. Refer back to your investment plan and be sure to keep on track.
6. Find yourself an experienced property investor to act as your guide and mentor and keep abreast of the current property market.

STRATEGY 5 - DO YOUR HOMEWORK

You are taking the right step in reading articles such as this one, we are in the age where timely, accurate information is a highly prized and sought after but remember that information is always changing. To be confident in all your investment decisions you need to have instant access to relevant, up-to-date information obtained from reliable sources. Keep in mind also that you will always find what you are looking for therefore look for positive things about the property investment market don't look for negative because there are always people out there with negative input and negative experiences. As with most things, information gathering and analysis is a time-consuming process. It also requires a certain level of expertise to be able to sift through all available information to find which is relevant to your requirements. In an age where we are constantly bombarded by information from all angles, this activity can become overwhelming and coupled with our everyday responsibilities such as family, jobs and social activities the tendency is to drop the ball. Therefore to learn from the experiences of others it would be recommended to:

1. Always investigate every opportunity before investing.
2. Ensure you have every detail of the investment thoroughly explained.
3. Ensure you understand your legal documents and that they are accurate.
4. Once you have secured your properties then continue to conduct your due diligence remembering that your investment is your responsibility and only yours so you will then not point the finger at others if things go wrong.

STRATEGY 6 - ENSURE YOUR REAL ESTATE INVESTING STRATEGY IS DONE FROM THE HEAD AND NOT THE HEART.

In other words, investing has nothing to do with emotions and everything to do with financial returns. For instance it does not matter if you prefer to live in a quiet country lane or in an older house away from railway stations, big malls and entertainment. You are not going to live in it - it is an investment and you have to look at it from that point of view. Good idea for instance to purchase your property when everyone else is selling and sell when everyone is buying! Remember: it's all about your return on investment - let the figures and supportive information do the talking and not your personal preferences. Therefore:

1. Obtain and assess relevant information.
2. Refer to your investment plan.
3. Never lose sight of the reason you are investing, to make money - preferably loads!!

If you have read Robert Kiyosaki's bestselling book 'Rich Dad, Poor Dad' you will understand that profit is made at the time of buying and realised at the point of selling! The housing market can go up as well as down and when the market is on a downward trend you need not worry so long as you hold on to your property for the long term. Do not do what the majority of people do which is sell.

1. Adopt the purchasing at below the 10% below market value mindset whenever possible.
2. Look into wholesale real estate investing, e.g., direct from the developer.
3. Sharpen up your negotiating skills. Read Donald Trumps' bestseller 'The Art of The Deal', get good assistance with finding the ideal property and close the deal.
4. Do not sell; remember this is a long-term investment; use your current property as equity to purchase the next property, or else if you sell only do so to purchase another property or appreciating asset.

Right - you are now one step away from being well ahead of the pack. Final Word: Follow these strategies, the earlier in life the better and one day you too will have your name listed above with the mega rich and very successful real estate investors and have for yourself long-term wealth. You will find the above strategies a very good start to see you safely on your way to success so take your newly obtained knowledge and have the edge on others: 'Knowledge is power but only when combined with action!' Start today, right now and take the necessary actions required, go on it isn't as hard as you think it is.
Author Elly Graham is a mentor who provides free information, she has a mentor too, Jim Downs, Author Appreciating Assets. Elly provides support and guidance on personal development and personal empowerment for people looking into property investment advice

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How to Buy Your First Rental Property

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By A. Kappauf

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Due to the present economy and the low prices on homes, the time to buy rentals could not be better. 99.9% of everyone interviewed who has rental properties say that there are some headaches that come with renting out properties, however, they all added that the positive aspects of having rental properties far outweighs these headaches. Now the question is how does one go about getting into this type of business?

The most important first step to real estate investing is to explore why you want to do this. What is your primary goal? Is the goal to pay off debt? Is the goal to bring in income to live off of during your retirement years? Is the goal money for college? There are many reasons why you might want to be a real estate investor, and whatever the reason, you must understand and stay focused on this goal. As stated above, it is not always going to be smooth sailing, but if you keep focused on the goal at hand, it will help you get through some of the hard times as they arise.

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The next step is to figure out how you are going to actually buy the rental property. Although many people put in an offer and then try to find financing, it is much more efficient to visit a mortgage broker or lending institution and get pre-qualified for a loan. Find out in advance how much they are willing to loan you, and what the down payment requirement is. This will allow you to have a general idea of your targeted price range, which will save you time because you can simply ignore properties that are too expensive for your financial position. A good rule to remember is that if you can put at least 20% down you have a better chance of obtaining the loan.

Next, decide on your location. Make sure that the area you have chosen has growth potential. If not, then go look at another area. There are many issues to consider in this step, such as, is it possible to change the rental property from a single to multiple dwelling property? Like I mentioned previously, there are many foreclosed homes at this time that are selling below market value, so you must always ask yourself if a given property can be purchased at a bargain price. You will also want to consider whether or not you going to able to increase the rent annually, as well as the impact that small improvements might have on the property values within the neighborhood.

The final step is to get a good real estate agent and start checking out actual properties. Your agent will send you MLS listings, which you can then run the numbers on to see which ones make financial sense. You can then have your agent schedule physical property showings for those listings in which the preliminary numbers look good. Also, get in the habit of always soliciting feedback from your agent, as he or she will ideally have a lot of experience. Your agent can give you good tips on the best locations, as well as property pitfalls to avoid. Good luck and happy investing!

Visit free-rental-property-investing-info.com for free landlord forms, tools, and no-hype educational info focusing solely on investing in rental property. Browse topics like how to find good landlord insurance, how to buy property, how to be an effective landlord, and much more.

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2012 is set to be a year of many changes, including many new trends continuing to evolve in the world of real estate investing. So what can we expect in the new year and how can real estate investors stay ahead of the curve? Government Programs It is quite likely that we will see a new round of government initiatives or two before the 2012 Presidential Election.

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The Future Of Real Estate Investing In 2012

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By Duane Ortega
2012 is set to be a year of many changes, including many new trends continuing to evolve in the world of real estate investing. So what can we expect in the new year and how can real estate investors stay ahead of the curve?

Government Programs

It is quite likely that we will see a new round of government initiatives or two before the 2012 Presidential Election. However, as with the last few they are unlikely to directly help many homeowners and if anything will further restrict conventional mortgage lending rather than loosen it up. Perhaps the one exception is the FHA extension of the waiver of the 90 day rule. This investors can continue to flip houses with ease to new buyers who can use low down payment financing immediately.

Inventory

Inventory levels should continue to decline, despite a final clear out of the remaining foreclosures in the works right now. Banks will continue their strategies to maintain rising home prices and a continued uptick will balance new listings. However, in many parts of the country real estate investors will find the shortage of REOs and short sales continues. This will mean needing to work with major bulk REO buyers to get a hold of a significant amount of wholesale properties, meaning that forging new contacts and partnerships now is critical.

Growth

The current improvements in the US housing market are likely to continue and expand exponentially. Home ownership will continue to rise gradually and new confidence from US buyers should offset any slow down in demand from foreign investors who see their own local markets turning around too. As far as hot spots go, coastal resort areas and cities with the best job markets should produce the highest returns. Among the top picks for 2012 are New York, Miami, San Francisco, San Jose and Washington.

Mortgage Lending

With conventional mortgages still hard to get, especially for higher priced properties we will probably see more growth in lower price ranges. As real estate investors become more aware of the availability of transactional funding and focus more of their marketing on attracting buyers, transactional lenders will likely be among the biggest winners in the new year.

Marketing

Marketing will see some of the biggest swings for real estate investors throughout 2012. Investors should not just be sitting down to plan out budgets and dates for next year's marketing but focusing on developing more permission based and mobile marketing initiatives as well as local search. Trying to catch up on new trends next year is going to mean an uphill battle. The time to start developing is now so that the huge number of cash rich buyers at tax time can be cashed in on.

Duane Ortega has been enabling real estate investors to increase their volume and make real profits from real estate in both good times and bad over the last 10 years with no hassle transactional funding through http://www.BestTransactionFunding.com.

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Lesser Known Real Estate Investments

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Lesser Known Real Estate Investments

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By Juhlin Youlien

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Ever since the 1940's the world of real estate has consistently seen small but steady increases in value each year. Real estate is a legal term for property possessed by an individual as part of their "estate" that is "real" or tangible and is fixed like the land, the landscape, the fencing and other permanent fixtures. Because real estate has been a dependable asset, more and more investors have invested part of their portfolio in real estate. The most common type of investment is buying rental property. Renters pay a rent to live in property owned by the investor and they usually will pay enough for the owner to pay the mortgage, the taxes, the repairs, and other home expenses. Although renting is the most common and popular form of real estate investing, it is not the only.

A solid way to try and down play the negative side of renting, which is a lot of one on one contact with the tenants, doing the repairs, finding renters to fill a vacancy, is to be part of a investment group. A real estate investment group is a group of investors who want to be involved in the property world but do not want to have the usual negative side of renting. The group is a company that will pool the investors money and then buy a block of homes, condos and apartments and divide the properties up fairly according to the share that the different investors invest. The return is cumulative so even if one of the condos that is under the investors name is vacant, the money will still be delivered to the investor. The groups company will be in charge of the repairs, the renting out of vacancies and the other detailed work management must do.

Another type of investor is the property trader. Trading in property can be a risky venture. Trading real estate is comparable to a stock market day trader who is mostly gambling that stocks they buy low will increase during the day and that stocks they short sale on will lose value during the day. This is opposite from any investor who wishes to make money in the long run. A real estate trader is someone who buys a home or land with the intention of selling it quickly. They are called flippers because they flip a home. Flipping is only successful when a home is purchased that is greatly undervalued and can be resold at a high price. It also works when the market is extremely good and the prices are increasing by the day and month. The problem comes when the two scenarios don't pan out and the investor is committed to an expensive enterprise and they have no way of getting out of it and are sunk by the fact that they do not have long term ability to make mortgage payments and keep the house a float. The other type of trader are those who buy homes that are by no means over priced and they renovate them and fix them up and then resale them at a higher price and make money.

This article is brought to you by Juhlin Youlien who writes articles about Paradise Valley AZ homes and Fountain Hills Real Estate. Paradise Valley real estate is the premier real estate in Arizona.

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Smart Guide to Investment Property

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Source: www.moneymanager.com.au

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Buying a small apartment to rent out can be a good way to accumulate funds so you can eventually buy your own place, in an area where you want to live.
What you'll learn in this step: Sensible investments in property residential or non-residential have many benefits, including capital growth.
Property has been a popular route to wealth for many Australians for many years.
Buying their own home is often the first investment many people make; purchasing another property may well be the second even before shares and other assets.
But your first investment in property neednt be your home.
Indeed, buying a small apartment to rent out can be a good way to accumulate funds so you can eventually buy your own place, in an area where you want to live.
Increasing numbers of young Australians are choosing this route, buying in one suburb while renting in a more desirable and expensive area or living at home for a while longer.
Still others are diversifying into non-residential property via property trusts and syndicates.
Sensible investments in property have many attractions.
Property can be less volatile than shares though not always and it tends to be regarded as a safe haven when other assets are declining in value.
It has the potential to generate capital growth (an increase in the value of your asset) as well as rental income.
Then theres the tax advantages associated with negative gearing (more about that later).
However, as with any investment, there are no guarantees.
Property prices go down, as well as up, and sometimes tenants are hard to find especially good ones who pay on time and take care of your investment.
Investors need to have a keen awareness of the interest rate environment how higher rates might affect their expected net return and the market for their property should they wish to sell.
They also need to make sure the return or yield from their property stands up against the return they might have achieved had they invested in shares, for example.
Of course, you dont have to make a direct investment in property.
Pooling your funds with other investors in managed funds with a property focus, listed property trusts or property syndicates provides exposure to a broader range of property including commercial, industrial and retail as well as residential often with a smaller investment required.
Many financial advisers would argue that too many Australians let direct investment in residential property dominate their portfolios.
In theory and this is far from reality for most people property should account for perhaps 10 per cent of an investment portfolio.

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Concepts:  investment, Smart Guide, loans, buying, funds, shares, font, savings, FINANCE, assets, Australians, property trusts, syndicates, rent, portfolios.

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Investment Property Jargon Explained - CAP Rates

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By Ian F. Campbell

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If you are looking to buy some investment property you are sure to meet a barrage of jargon, from R.O.I. to A.P.R., to capitalization rates to net operating income.

Finding your way round the accountant-speak is essential if you are going to plan your property purchase thoroughly.

Doing a little research could make a big difference to the rental income you can achieve or the capital gain you can expect, two important factors for any investment property.

Of course, you could pay a financial adviser, lawyer or notary to do all the work for you, but it's actually not that complicated and this short investment property glossary series should help as a reference guide.

In each part we look at a different piece of investment property jargon. In this, the first in the series, we look at CAP or Capitalization Rates.

CAP or Capitalization Rates

CAP or Capitalization Rates are a way of calculating how fast an investment property will pay for itself. The higher it is, the quicker you make your money back.

The first step is to work out the sales price, if you have bought the property already you can just use the total price you paid for the investment property including closing costs and other fees.

If you haven't bought it yet, use the asking price and add your expected costs.

The next step is to calculate the property's Net Operating Income (N.O.I.). Take the monthly rent that you hope to charge and times it by 12 months, to work out the annual rental income.

Next, work out the monthly operating expenses per month and also multiply them by to find the yearly cost. Then, simply subtract the operating expenses from the rent total to find the Net Operating Income or N.O.I.

When listing expenses be sure to include everything, including maintenance, reserve fund, trusts fees (if applicable), association fees, reserve fund, management, property taxes, insurance, etc.

Finally, all you need to do is take the N.O.I., divide it by the investment property price and multiply by 100 to turn it into a percentage.

Let's take an example: if you think you can rent your property for $3,000 per month, then your annual income would be 12 x $3,000 = $36,000.

Then, if your expenses are $600 per month, that would be $7,200 per year and your N.O.I. would be $36,000 - $7,200 = $28,800.

Divide 28,800 by the purchase price, say $300,000, multiply it by 100 and you find your CAP rate is 9.6%.

This CAP rate is essential for comparing the profitability for your choices of investment property.

Article by Ian F. Campbell at Investment Properties Mexico, experts in Mexico real estate.

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Visit their website to find out more about the what Mexico can offer you in terms of investment property.

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Six Rules When Buying an Investment Property

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By Mark A Walker

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Investing in properties is a good way to make money and build up your net worth. It is a very safe option of getting rich over the long term, as real estate values generally increase over time. However, returns are not very fast and you have to wait for considerable time before you make substantial money from real estate. To make the most of your investment into real estate, follow the six simple rules below.

1. Use Your Expertise and Knowledge

When purchasing investment property, look into your areas expertise and knowledge. Do you know about vacation homes, single-family homes, multi-family buildings, or commercial properties? You should know how and when to sell the property to earn the highest returns. If you are unaware of all rules and regulations relating to that property type, you may not be able to sell the property at a high profit.

2. Study Your Options

It is not essential to sell an investment property immediately after purchase. You can hold on to your investment until real estate values increase and then sell the property. Sometimes, it is best to bide your time and wait for real estate booms to sell and earn good profits on your investment. Another opportunity is to make suitable renovations and sell the property at an escalated price to earn very good returns. Property values increase over time and net worth of your investment increases. You can invest in real estate to receive a regular income from rent while you are waiting for property values to rise.

3. Consider the Benefits of the Location

Purchase your investment property in an area experiencing higher growth than other local areas. Inspect properties in different areas and choose those that satisfy necessary requirements. If you plan to invest in the property for several years, look into how the area will develop in the next few years and whether you can receive desired returns. You should have sufficient foresight and knowledge of the area.

Visit local councils and research what developments are happening in the vicinity in the near future. Drive around and scout for development and other area investments. Check the property is located near essential amenities like schools, hospitals, banks, transport, and supermarkets.

4. Reflect on Rental Demand

Your investment property yields good returns if there is sufficient rental demand for the property. Renters should be interested in renting the property. Normally, rental demand is high in densely populated areas like cities. Countryside locations do not have high demand and rental income could be substantially less.

5. Buy Property for Less than the Current Value

If you want to make money from real estate investing, choose properties that are being sold for less than the current market value. These properties may not be in the best shape and condition, so plan to incur repair and renovation costs. Before buying, hire a renovation consultant or home inspector to evaluate the cost of all repairs and renovations. Decide on the purchase price after deducting all additional costs. Ensure you can make a good profit when you sell the property after the renovation is complete.

6. Gather Financial Support

Investment property purchase requires strong financing. You may not be able to pool the entire cost, so consider the options for property loans. Assess all your mortgage options, so that you do not have excessive burden of repayments. If you are renting the property, apply the rent directly to the mortgage. Select a mortgage that can be repaid from the sale of property without additional fees or penalties for early repayment, especially if you plan to resell the property quickly.

Real estate investing for profit is a good option to earn money if you are an educated real estate investor. Investing in real estate is wise and can give even conservative investors high returns in the long-term. Renting the property while waiting for the best time to sell will increase your current income and cover the mortgage repayment costs.

Real estate is a complicated market. Even more so thanks to economic slips and slides.

The best way to survive it is to save thousands buying a home. We've got the ultimate inside scoop on http://www.EdmontonHomesBlog.com.

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11 Things You Want in Real Estate Investment Software

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Real Estate Investment Software

11 Things You Want in Real Estate Investment Software

By James Kobzeff

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Real estate investment software is one of the best tools real estate investors and professionals can use to analyze and evaluate multifamily property.

Here's why.

Good real estate investment software provides the forms, makes the computations, and creates the reports required for a real estate analysis. Any user (experienced or not) can create professional-quality rental property reports for a myriad of reasons, such as decision-making, or as property presentations to buyers, sellers, colleagues, partners, or to lenders. All within minutes.

Moreover, real estate investing is all about the numbers. Therefore, real estate investors who are considering real estate investment opportunities look for and make their investment decisions based upon the bottom line. So real estate investment software becomes an essential tool for real estate analysis because it provides quick and concise cash flow, rate of return, and property valuation numbers.

Though most real estate analysts prefer to buy real estate investment software, it should be pointed out, though, that you do have other options.

You can, for instance, scratch out the numbers with a pad and pencil, or perhaps make a hasty rule-of-thumb calculation off the top of your head. But it should be obvious that these approaches, although maybe useful in limited cases, do not provide the best solution. They clearly do not provide the deep property analysis required to make a smart investment decision, nor do they include the data likely to sway the opinion of any other person, entity, or institution like a partner or lender.

You can also use Excel and develop your own spreadsheet. The problem here is time. It takes countless hours to embed the computations properly, and to format the forms and reports, even if you're familiar with Excel. If you're not familiar with Excel, then triple the time.

Before you pursue those options, though, be mindful that successful real estate professionals do not waste time or effort reinventing the wheel. They prefer to invest in real estate software so they can spend their time generating moneymaking deals.

But I digress. So let's get back on topic and look at what you should expect in good real estate investment software.

1. Easy to learn and use

You want simply to enter the values and have the software do the rest. You never want to look and wonder, "What do I do next?" To check, examine the website. Remember that the same company praising their software publishes the website. If the website is not well organized and informative, or if its lack-luster and confusing, the software might not be what you want.

2. Unlimited units

You want the ability to analyze one unit or a thousand units, or even more units if necessary.

3. Loan amortization

You want ample control over the financing assumptions. For example, you want the ability to enter multiple loans, the flexibility to enter the loan either as a loan assumption or as a new loan, and then have it computed as either a fixed or interest-only rate.

4. Crucial rates of return

You want the real estate investment software to calculate cash flow returns and loan ratios such as cap rate, gross rent multiplier, cash on cash, operating expense ratio, net operating income, debt coverage ratio, loan-to-value ratio, break-even ratio, and profitability index.

5. Tax shelter computations

You want the ability to determine cash flow after tax as well as your tax benefit or loss. To do this, the real estate investment software must include computations for tax shelter elements such as cost recovery and mortgage interest.

6. Time value of money

You want the software to create computations involving the time value of money such as internal rate of return and net present value. Why? Because you will discover that in real estate investing, the timing of cash receipts can be as important as the amount.

7. Concise, top-quality reports

You want printable reports that are easy to read and have eye-catching appeal. Remember, you might be trying to influence the opinion of a buyer, seller, colleague, or lender regarding this property, and they might have to make their decision based on the reports even before seeing the property.

8. Upgradeable versions

You want the ability to "upgrade" from a less-than-platinum-grade-version to a platinum-grade-version without having to re-purchase the platinum-grade version at full retail price.

9. Technical support

You want to have open access to tech support in the event of a question or problem. Preferably, email and telephone support . Exercise caution if the company or developer appears overly allusive--there is nothing more frustrating than encountering a problem and then not being able to talk to the software developer about it.

10. Affordability

You should be able to find very good real estate investment software on the web for about $300. Which is very affordable given the fact that you will be able to start working with income-producing property immediately.

11. Customer satisfaction

You should examine the names, professions, and titles of customers who have submitted a testimonial. If you can relate, then you may have a winner.

There are other things you want real estate investment software to provide such as seamless printing, picture function, branding and name-rider integration, email capability, help file, Windows compatibility, and so on. The point is not to be hasty. Spend time on each website looking around to be sure you get the essentials and perhaps a little extra at the best price possible.

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About the Author

James Kobzeff developed ProAPOD to make real estate investment software easy and affordable for real estate professionals and investors. Discover how you can create cash flow analysis and rate of return presentations in minutes! Go to => http://www.proapod.com

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Kobzeff
http://EzineArticles.com/?11-Things-You-Want-in-Real-Estate-Investment-Software&id=1590882

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Image by Casey Serin via Flickr

A Simple Real Estate Investing Primer

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Adem Hamidovic

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In this real estate investing primer I hape to give you a simple view into the basic principles that underlie investing in real estate.

There are a great many books and web sites devoted to real estate investing out there, but most of them concentrate on one specific area of investing. It's often hard to find a general description of real estate investing, one that lists the various real estate investing strategies and how to get started. That's what this article will set out to do.

Before beginning, you must understand that real estate investing is not a get rich quick scheme. Real estate investing can, and will, make you wealthy, but it certainly won't happen overnight and it will require work. As you perfect your technique and gain experience, the amount of work needed to gain a lot of money will reduce, but it will take effort and persistance to make it there.

If you're completely new to real estate investing then the only sort of investing strategy you're likely aware of is rental properties.

Landlording has been around since there have been houses and people to rent them to, and it will continue to be a wealth builder. In fact, most of the 'no money down' real estate strategies you hear about still include rentals as part of their plan. Still, there are other ways to make money from real estate investing out there.

The next most 'traditional' method is to buy a fixer-upper, fix it up, and then sell it for a profit. This is commonly referred to as 'rehabbing' and is a very good way to make a lot of money in a relatively short period of time. Most rehabbers won't even look at a property unless they can make at least $20,000 of profit, and this is usually within 3-4 months time. Rehabbers tend to be experienced investors with available money, or have partners who help provide any extra cash required.

But if you're just starting out you likely won't have access to large amounts of money. One way to get involved in this area of real estate investing without needing any money at all is to 'flip' houses to these rehabbers. What this entails is you going out and finding these fixer-uppers, noting all the work required to fix the place up. You then place a low offer in to the owner, taking into account the fix up price and some built in profit. Once you have the house under contract you then flip it to a rehabber for a small fee. This can result in several thousand dollars for you, without you having to spend a dime. 'Flipping' properties can be a great way to start your real estate investing career.

Another 'no money down' technique that's popular on the late night infomercials is called 'lease optioning'. This is basically a rent to own strategy that allows you to control a property without ever taking ownership of it. It's a slightly more complicated strategy that warrents its own article, but it does allow you to make money in several different ways, each without ever having to spend any of your own money. If you're not put off by longer term investments then lease options are definately worth more research.

There are other strategies that involve foreclosures and getting the home owner to sign the deed over to you, but for now I'd suggest learning more about flipping and lease options as entry-level real estate investing strategies.

How do you find properties that would make good real estate investments? Again, an entire article can be devoted to that, but there are basically two ways: you go looking for them, or you get them to come to you. The first way involves reading the newspaper classifieds and scanning the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This is where having a great real estate agent is a must - they can get you more details on homes than you can view on the mls website, and can often let you know of great deals before they even become available to the general public.

Having home owners contact you means setting up an advertising campaign. This can involve placing ads in the newspaper, placing bandit signs at strategic locations around town, starting a direct mail campaign, etc. There are many ways to let people know that there's a new real estate investor in town, and it would be in your best interest to try each of them to see which ones work best for you.

Whether you decide to go looking for deals, have them come to you, or both, they key is to be persistant. Real estate investing is a numbers game - most of the time you won't be able to make the deal work, but every time you do it translates into thousands of dollars for you. The more owners you talk to, the more deals you'll be able to do, the more money you'll make.

I hope this article gives you a bit of an idea of what the world of real estate investing is like. There's a lot to learn out there, and all of it is very interesting. Find the area that interests you the most, then get out there and start talking to home owners. Don't be discouraged if you're getting turned down a lot - just remember that when it does pay off, it will pay off big!

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Adem Hamidovic is a part time real estate investor and operator of www.ProfitPiggy.com, a website devoted to new and experienced real estate investors alike. - admin@profitpiggy.com

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Real Estate Investing Primer

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The Real Estate Bubble Aftermath

Image via Wikipedia

The Real Estate Bubble Aftermath

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The End Of The Real Estate Bubble - What Does It Mean To You

Jeanette Joy Fisher

Last spring, I was invited to go to Philadelphia and participate in a "real estate bubble" discussion on Ch 8's "Money Matters Today".

Television reporters, newspapers, and media hype love scaring you to grab your attention. On the TV show, I defended the real estate market.

What's behind all this bubble talk?

Before you give any substance to warnings about a "real estate bubble", look closely at the source.

Many stock brokers jump on the bandwagon of real estate doom to get investors back into the stock market. Also, many negative reports originate from mortgage lenders who want to keep the mortgage insurance rates high and keep the insurance premiums coming in for loans on houses that have appreciated.

So, What Happened To The Real Estate Bubble?

I can't speak for all real estate investors. If my family had been scared into discounting our investments, selling out, and not buying more property in 2005, we would have lost a million dollars.

We bought and held houses.

All of our property increased by 20% - 35% and the ones we fixed increased in value even more.

In particular, for one home we paid $120,000 and spent $10,000 in repairs - within the year it appraised for $325,000.

Who profits from the real estate bubble?

Besides media scaremongers, mortgage insurance providers, and stock brokers, real estate investors make even more money. What's that? How do real estate investors make money from the real estate bubble? They take advantage of desperate home sellers scared by the media.

In January 2006, we bought an investment property that the home seller, in the midst of a divorce, discounted for a quick sale. The $340,000 property appraised for fifty thousand more than the purchase price.

Now, we could quick sale the property for fast cash, but we're in for the long haul.

The property has great development potential.

So, we'll let the tenants pay for the mortgage and maybe tear the small house down in a few years. A half acre, one lot away from a future marina near new condos, has many possibilities.

Keep the bubble talk. People always need housing.

The more you hear about the pending burst, the more money real estate investors CAN make.

Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

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About the author:  Jeanette J. Fisher

Jeanette offers a FREE "How to Start Real Estate Investing" teleseminar and a free ebook, "The Truth about Making Money Flipping Houses"

Visit www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com

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Related Pages

Flipping Real Estate | Make Money Flipping Property | Flipping the Contract | 7 Tips for Flipping Real Estate | Calculating Costs & Profits when Flipping Real Estate | The Risks Involved in Flipping Real Estate | Quick Cash Flipping Real Estate | The Real Estate Bubble Aftermath.

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Property Investment Finance

Your Express Elevator to Real Estate Investing Success

The way in which you obtain and use property investment finance can make a sizeable impact on the rate at which your property portfolio grows.

I'm sure you've heard it said before but it is absolutely true that

The golden rule in real estate investing is other people's money (OPM). This is the most important lesson you can learn!

Yes it's true, the golden rule in real estate investing is other people's money.

Use Other peoples Money

What this means is that whenever you are buying an investment property you should be aiming to pay as little as possible from out of your pocket, and obtain real estate investment finance for as much of the purchase price as you can. This is a vital factor in real estate investment property purchasing.

"I'd Rather not have any Debt"

"I have enough money, I'd rather pay cash."

OR
"I'd rather not have any debt."

This is not the way to build your property empire.

Even if you have $100,000 sitting in the bank right now, you could go and buy one real estate investment property but with the system that I am going to show you, you will be able to acquire multiple properties and reap the harvest of exponential capital gains and increasing rents for many years to come!

Gain Leverage by Using Real Estate Investment Finance

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