Keep Learning More
Always keep the door open to new information as Real Estate Investing is always evolving. You can find a lot of FREE resources on the internet about investment education.

Learn Networking
It has been said that your net worth is equivalent to your network. Staying connected to like minded people who are doing similar things will provide many opportunities, from partnering on deals to sharing experiences. Furthermore, having somewhere to get a question answered is a great asset for your investor toolbelt.

Become a dealer hunter
Make it a point to always be on the lookout for your next potential deal. With the current market conditions, there are many deals to be found. There are plenty of marketplaces where you can thousands of properties for sale.

Know why you want to invest in real estate
By understanding your reasons for wanting to invest in Real Estate, you can make sure your business structure supports that logic.

Investigate the neighborhoods you want to invest in
Learn the ammenities and the type of communities near a potential investment. It can be an major advantage when it comes time to sell a property.

Real Estate investing can be complex
There are many factors that affect the profitability of the investment. Profitability is mostly dependent upon your ability to find the best possible deal in the market. You must be able to identify the real estate deals that have the best potential and allow you to maximize the profits.

Learn about foreclosure
When a person purchase home, they usually have to take a loan. The lenders, generally banks, keep the title to home as collateral in this case. The ownership of the home is transferred to the lender when the person is unable to pay the installments on time. This transfer of ownership to the lender is called foreclosure. Buying foreclosure has been compared to playing poker. As an investment, it has its own risks.

Know the back office
Develop a strategy for setting up a real estate investment business. Take the time to which type best fits your entrepreneurial vision. Find out how a real estate investment business differs from operating other small businesses.

Get to know about inventory of unsold homes
With mortgage defaults on the rise since 2008, the number of Mortgage loan delinquencies and foreclosure filings has risen steadily while home values have declined markedly. This opens the door for the savvy investor to create cashflow while helping families in difficult times.

There is safety in real estate investing
The fact that real estate is still very lucrative is an assurance that it is a safe vehicle to create income, provided you have the proper education and use common sense with your investing!

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8 Actions to Avoid If You Want To Buy A House:

Don’t apply for a new Credit Card!
Remember that when you apply for a ner credit card it can be BAD and look poorly on your credit rating. WAIT.

Don’t buy a new car!
If you would like to live in a new car instead of the dream home, then go ahead and pich one up.

Don’t go furnish the home before you own it!
We all know you already have picked out that new couch, entertainment center and flat screen TV. Avoid buying them until after close on your home.

Avoid changing jobs!
Although job changes can provide better pay or a chance for advancement. It could delay your quest for home ownership.

Don’t close any credit accounts!
It make sense to clean up your finances by canceling unused credit cards and transferring balances to other cards to get a lower interest rate when you’re offered them. Don’t do it! This can be a bad move for your credit score.

Don’t get behind on payments!
Make sure you stay on top of your credit card and rent payments.

Don’t move money without a paper trail!
Your lender is going to need documentation for all your transactions to make sure you really have enough money.

Don’t spend your savings!
You’re going to need cash for down payment and if you end up paying closing costs.

A Final Thought:
Remember if you have any questions on the “do’s and don’ts” while buying a home, ask your REALTOR who is there to help you make your dream of homeownership a reality.

More blogs by Lauchlan Leishman

House flipping is the process of buying a house and then selling it at a profit within the shortest time managable. An investor is aiming to make a good sum of profit within a very short period of time, thus the word flipping.

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What is the Difference from Real Estate Investing?

Buy and hold real estate investment (oftentimes termed “land lording”) on the other hand, means buying a house or property, holding it for a period of time thereby creating cash flow through rental income. The buy and hold real estate investor may at some point in time sell that property at a profit or he may keep it forever.

How to Start?

STEP #1: Research

If there’s one thing that is critical to your success in flipping houses, it’s doing exhaustive research on the geographic areas prior to implementing your flipping plan. If you buy a property in a run-down area with little historical price appreciation, then your target buyer is going to most likely offer below market price.

STEP #2: Network

The fastes way to get your foot in the door flipping houses is to get to know other real estate investor in your own area. When you are first starting, it’s important to know what you know, but even more important to know people who know.

STEP #3: Find Investors

Without someone to lend you money for the purchase of the house, you’ll have a difficult time getting your house flipping career started. You can find investors at REIA meetings, networking groups and chambers of commerce. You can also find investors by asking friends, family, neighbors and business associates.

STEP #4: Start building your fix and flip team

This is an area where many people that are new to real estate investing are not so sure about. Fixing and flipping is not a solitary endeavor. Although the reality shows may make you think that it is, building a competent house flipping team is essential to your long-term success flipping houses.

STEP #5: Start locating property

Your real estate agent on your house flipping team is likely the best resource for you to locate good property deals, but you need to be careful. Real estate agents make money by buying and selling property – not by turning a profit on your house flips. It’s extremly important to educate yourself and talk to them about your plan for buying properties and how you’re going to fix and flip them.

STEP #6: Analyze the deal

One of the best ways to determine the value of a property it to compare it to other properties that have sold in that neighborhood that are similar to the property that you are thinking about buying. This is what is referred to as “comps”.

STEP #7: Make the offer

It stands to reason that you can’t fix and flip a property unless you actually buy it. This is where fear really manifests itself. This is where the rubber meets the road and you need to overcome that fear and actually make an offer

STEP #8: Manage the rehab process

Just like when you bought the property using a formula to control your purchase, controlling your rehab costs is just as important. Using general contractors is a great way to manage the rehab if you can afford them.

STEP #9: Sell your property

You’ve worked hard and now it’s time to realize the profits. This is where all your hard work really pays off.

Essential House Flipping Tips

TIP #1: Remember ARV

ARV (or after repair value) is the price you sell a property for when you’ve compeleted therehab. Make sure you revisit the ARV with your real estate agent before you put the house in the market to make sure the ARV still current. If the market has changed, you may need to adjust ARV up or down.

TIP #2: Use the 70% Rule

To make sure you profit on every deal, take your ARV and multiply it by 70%. Then deduct the cost of your repairs. What you have left over is your MAO (or maximum allowed offer) – this is the maximum price you should pay for the property. Always stick to the 70% Rule!

More articles by Lauchlan Leishman you can find on his blog.

Cities in Asia range from regional capitals and trade hubs – like Sydney and Kuala Lumpur – right through to modern mega cities like Tokyo and Shanghai. With such a wide variety of investment opportunities in Asia, we’ve compiled a few of the hot spots to help you decide where to invest in property.

Asian Property Investment Hotspots by City

Shanghai
The Chinese property market has started to slow down compared to its heady growth over the past decade. However, big trade hubs like Shanghai are still attracting investors despite many Chinese investors looking to overseas destinations like Australia for better returns and more stability.

Sydney
Sydney has seen a property boom over the past decade and while this too has slowed slightly, it is still growing at a rapid pace. The main reason for Sydney’s successful run of increased real estate prices can be put down to huge demand and dwindling supply. As mentioned above, overseas investors are helping to fuel the price growth but local buyers are also buying up with record low interest rates.

Kuala Lumpur
Post global financial crisis Malaysia is seeing an upsurge in property investment, again buoyed by Chinese investors seeking opportunities for excess capital. It’s relatively stable property market and its position in the middle of South East Asia makes the Malaysian capital a great place to invest in Asia.

Tokyo
An ageing population hasn’t stopped interest in Tokyo property – especially commercial properties. No matter where the overall Japanese economy heads over the next few decades nothing can take away Tokyo’s place as a modern mega city and Asian trade hub.

Asian Property Investment Hot Spots by Country

Australia
While the Sydney market is the focus for many overseas investors, areas around Australia offer the same types of stability, price growth and at times better rental yields. Often overlooked places like Darwin have seen huge property price increases over the past decade and the capital cities of Brisbane and Melbourne also show steady growth.

China
The Chinese property market may have hit its peak but this may also start to bring about a more stable property market. This is a highly competitive market to move into but it does have lots of potential rewards – especially as the Chinese middle class continues to grow and invest in their own country.

Make sure you research any investment choice carefully or use a property advisor to help you invest in property wisely.

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Lauchlan Leishman – Property Investment Blog

I hope you’ve found the right knowledge you’re looking for and I wish you good luck with your property investment.

According to financial gurus, some of the best sources of income are property investments because the returns prove that, indeed, your money can work for you. If you’re seriously considering becoming a property investor this year, there are some lessons that you need to learn first so you can be sure to make the best financial move. Lauchlan Leishman has 10 important lessons that will certainly help you out.

 1) Quick Isn’t Always Easy

Quick-income opportunities are rarely safe, and the common dynamic of property investing is that the returns come very gradually and you will not get a full ROI right away. Any provision that promises fast money is questionable; therefore, study your property investment options carefully and steer clear from those that have outrageous promises of fast and grand wealth (like certain development projects “in the works”).

2) Use Logic, Not Emotion

Do not make investment decisions when your emotions are high. As with most things, emotions can cloud sound judgment. So for something as important as an expensive investment, be emotionally detached and thoroughly logical.

3) Think About NOW

When analysing your options, do look into the future. Study the property market movement, ongoing community developments that may impact property values, and other “future” variables. With effective analysis, you can count that the property you purchase will be fully beneficial to you.

4) The System Works

Stick to a tried and true system. This is an effective method of minimising the inherent risks of property investing.

5) Do Your Research

The smartest property investors study provisions more in lieu of national real estate news. More often than not, the performance of the real estate industry has very little impact on how beneficial your property investment will be.

6) Make A Plan

It’s always smart to have a concrete plan for the property to be purchased; otherwise, the property will just be “on display” for a long time, and morph from being an asset to a liability.

7) Use Your Investment

Think residual income when investing in properties. Most people purchase property to rent out or develop into a business, and this is a fantastic provider of residual income – meaning money that you can look forward to every month.

8) Work The System

Learn the tax advantages of owning a property. These are perks that you should utilise once you complete the deal. It’s never too early to project yourself as a property owner even before you have a land/building to your name.

9) Be Educated

Learn more about investing per se and apply the lessons shared by investments experts. These lessons will be of no value until you use them.

10) Just Do It

Don’t let people influence your desire. If you have carefully studied the provision, have a plan for the property, have the money, go ahead and seal the deal. The longer you wait, the less committed you’ll become.

Taking your hard-earned money and putting it into a savings account is good practice if you’re keen on building an emergency fund that you can tap into during times of need. But if you’re looking for more financial security for your future, savings accounts can only do so much. The recommended action to take, according to the experts at Lauchlan Leishman, is to make a solid investment — and no other vehicle can make your money work for you as well as property can.

Going beyond your borders

Investing in property in your homeland would often be the logical choice — you’ll be able to easily access and monitor the property you’ve purchased for the purpose of renting it out, and you’re already familiar with local regulations that you need to comply with. But there’s no reason to limit yourself to investment opportunities found in your native country; after all, more and more people are travelling to the different corners of the world for business and leisure, or are looking to retire in a foreign country, so there’s always a market for rental properties. You’re sure to profit from a wisely selected investment property abroad, and it can be a comfortable holiday residence or a steady source of income for your own retirement years, too.

Certain destinations around the world are now looking very attractive for the buy-to-let market. And if you’re ready to put your money on properties that offer good value, then you may want to consider the five best countries to invest in property in 2014.

1. Grenada

The Caribbean is very popular among tourists and expats, so securing an investment property in the Spice Island can be a very good bet — especially since its government is set to introduce a Citizenship by Investment scheme that would prove beneficial to eager investors.

2. Panama

With an impressive GDP growth rate (which surpassed China’s in 2012) and a stable government, Panama is proving to be a force that can compete with more romantic and established Latin American destinations. It is also home to Colon, a tax-free zone, which means benefits for investment seekers.

3. Tuscany, Italy

If you must have an investment property in Europe, then it has to be in Tuscany. For many wealthy buyers, it doesn’t matter if the property’s value goes up or down — real estate in this charming location will always be a treasure to have. Italy’s tax system is reported to soon be launching changes that would be favourable for investors.

4. Zell Am See, Austria

If you get expert property advice from professionals and conduct your search at the right time, Zell Am See may just open doors for you. There is a high demand for holiday lettings that comply with the proper authorisations, and good value can be found in the properties here.

5. Mauritius

Gorgeous beaches and a tropical climate make it easy for Mauritius to attract and welcome tourists and expats all year long. It certainly also helps that this destination has a strong rental market, and that foreign property buyers can qualify for residency and related tax benefits.

At the height of the boom in mining property investments in 2011, the simplest properties were able to command prices more reminiscent of big city rates, while demand as well as rents shot up to the sky. Today, however, while there a lot more properties listed for sale and for rent in areas like Western Australia and Queensland, there are fewer investments being made — and RP Data’s analysis of figures provided by the Australian Bureau of Statistics points to slowing population growth in mining region-dominated states, and decreased mining construction activity, as the causes of the lower number of investments (http://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/are-mining-towns-no-longer-a-good-prospect-for-property-investment/story-fncq3era-1227009797086).

But while recent investment activity in mining towns is dwindling, prospective investors can still take advantage of this opportunity to receive substantial returns — as long as they take a number of important things into careful consideration.

Lauchlan Leishman, provider of expert advice on Australian property investment, shares relevant points that you must consider before channeling resources toward mining properties — being smart about this financial endeavor can lead you toward significant returns.

The type of mining performed in the location

The product being mined in the property can help investors predict future demand and profitability, which will have a major impact on the health of the area’s property market and economy.

The mine’s potential lifespan

You need to be able to gauge the duration of the mining location’s ability to produce an in-demand mineral or gas. And the location’s long-term ability to meet the demand will consequently depend on the resource’s quality as well as its size.

The proper timing

A number of other factors can help investors determine whether they should act now rather than later. These can include the prices of the mineral or gas in question, the demand for it, the size of the workforce employed to extract the resources, the equipment used, and such. Some periods may be more favorable for mining property investment than others, so you need to strike at the right time.

As with any type of property investment, funneling your money into a mining town involves considerable risks. A strong demand for the mining resource today may suffer a severe decline several years down the line, and you may be left with an unmovable asset and no tenants or buyers. Done right, however, your mining property investment can also deliver amazing returns. Because of the different factors and economic drivers in play, it’s best to seek expert advice from investment professionals you can trust.