Tips for Real Estate Investors: How to Rehab?

You would have heard or read by now that the real estate is still coming down and the bottom may not be seen until 2011. But this isn’t doom and gloom if you are an investor. Right now, it is probably the best time to invest in real estate when the values are down and the inventory is available. An optimistic viewpoint of looking at the difficulties is looking for the opportunities hidden behind them. And in these difficult times it is most probably the rehabbing of disrepair real estate that you can expect profitability from.

If you say you don’t have any money then it is not something you can’t change. This is where a hard money or private money lender comes in to provide you the resources to invest in your future. As soon as you decide to get started, this is the time when you will soon start looking at enlisting professionals such as real estate agents, appraisers and other successful investors in order to help you build your business and your estate. Here are some tips for the investors looking for opportunities in the real estate rehabbing market.

When it comes to evaluating a property to invest in, you should look for the one that you can price lower than the neighboring market after you would have rehabbed it. How can you know if you have found a good property? Well… take a look at the lowest “Solds” being fixed up and the lowest “Actives” in the immediate area in good conditions. Basically “Solds” tell you about the history and “Actives” show you the future. Make sure you are looking at the comparables related to the exact neighborhood or the immediate area. Too many times investors have gotten comparables from areas which were outside the neighborhood. This mistake can cause you hardships like longer holding period, lowering the price and even losing money.

If you will go conservatively; making smaller profits on more deals, then you will have greater chances of success as compared to going aggressively for few bigger deals. So, the best approach to this business is what is traditionally stated as: “slow and steady wins the race.”

Markets Fall like a Parachute that won’t open, and Rise Like the Climb to Mount Everest, One Painful Step at a Time.

I have heard lots of discussion about buying investment real estate to flip and buying investment real estate to hold. I have a vast experience with both buying and selling as well as buying and holding. Having worked with hundreds of rental properties both for myself and for others I have to tell you that rental properties have not bought the returns I was hoping for. From our resent study over the last 10 years we have seen that rental properties brought in a 5.5% annual return (not including a sales price).

If you sell the property in the future it is really a flip. It is just the number of months you held the property may be longer than a traditional flip.

I recognize that real estate values are at all time lows, I think it is important to realize that values are not going to go up as fast as they came down. It takes hard work, time, and innovation for markets to climb.

Having properties to hold long term should be part of your goal. The End goal would be to have several paid off rental properties that will bring in a consistent income for you month after month. Rental properties are a great vehicle if you want consistent income coming it. It is also a basic need for all people so I love the vehicle. Also there is inheriting value in the real estate itself regardless of what the house is worth. Best of all you can go by and kick the bricks rather than having some electronic document that says you own stock.

These are the days to buy and sale real estate, Fix and flip every home you can get your hands on. Only buy properties you would not mind owning as rental properties. Then if you have trouble selling a property you can turn it into a rental property.

There is no question that Fixing and Flipping homes is a job and does require your attention all the time. You will have to admit that it is the GREATEST job you could ever have. You can work when you want, you can make wonderful returns, and no one tells you what to do. You can make as much or as little money as you want.

My two cents is to Fix and flip every home you possibly can. As you earn money don’t spend it on foolish things, also don’t use it to buy your next fix and flip… Use it to buy and pay cash for a rental property.

You are better off using other people’s money on Fix and flips rather than your own, and use your own money to buy and pay off a rental property. You will have the rental property for a long time and it will produce consistent revenue. The fix and flip you will be in and out over just a few months.

The Truth is that Markets go down and Markets go up. I just want the markets to move, because movement creates opportunity