Synopses & Reviews
Review
"This book is a ‘must read’ for those serious about making money in real estate. A thorough yet simple guide for both first-time and experienced investors, Real Estate Investing Made Simple provides a host of important tips as well as valuable sources for prospective investors. I highly recommend this book." -- James M. Weichert, President, Founder, Weichert, Realtors
Synopsis
"Real estate has proven to be one of the safest, most profitable investments you can make. Real Estate Investing Made Simple is the perfect introduction to this phenomenal wealth-building strategy, showing you step-by-step how to get started.
Whether you're brand new to real estate investing or a seasoned buyer, this accessible, commonsense guide tells you everything you need to know about locating properties, arranging financing, evaluating market variables, building an investment team, negotiating contracts, and other important factors you'll need to consider in becoming a successful real estate investor.
Real Estate Investing Made Simple gives you practical strategies and proven tips for how to:
• generate tax-free profit • invest safely by diversifying • avoid scams and illegal investments • get great financing and negotiate win-win contracts • work with “distressed sellers” who need to sell fast • maximize profit from foreclosures and fixer-uppers • and much more.
In addition, the book points you toward resources and Web sites that provide important information on local investor groups, government programs, foreclosure and government-owned properties, and investor financing.
Done right, investing in real estate can be easy and enormously worthwhile -- but you have to know what you're doing. Real Estate Investing Made Simple arms you with the information you need and the most powerful strategies available to start investing in real estate…and to generate phenomenal returns."
About the Author
M. Anthony Carr is Director of Training and Development for Weichert, Realtors's Capital Region. In this role, he leads a team of sales and technology trainers--and operates as the lead trainer and coach--for more than 3,500 real estate professionals in the Washington, D.C., region. He was previously the award-winning real estate editor for the Washington Times. He has 15 years’ experience in the real estate communications industry and has had more than 500 published articles in various publications including the Washington Post and the Washington Times, and on many Web sites including Realtor.com, RealtorMag.com, and RealtyTimes.com. He lives in Springfield, Virginia.
Table of Contents
"Acknowledgments
Chapter 1--How to Make 500 to 1,000 Percent on Your Money
Find out why real estate has proven to be the best investment you can make. How to get tax-free profit every two years, to build wealth with phenomenal returns on your investment dollar, and to start building a real estate portfolio with one personal residence after another.
Chapter 2--Building Your Investment Team
Successful investors have a team of professionals working for them and pay them well. Here’s who you’ll need and how to find the ones who will work your way.
Chapter 3--Getting Ready for the Big Game!
Here’s where it all starts! Financing is everything. This chapter covers the basics of the financing process, including how to get ready to finance your first home and investor properties. This chapter discusses issues such as buyers with less-than-perfect credit and what you can do about these credit issues, as well as gives tips for budgeting and debt management.
Chapter 4--All the Programs You’ll Ever Need--Conventional Programs
Here’s where we get into the nitty gritty of programs available in the market place: from zero down payment programs for first-time buyers to jumbo loans for the well-to-do.
Chapter 5--All the Programs You’ll Ever Need--Government & Nonprofit
Continuing with Chapter 3, this chapter discusses the programs that are underwritten and provided by federal and state governments, as well as by nonprofit housing groups.
What it takes to win a contract--and it’s not all about money! How to get put on the top of the contract pile, adding a personal touch, strategies for the buyer with special needs.
Chapter 7 --Deciding on Your Investment of Choice
Real estate investing isn’t just about bricks and mortar. There are plenty of ways to invest in property. This chapter provides a brief description of various ways to get in the game. The following chapters get into deeper detail.
Chapter 8--Distressed Properties--Fixer-Uppers
This is what most first-timers think they want to get involved in--and why not. Most true fixer uppers need minimal repair, but can become a cash generator for the savvy investor.
Chapter 9 --Foreclosures--The King of Real Estate Investing
Here’s where you start buying at wholesale and selling at retail. This chapter covers how to locate, purchase, finance, rehab, and sell or rent out foreclosures.
Chapter 10 --Distressed Sellers--Working Foreclosures Before They Hit the Auction Block
If you really want a high return on real estate investments, it’s better to look for distressed sellers, instead of distressed properties. Here’s how you can find them and how to approach them so they’ll want to work with you instead of your competitors.
Chapter 11--Prepping for the Rental
Getting the house ready to rent out, fixing up the property; then looking for your renter and staying out of legal hot water by abiding by the Fair Housing Act.
Chapter 12 --Happy Paper Trails
When you start dealing in real estate, you practically have to become an expert on tracking paper trails. Contracts, deeds, trusts, and surveys are just a few of the documents you’ll have to be familiar with. Here’s what they are and what they mean for you.
Chapter 13 --Tax Benefits and Responsibilities of the Real Estate Investor
For crying out loud, don’t make a bunch of money and then give it all to Uncle Sam! Here’s a resource chapter on what you can expect to pay in taxes, but also, what you can expect to benefit from the tax code for doing your part in repairing and maintaining the national housing pool as a real estate investor.
Chapter 14 --Tax Liens
By Brian Lee. Municipal jurisdictions around the country operate off real estate tax revenues. Thousands, if not millions, of homeowners become delinquent in paying their property taxes, thus creating a deficit in the city’s budget. The municipality creates tax liens that are sold to investors at high returns--here’s how to get in on the action.
Appendix"