Atlanta Real Estate Investors Alliance Blog

Really good real estate investors know and rely on the valuation of their deals as the key to success and profits. The economic slump that richer countries have suffered during the past seven years can be blamed on a runaway housing bubble that started right here in the U.S. All the market areas covered by REIAComps, insure when pricing changes happen you are not caught off guard.

When it comes to the tic of the housing bubble, there were other issues like poor oversight of the broader financial system which led to the crash. But without the real estate bubble, there would likely have been no financial crisis.

Which is why the fact that similar-looking bubbles inflating in countries from Canada to the U.K. have economists worried that there might be other catalysts of future crises laying wait for us in the weeds.

Last week, in a Forbes article, IMF economist Min Zhu published an article called “Era of Benign Neglect of House Price Booms is Over,” in which he sounded the alarm over rising global home prices. Zhu explains how he determines whether home prices in a particular country are overpriced. Read More→

More Deals, Less Time

Posted on July 2, 2015 by

Recently I was coaching a student, and we came across what appeared to be an excellent opportunity. Because of my knowledge of the area, I was immediately able to give the student the right price to offer. I showed him how to negotiate the contract, which he did perfectly.

The result? With my knowledge, we were able to do only minimum work. While we found that the property wasn’t the deal we expected, we did so without wasting time. Since time equals money, it is essential to know your market so that you don’t work too hard for nothing.

We decided that this student, a new investor, was going to buy a house for $5,000 and wholesale it to an area landlord. Rents there were approximately $800/ month. Rehabbing would be close to $30,000. When we subtracted management, vacancies, taxes, insurance, and maintenance, the property would earn a 20% return. This was a great opportunity for anyone who wanted to become a landlord in that area—and a great opportunity to make a $7000 wholesale fee. Read More→

I have noticed over the past months that almost everyone I talk to today tell me they want to be a wholesaler. These people want to wholesale deals as a way to generate fast money to pay their living expenses each month. What in the world is going on here? Why is it that all of a sudden everyone wants to become a wholesaler when there are so many other different ways to profit from real estate other than wholesaling?

Don’t get me wrong I’m not suggesting that wholesaling isn’t a great way to get started as a real estate investor. All I am suggesting is wholesaling is only one way to make money buying real estate but it’s not necessarily the best way in my opinion. Having done many wholesale deals over the years I have come to the conclusion that if the only way you buy real estate is wholesaling where the investor either buys or gets the property under contract with the seller and then resells the property to another person or assigns their assignable purchase agreement to another investor and passes along the deal you structured with the seller for a fee. Read More→

Let’s Agree to Disagree

Posted on July 2, 2015 by

Recently, I was in one of my favorite marketing forums (name withheld) where I usually exchange brilliant ideas with other geniuses, and one of the members happened to mention some negative things about real estate, some of the teacher/gurus, and how ‘this real estate stuff doesn’t work.’

This guy was insulting several of our well-known teachers that we’ve come to know and love. After reading a little bit of what he said, it was clear to me that he hadn’t done any deals, and like most people who say this kind of stuff, was speaking from a place of ignorance and/or frustration.

“Guru X is a scamming d-bag who only makes money from selling courses!”

“Guru Y USED to do deals, but not anymore, and now he just sells this stuff to people who don’t know any better.”

Normally, I don’t like to waste my time with small-minded or ignorant people. But in this case, I chose to set things straight, because there were plenty of other people who would also be reading what was said. And those people deserved to hear the truth. Read More→

Over the past twenty years, Kim and I have bought a wide variety of investment homes – everything from a one-bedroom, one-bath duplex to a six-bedroom, four-bath McMansion. Experience has taught us what makes the best – and worst – rental property!

Jack Miller said: Everything else in real estate is harder than a house. With that said, Kim and I stay away from townhomes, condos, duplexes and apartment buildings. We’re not saying these are bad investments; it’s just that they require a lot of hands-on attention, and our goal is freedom, not a j-o-b.

When it comes to single-family homes, the most in-demand property is a three-bedroom, two-bath home…with a garage…without steps…on a level lot…in a nice, convenient neighborhood. We call these Walmart houses.

Think of a Walmart house this way: Go to a checkout register at Walmart that has ten people in line. You hold up a picture of your investment property and ask, “Who would like to live in this home?” You want eight out of ten hands to go up. Next – and this is the most important question of all – you ask, “Who can afford to live in this house?” The eight out of ten hands need to stay up. If several hands drop, then your rental property is too high-end – which means you’ll have fewer prospective tenants able to afford the monthly rent…and having fewer applicants is not better when it’s time to rent your property! Read More→

Buying properties for your real estate IRA is competitive. That’s especially true for investment properties, where it’s critical to buy properties at an advantageous price. Real estate investors must be more price-sensitive than retail buyers and owner-occupants.

But these days, It’s routine in many markets for buyers to encounter competitive bidding situations: Where multiple buyers are making offers on a given property at the same time.

According to data from the Redfin Corporation, 61 percent of offers from their agents were facing competition from other buyers in March of 2015. This number has bounced around between 45 percent and 75 percent – the high coming in early 2013. But the number seems to have made a substantial uptick in recent months, zooming from the 45 percent low at the end of 2014 all the way back up to 61 percent in just a few short months.

In San Francisco, 94 percent of offers are facing competitive bidding, according to the brokerage company’s agents. Read More→

If you ask most people they would probably tell you that the foreclosure crisis is over, and that we’re in the middle of a housing recovery. The fact of the matter is that foreclosures are continuing, but the banks have slowed and managed the process a bit to keep the government off their backs. That’s the bad news. The good news is that a recent Supreme Court ruling has provided homeowners with a silver bullet that could stop a foreclosure in its tracks!

As spelled out in a January ruling by the Supreme Court, a homeowner’s right to rescind their loan could immediately stop a foreclosure. The right of rescission is essentially a consumer protection built into the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) that allows a borrower to rescind their loan if the lender failed to fully comply with all of the requirements of TILA. As you might imagine, TILA violations are incredibly common. So how does the right to rescind stop a foreclosure? It’s simple. From the moment you drop your notice of rescission in the mail, the note and mortgage are nullified. The bank can’t foreclose on a note and mortgage loan that have been nullified. The bank has 20 days to challenge the rescission, but until they have effectively argued that they have the right to enforce the note and mortgage (without being able to use the note or mortgage in their proof of standing, the foreclosure cannot continue. It should be noted that this only works on primary residences. It will not work on second homes or investment properties. This also works better on refinance homes than on original mortgages, but it is still possible on original mortgages (purchase money mortgages). Read More→

Following Up!

Posted on July 2, 2015 by

Anytime real estate investors get together the question immediately asked is, “How is your buying/contracting going?” What they are asking is do you have a good amount of leads coming in, where are those leads coming from and are those leads any good. Of course, mostly everyone says they are doing great. Personally, I like to “keep it real.” If leads are low I admit it because I know that they will eventually come in. Meanwhile, I continue working and following up with all the leads in the pipeline. The follow up is what keeps a real estate business, or any business, consistently profitable.

In real estate, you are not going to crush it week after week, month after month. Real estate fluctuates and what works one day may not work the next. The key is consistency. If zero seller leads are generated one month from mailers, it does not mean I stop sending letters, it just means mailers did not generate leads this month. The same can be said for internet marketing, bandit signs, networking, flyers, etc. As a real estate investor you must always market through as many avenues that provide the greatest returns. In some markets bandit signs may generate lead after lead while in other markets you get zero calls. I usually test out new marketing strategies for about six months. During those six months I keep records of the cost, leads coming in, appointments set, contracts signed, number of closings, and of course profit. This lets me know if the marketing is working or not. It also lets me know if the lack of closings is due to the marketing or the people receiving the leads. If people are clogging the deal pipeline it may mean they need more training. In other words, make the adjustments where they are needed to convert more leads. Marketing will always require tweaking and more tweaking just when you think it is “perfect.” While all this is helpful and profitable the number one cause of profit is in the FOLLOW UP. Read More→

Sat & Sun, July 25 & 26 @ 9AM @ Keller Williams – Decatur, GA
Find ‘Em, Fix ‘Em, and Flip ‘Em
How to Create a $100,000 Business in 29 Days!
A 2 Day Boot Camp with Don DeRosa
Sat & Sun, July 25th & 26th, 9AM-6PM
Keller Williams Metro Atlanta
315 W. Ponce De Leon Ave, Ste 100, Decatur, GA

PLEASE NOTE REGARDING PARKING ON SATURDAY: Parking may be a problem on Saturday due to the Decatur Beach Party that is taking place that day. Here is what Maggie Groholski of Keller Williams says about the parking… “Here is the parking situation. We will have access to the parking garage. Everyone will need to come into Decatur from W Ponce de Leon Ave / Scott Blvd. Then make a left into the building’s driveway. This is per the City of Decatur and building Management.”

Find ‘Em, Fix ‘Em, and Flip ‘Em ManualAre you ready to take advantage of the rising real estate market and get in on the red hot house flipping scene? Are you thinking about flipping but don’t know how? Does the idea of renovating properties scare you to death? Don’t know where to start? If the answer to any of these questions is yes then you absolutely need to attend Don’s new two day renovation event.

Come see Don on July 25th and 26th where he will spend two full days teaching you how easy it actually is to Find ‘Em, Fix ‘Em, and Flip ‘Em. You will spend two full days learning the art of flipping houses. Don will show you a Step-by-step process to evaluate, avoid rookie mistakes and build a highly profitable fix and flip business.

Day One:

  • How to put together a solid flipping strategy
  • The best methods for securing multiple types of funding
  • How to evaluate properties, work with contractors and manage renovations
  • How to Flip multiple houses at one time
  • How to crunch numbers and evaluate high profit margins
  • How to negotiate like a seasoned pro with Sellers, Lenders, Contractors and Buyers
  • How to handle Legal and Tax Regulations
  • How to choose the best marketing strategy that guarantees sales
  • And much more…

Day Two (Bus Trip):

  • Field trip to Home Depot
  • How to automate your renovation business using SKU based model
  • Compare prices and learn basic costs of materials that will be used in every job
  • What are the low, middle and high end products to use depending on your level of renovation
  • Visit 3-4 actual houses
  • First hand experience looking at real houses, using real numbers, and making real offers

Don will give you practical tips with real life examples, easy to use systems and killer paperwork so you can tap into this exciting and potentially unlimited source of income and financial freedom.

Register Now!

PLEASE NOTE: Pricing is per person. Location subject to change. No refunds 5 days prior to event. Early Registration Special Expires Wed, July 22 at Midnight. Class is limited to 45 people.

See Atlanta REIA Events Calendar for More Events!
Wed, July 1st @ 6PM – College Park, GA
Atlanta REIA South & The Multi-Family Investing Group
Let’s Celebrate Our Nation’s Independence with a Barbeque and Discuss Becoming Financially Independent Through Real Estate
July 1st at 6PM, Club E Atlanta
3707 Main Street, College Park, GA

Atlanta REIA Membes Please RSVP on Meetup.com
Atlanta REIA Members and Guests Please RSVP on Meetup.com
if you have a meetup account.

Mark & Anne LackeyThis month we are all in for a special treat! Come join us at the Atlanta REIA South / Multi-Family Commercial Investing Group as we celebrate Independence Day on Wednesday, July 1st at 6PM at Club E Atlanta located at 3707 Main Street in College Park, GA. We are going to kick off the evening with a barbeque as we network with other great like-minded individuals. Then, as a special treat, Mark and Anne Lackey are excited to come join us and share their story about how they become financially independent through real estate investing and how YOU CAN TOO! We will also have Ernie Eden with Ernie Eden Realty, a Multi-Family Broker there who will give us an economic briefing on the Atlanta apartment market.

Mark and Anne Lackey use systems within the real estate empire they have worked hard to build. They will be sharing those systems with us and how they use them. Dreams of retiring from your current job and enjoying collecting “mailbox money” doesn’t have to stay a dream. The Lackey’s will help show you how to make that a reality.

At the meeting you will learn about…

  • How to get your real estate investing career off the ground at lightning speed…and make big profits
  • How to leave your J-O-B (Just Over Broke) that you don’t enjoy and never look back
  • How to buy 4 houses within your first month
  • How to put a team together that will run your business for you and allow you to be “hands off”
  • And much, much more!

Mark and Anne Lackey are well known around Atlanta and across the nation as Real Estate Investors, Authors, Speakers and Educators, as well as realtors. Mark and Anne’s work, play and life are all about Real Estate. In late 1999, while working a J.O.B. in Corporate America, Mark and Anne made the decision to start a real estate investing career and they have never looked back. Their first month in the business, they purchased 4 rental homes and still own all 4 today as high cash flowing rentals Today, they own and manage close to forty residential properties in their own portfolio, and manage 185 rentals for other investors. Each year they find, fix-up and flip for a good profit four to six properties. As of the Fall 2014, they have written three books (2 became #1 best sellers in hours!) in the area of Real Estate Investing. “Rent and Grow Rich”, “Robin Hood is not Dead”, and “Multiply Yourself” are all available on Amazon. They have a great reputation throughout the nation.

Don’t miss out on what is sure to be a wonderful event! Please RSVP on Meetup if you have a Meetup account so that we can get an accurate headcount. See you there!

Atlanta REIA Membes Please RSVP on Meetup.com
Atlanta REIA Members and Guests Please RSVP on Meetup.com
if you have a meetup account.

The Atlanta REIA South monthly meeting, led by Reggie Jackson and Gordon Catts, is held on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6PM at Club E Atlanta located at 3707 Main Street, College Park, GA.

The Multi Family Investing Focus Group Meeting, led by Carla Gamper and Gordon Catts has NEW Date, Time and Meeting location. The group will be meeting on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 6PM at Club E Atlanta located at 3707 Main Street, College Park, GA.

There is currently a $15 cover charge for everyone who attends the meeting which is payable at the door and includes the barbeque. Get there at 6:00PM to eat and network before the meeting begins. There will be lots of learning and lots of networking. Make sure to bring your deals and your haves, wants, and needs to the meeting. See you there!

See Atlanta REIA Events Calendar for More Events!
Happy 4th of July!
Atlanta REIA – Wishing You and Your Family
Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July

Have a wonderful and safe holiday. Enjoy spending time with your family and remember those who fought and continue to fight to protect our freedom.

See Atlanta REIA Events Calendar for More Events!
Mon, July 6th at 5:00 PM in Norcross, GA
Atlanta REIA Main Monthly Meeting
& Vendor Trade Show
July 6th @ Atlanta Unity, Norcross, GA
How to Find, Fix, & Flip Your Way Into Massive Profits
with Special Guest, Don DeRosa

Atlanta REIA Members Can Attend at No Charge. This month,
Guests Can RSVP Online Now for $20 or Pay $25 at the Door.

Atlanta REIA Membes Please RSVP on Meetup.com
Atlanta REIA Members Please RSVP on Meetup.com
if you have a meetup account.

RSVP Now!

Don DeRosaThe real estate market is on fire right now. There are so many money making opportunities right around every corner. Do you know this but don’t know where to get started to claim your profits? Have you already gotten started but need an extra bump to kick things into higher gear? Don’t sit back and watch all your friends get rich flipping houses. Get in on the action and get your house flipping business making the money that you deserve.

Don’t miss the Atlanta REIA Main Meeting on Monday July 6th at 5PM, where our special guest speaker, Don DeRosa, will be teaching all about rehabbing houses for massive profits. The meeting will take place at Atlanta Unity located at 3597 Parkway Lane in Norcross, GA. During his presentation, Don will teach you all about…

  • Where to get started
  • How to get the biggest “bang for your buck”
  • How to evaluate deals based on repair costs
  • How to find and manage good contractors
  • How to protect yourself from being taken advantage of
  • How much rehab you should do to a house
  • How to evaluate what repairs to be done
  • And much, much, more!

About Don DeRosa

Don is a seasoned investor who has completed many of his own profitable rehabs. Don is also a mentor and has taught many other investor how to successfully complete their own. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get your house flipping business up and going quickly. You will learn a great deal of information about the entire rehab process. All this is happening at the Atlanta REIA main meeting on Monday, July 6th at 5PM at Atlanta Unity located at 3597 Parkway Lane in Norcross, GA.

As always, Atlanta REIA Members can attend the event at no charge and Non-Members can Register Online for $20 or pay $25.00 at the door. Be sure to bring your business cards and flyers and join us for an evening of real estate deals, vendors, networking, education and fun! See you there!

Atlanta REIA Membes Please RSVP on Meetup.com
Atlanta REIA Members Please RSVP on Meetup.com
if you have a meetup account.

RSVP Now!

*Meeting Day Agenda
5:00 pm: Meeting-Before-the-Meeting with Gordon Catts
5:00 pm: Vendor Trade Show & Networking
6:15 pm: Updates & Announcements
6:30 pm: Haves & Wants Speed Marketing Session
7:00 pm: Networking Break
7:20 pm: Vendor Door Prizes & Giveaways
7:30 pm: Main Presentation with Don DeRosa
9:30 pm: Late Nite Networking at Three Dollar Cafe

*Please Note: Meeting agenda is subject to change.

5 Days & 4 Nights in CancunWIN A 4 NIGHT STAY IN CANCUN: All participants who attend the Atlanta REIA Meeting will entered into a drawing for a chance to win a *Complimentary 5 Day, 4 Night Stay in Cancun! *You must be present at the meeting to win. Giveaway does not include dining, transportation, transfers, taxes, upgrades, etc.

5:00 PM in Main Meeting Room
The Meeting Before the Meeting
Online Due Dilligence Using GSCCCA
with Gordon Catts

Gordon CattsPlease join us for the “Meeting-Before-The-Meeting” on Monday, July 6th at 5:00 PM at Atlanta Unity in the Main Meeting Room where Gordon Catts will be teaching us all the useful information that can be found on the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooperative Authority (GSCCCA) website.

Gordon will be teaching us about where to find deeds for properties, what PT61 is and why we should care, how to find out approximately what a seller owes on their mortgage and much more. Don’t miss learning about this great resource we have available to us in Georgia.

5:00 PM in the Main Lobby
Monthly Vendor Trade Show

Dylon Ross with XfinityAt 5:00 PM in the Main Lobby, we have a Vendor Trade Show that lasts throughout the meeting where you can come out and meet many of our participating Business Members and Vendor Guests who help sponsor our meeting. See a full list of our vendors and sponsors below as they are added.

Vendor tables are limited, so any vendors wanting to reserve a table for the meeting can RSVP for a Vendor Table here. Vendor tables are reserved and setup on a first-come, first-serve basis.

6:15 PM in the Main Meeting Room
What’s Happening at Atlanta REIA

Dustin GriffinStarting at 6:15 PM, Dustin Griffin kicks off the Atlanta REIA Main Meeting with updates and announcements. Dustin covers what’s happening at Atlanta REIA in the upcoming weeks and months such as upcoming workshops, webcasts, special events, members benefits and much more! Be sure to be in the main meeting room at 6:15 PM for your chance to be one of the first to receive a printed copy of The Profit Newsletter while supplies last.

6:30 PM in the Main Meeting Room
Haves & Wants Marketing Session

Joe ThompsonAt approximately 6:30 PM, Joe Thompson will be hosting the Haves & Wants Speed Marketing Session which gives our members the opportunity to quickly market deals they HAVE and to find deals they WANT. We also give our business members the opportunity to get up and say a few words about their businesses. Members who want to participate in the Haves & Wants Marketing Session must bring your flyers and get to the meeting early to get on Joe’s list of participants.

9:30 PM @ Three Dollar Cafe, 6050 Peachtree Pkwy, Norcross
Late Nite Networking at Three Dollar Cafe

Three Dollar CafeAfter the conclusion of the Atlanta REIA Main Meeting, we will be reconvening at Three Dollar Cafe located at 6050 Peachtree Pkwy #100 in Norcross, GA at 9:30 PM for the Late Nite Networking and the “Meeting-After-The-Meeting”!

There is no charge for Atlanta REIA Members or guests to attend Late Nite Networking at the Three Dollar Cafe, so bring a friend and head on down to Late Nite Networking! Just be sure you order food and beverages from the cafe and please tip their wait staff generously.

Participating Meeting Vendors & Sponsors
Meeting Vendors & Sponsors
Reserve a Vendor Table Here

Networth Realty of Atlanta, LLCNetworth Realty of Atlanta, LLC – A licensed, full-service residential wholesale brokerage that specializes in finding quality wholesale properties and making them available to you. Read More>>

American IRAAmerican IRA – The American IRA mission is to provide the highest level of customer service in the self-directed retirement industry.
Read More>>

Halperin Lyman, LLCHalperin Lyman, LLC – A transactional real property law firm devoted to providing the full spectrum of non-litigation related real estate legal and consulting services to its clientele. Read More>>

Goldmine Properties, Inc.Goldmine Properties, Inc. – As Atlanta’s first full service real estate wholesaler, we offer wholesale property at 65% loan to value, with financing available. Purchase price and repairs are 65% of certified after repaired appraisal. Read More>>

Lima One Capital, LLCLima One Capital, LLC – A fully capitalized, direct lender for residential real estate investors and homebuilders. We are fully capitalized and our team prides itself on closing loans quickly for our clients. Read More>>

The Small Business AdvisorThe Small Business Advisor – A full service small business consulting firm specializing in QuickBooks with a wide variety of specialized services, trainings and products for small businesses. Read More>>

Craftbuilt, Inc.Craftbuilt, Inc. – We are a Metro Atlanta design-build construction firm specializing in whole-structure renovations, restorations, and new construction. No matter what the situation, we are up to the challenge! Read More>>

CRS DataCRS Data – We offer comps from the MLS & FSBO’s, custom searches, property tax records, interactive maps, sales & mortgage info, real estate valuations, mailing lists & more. Read More>>

Georgia Home DealsGeorgia Home Deals – Jack Kudron of Georgia Home Deals offers professional counseling on buying, selling, renovating and refinancing investment properties. He also offers a wide variety of wholesale and lease/option deals. Read More>>

Air Conditioning Experts, Inc.Air Conditioning Experts, Inc. – For all your air conditioning services throughout Atlanta, contact Air Conditioning Experts. We have all the training and experience necessary to ensure the success of your home cooling system.

DirectBuy of AtlantaDirectBuy of Atlanta – We are a private members-only buying club that gives you huge buying power by eliminating mark-up and the middleman, saving you thousands of dollars and up to 50% or more over retail and online sales prices. Read More>>

Atlanta Carpet ServicesAtlanta Carpet Services, Inc. – Providing carpet, wood, vinyl, and tile, ACS is dedicated to every aspect of your floor covering needs from initial consultation to the sale and follow-up services. Read More>>

Fuller Center for Housing of Greater AtlantaFuller Center for Housing of Greater Atlanta – A faith-driven, Christ-centered, non-profit organization dedicated to providing adequate shelter for people in need in the Greater Atlanta area. Read More>>

Secured Investment Lending

Gateway Acquisitions Group LLC

Synergy Financial Partners

Farmers Insurance – Sandy Springs

Auction.com

Caged N LLC

American Family Insurance, Robin Mitchell Agency

Flipology with Ramon Tookes

Farmers Insurance Sandy Springs

Real Estate Works 4 U (La Gaylia Appleby)

See Atlanta REIA Events Calendar for More Events!