Atlanta Real Estate Investors Alliance Blog
Yard Sales – A Great Place to Find Yards!
Posted on October 17, 2013 byIf your goal is to become a real estate investor, but you are a little fearful of knocking on a seller’s door, then spend a Saturday cruising yard sales. Sometimes, a homeowner hosting a yard sale just might need to sell their yard. And you might find it easier to talk to a homeowner in this casual setting, rather than sitting at a seller’s kitchen table. So become a yard sale aficionado – be polite, be yourself and strike up a conversation!
On a typical Saturday, I leave Bill at home in the office and my sweet friend, Dorsie Boddiford and I cruise yard sales looking for just that…..yards. We crane our necks and dang near cause wrecks when we see a ‘yard sale’ sign. Yep – we are those people! We always wonder: is the yard for sale? And like most yard sale junkies, we’re thrilled when we find a special trinket or two – but our ultimate goal is the yard.
After waving our apologies and blowing kisses to all the drivers we cut off, we haphazardly park our car and approach the house with our wallets and business cards in hand. Handy Tip: The homeowner is always busy, so to help ensure that our business card doesn’t end up in the trash, we attach it to a business card magnet. Read More→
Silence is a Form of Acceptance
Posted on October 16, 2013 byYesterday, I attended the Board of Assessor’s monthly meeting at the county courthouse. Including me, the total number of private citizens in the room was…one! This isn’t unusual. I attend several of these meetings each year – usually around property tax time – and I’ve never seen anyone else there except for the folks on the board.
For the record, board members are appointed by county government officials. The members work hard and have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. Their job is to review property tax appeals, sales ratios and changes to the tax digest. Before a decision is rendered, there’s a lot of open, back-and-forth discussion.
At the meeting, I learned that around 2,000 property owners filed property tax appeals – this is about the same number as last year. I was dumbstruck that so few had filed an appeal. Because Steve Taylor, the County Commissioner – who has one T-O-U-G-H job – recently announced plans for a 25% property tax increase, I figured there would be a flood of property tax appeals. Read More→
Meeting Replay: Atlanta REIA Meeting on October 7, 2013 with Larry Harbolt
Posted on October 16, 2013 bywith Special Guest, Larry Harbolt
Have you ever wondered why those successful investors are continually finding and doing profitable deal after deal? Did you ever ask yourself what they look for and what they think about before they ever make an offer on any property? Have you ever thought about what makes a good deal and what is missing from the deals that you don’t want? If you answered “Yes” to any of these questions, this is exactly what our guest speaker, long time real estate investor and trainer, Larry Harbolt, taught at our Atlanta REIA Monthly Meeting on October 7, 2013.
If you are an Atlanta REIA Member, you can Login to AtlantaREIA.com and listen to the meeting replay below… Read More→
How Kim Spent Her Summer Vacation
Posted on October 15, 2013 by“Bill, you have a pretty big spot on your lung. We’re not sure what it is,” said the doctor. If he wanted to get my attention, he succeeded!
I’ve never smoked, I compete in five triathlons and do several 100-mile bike races each year, plus I go to the gym twice a week – yet there I was, wondering whether I had lung cancer.
The good news is that it wasn’t lung cancer! It turns out that the spot on my lung is a result of me having had tuberculosis when I was growing up in Thailand. No matter, the thought of dying caused me to look at many parts of my life – including our rental properties.
For most couples who own single-family rentals, one spouse is primarily responsible for taking care of the properties and tenants. In our family, it’s me.
My health scare raised some all-important questions: What would happen to our rental properties if I suddenly died? Would Kim know what to do? Could she maintain our capital assets or would she be forced to liquidate all of our investment properties?
I decided we needed to find out the answer to these questions. Read More→
All Star Real Estate Attorney Panel at the Beginning Investors Group on Oct 21, 2013
Posted on October 15, 2013 byWhat Happens When You Lock
4 Attorneys in a Room Full of Eager
New Real Estate Investors?
with an All Star Attorney Panel on Mon, Oct 21st
Atlanta REIA Members are always FREE!
While this may sound like the opening line of a funny joke, it is no joke at all! On Monday, October 21st at 6:30 PM at the Beginning Investors Group (BIG), we’re having an All Star Attorney Panel Discussion with four prominent local real estate attorneys… Fred Kross, Craig Halperin, John Maurer and Jon David Huffman.
BIG meets at the Hudson Grill located at 6317 Roswell Rd NE in Sandy Springs, GA. This is a special BIG Meeting you don’t want to miss since it is a rare opportunity for you to discuss your real estate investing business with not one, but four real estate attorneys!
With all the attorney jokes aside, as investors, having good attorneys on our team is very important to our business. They assist us with legal entity setup; reviewing contracts; closing our real estate deals; dealing with liens; assisting our sellers with bankruptcy; short sales and foreclosures; representing us in lawsuits and so much more. This month at BIG, you are going to meet four local real estate attorneys who are all Atlanta REIA Members and who specialize in serving the needs of new and seasoned investors. They will be joining us to share their thoughts with you and answer all your burning legal questions. Join us at BIG and you will learn…
- When and why you need a good attorney on your side
- What advice our attorneys would give to beginning investors
- How to avoid many of the common mistakes investors make
- What type of legal entities and asset protection you should use
- How to work with sellers in bankruptcy or foreclosure
- How to avoid frivolous lawsuits
- What to expect at closing
- And answers to all your burning questions and much more!
After the Panel Discussion, attendees can stick around and participate in our new creative deal structuring exercises. This is an opportunity to practice on how to structure deals. Bring some of the deals you are working on, or use some of our scenarios.
Atlanta REIA members can attend the Beginning Investors Group for FREE. Non Members can RSVP Online for $15.00 or pay $20 at the door. If you join Atlanta REIA before the meeting, you can attend at no charge and get BIG Discounts on Atlanta REIA Training Workshops.
What’s Happening at Atlanta REIA for the Week of October 14, 2013
Posted on October 14, 2013 by
On Tuesday, October 15th at Noon, the Onsite Renovation Group will be returning to 651 Holderness St SW, Atlanta, GA 30310. You may remember that we visited this gut-out project back in July in what used to be the “red line zone” but has been experiencing incredible rejuvenation thanks to investor activity. The project is an early-make bungalow with visions of grandeur and profit. We’re returning to this job now that sheetrock is getting done and the trim and tile are starting to show the finished product. Come see what a job looks like before the finishing touches are put on!
The Onsite Renovation Group, led by Aaron McGinnis of Craftbuilt Properties, is an new educational and networking group that focuses on the acquisition, renovation and retail resale (fix and flip) of single family residential homes inside the I-285 perimeter and the in-town neighborhoods. The purpose of this group is to allow both new and experienced rehabbers and investors to meet, network and share knowledge and experience with “hands on” access to real property. The Onsite Renovation Group meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at NOON at an active renovation site, build site or rental property which will vary from month to month. There is currently no charge to attend these meeting.
Atlanta REIA North is a of the Atlanta Real Estate Investors Alliance that meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM at 1960 Skylar Hill Dr, Suite D, Buford, Georgia in North Gwinnett County just a few miles from the Mall of Georgia. There is no charge to attend this meeting for Atlanta REIA members and the cost is $5.00 at the door for non-members.
After the conclusion of the Atlanta REIA North Meeting (after 9:30 PM), we will be reconvening at the Mall of Georgia located at 3250 Woodward Crossing Blvd in Buford, GA for the “Meeting after the Meeting”. We may arrive late if the Atlanta REIA Meeting runs late. So please come eat, drink, network and have fun with us as hang out late into the night!
Hosted by Joe Thompson
Haves and Wants is a weekly investor’s networking, brainstorming and deal making jam session hosted by Joe Thompson and held every Thursday at 5 Seasons Brewing at the Prado from 1:30 PM till approximately 3:00 PM. This group has been meeting for over 6 years and is all about networking, sharing information, doing deals and making money right now. Be sure to bring lots of your business cards and flyers and be prepared to promote your business and/or your haves, wants and deals with our group. If you are a real estate player or want to be, this is one meeting you don’t want to miss!
5 Seasons Brewing is located at 5600 Roswell Rd (map) inside the Perimeter at the “Prado” in Sandy Springs. The all natural, organic food at the 5 Seasons is excellent and the hand-crafted beer is even better! Come out and eat, drink, network and share your deals with us! There is no charge to attend this meeting for Atlanta REIA Members or guests. Please come early and stay late. We would love to have you!
What Happens When You Lock
4 Attorneys in a Room Full of Eager
New Real Estate Investors?
with an All Star Attorney Panel on Mon, Oct 21st
Atlanta REIA Members are always FREE!
While this may sound like the opening line of a funny joke, it is no joke at all! On Monday, October 21st at 6:30 PM at the Beginning Investors Group (BIG), we’re having an All Star Attorney Panel Discussion with four prominent local real estate attorneys… Fred Kross, Craig Halperin, John Maurer and Jon David Huffman.
BIG meets at the Hudson Grill located at 6317 Roswell Rd NE in Sandy Springs, GA. This is a special BIG Meeting you don’t want to miss since it is a rare opportunity for you to discuss your real estate investing business with not one, but four real estate attorneys!
With all the attorney jokes aside, as investors, having good attorneys on our team is very important to our business. They assist us with legal entity setup; reviewing contracts; closing our real estate deals; dealing with liens; assisting our sellers with bankruptcy; short sales and foreclosures; representing us in lawsuits and so much more. This month at BIG, you are going to meet four local real estate attorneys who are all Atlanta REIA Members and who specialize in serving the needs of new and seasoned investors. They will be joining us to share their thoughts with you and answer all your burning legal questions. Join us at BIG and you will learn…
- When and why you need a good attorney on your side
- What advice our attorneys would give to beginning investors
- How to avoid many of the common mistakes investors make
- What type of legal entities and asset protection you should use
- How to work with sellers in bankruptcy or foreclosure
- How to avoid frivolous lawsuits
- What to expect at closing
- And answers to all your burning questions and much more!
After the Panel Discussion, attendees can stick around and participate in our new creative deal structuring exercises. This is an opportunity to practice on how to structure deals. Bring some of the deals you are working on, or use some of our scenarios.
Atlanta REIA members can attend the Beginning Investors Group for FREE. Non Members can RSVP Online for $15.00 or pay $20 at the door. If you join Atlanta REIA before the meeting, you can attend at no charge and get BIG Discounts on Atlanta REIA Training Workshops.
Make Big Profits with Abandoned Houses
Posted on October 8, 2013 byAll over the Atlanta Metro Area, people have walked away from their real estate for one reason or another. Divorces, major illnesses, a death in the family, financial trouble, job relocation, etc. are a just few of the reasons people abandon their homes. Many of these owners are still paying the mortgage every month because they want to preserve their credit. Many of these folks might like to rent or sell the property, but they often think that no one will want it in its poor condition and they don’t have the money to make the necessary repairs. They just keep making the mortgage payments and/or the taxes.
On November 4th at the Atlanta REIA Main Meeting, Reggie Brooks will teach you how to to find these abandoned and distressed properties, find the owners, and structure a transaction that is mutually beneficial to both you and the seller. You will learn how to automate the process of finding the properties, the owners and create a profitable business where you get the abandoned properties chasing you, rather than the other way around. Reggie’s “Abandoned Property” presentation includes case studies of people who have used his Abandoned Property System to create huge profits buying and selling these unwanted homes.
Join us and you will learn…
- How to make big profits using a unique niche in the marketplace – Abandoned Properties
- How to invest with no cash and no credit
- Insider secrets that the professional investors use to turn $15,000 profits into $50,000 profits and more
- Hot new tips and insights that the professionals use to find profitable deals, especially in today’s market
- Hidden cash producing secrets that even seasoned investors don’t even know
- How to uncover hidden value in properties that most seasoned investors overlook
- How to profit from properties that most investors consider worthless
- How to write your contracts to maximize your profits
- How to use creative financing to fund your deals
- And much, much more!
Come join Reggie and the rest of us at the Atlanta REIA Meeting on Monday, November 4th at 5PM at the Holiday Inn Atlanta – Perimter/Dunwoody located at 4386 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road in Atlanta, GA to profit from abandoned properties.
Atlanta REIA Meets at the Holiday Inn Atlanta Perimeter/Dunwoody on November 4th
Posted on October 8, 2013 by
PLEASE NOTE: On November 4th, the Atlanta REIA Main Monthly Meeting will be held at the Holiday Inn Atlanta – Perimter/Dunwoody located at 4386 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road in Atlanta, GA. This is for the November 4th meeting only. Our December 2nd Meeting we will be back at the Crowne Plaza Ravina Hotel as usual. Sorry for the inconvenience.Reggie Brooks
Posted on October 8, 2013 byReggie Brooks has achieved what many people consider to be impossible. He went from making $36,000 per year at the local telephone company, to making over $40,000 per month in his real estate business. Starting out with very little money, Reggie began his investment career in 1986. After taking several real estate investment courses he began investing in rental properties in Los Angeles. By educating himself about hidden opportunities in real estate and making well placed investments, he has become a multi-millionaire.
The Profit Newsletter October 2013 Edition
Posted on October 5, 2013 by
The October 2013 Edition of The Profit Newsletter is available for download just in time for our Atlanta REIA Main Meeting on October 9th. You can download The Profit Newsletter as a High Quality PDF or Low Res PDF for slower devices. The Profit is the official newsletter of the Atlanta Real Estate Investors Alliance and is a digital, interactive newsletter for new and seasoned real estate investors delivered as an Adobe PDF file to read on your PC, Mac, Smart Phone, iPad or other mobile ready devices with a PDF reader. Many of the articles and ads in The Profit contain many hyperlinks you can click or tap to visit websites, watch videos, listen to audios, download content, send emails, comment on articles, share socially and much more! The high res version of The Profit is “print ready” for those who want to print the newsletter on their home or business printer. Also, be sure to Subscribe to The Profit Here so you don’t miss a single monthly issue.
Make Sure Your Rental Property Always Has a Cash Flow Using the Correct Formula Before You Buy!
Posted on October 5, 2013 byI spent the last weekend attending a training event put on by one of the premier real estate teachers in the country today. As I listened to her teach phenomenal content, I kept hearing her talk about the MAO formula to determine the most that anyone should pay for any property. The basic MAO formula is… “The After Repaired Value of the subject property X 70% less Repair Costs = the most you should pay for any property” when using institutional or private financing.
As she talked, I kept thinking to myself, what if the buyer can’t qualify for institutional financing? What if private financing isn’t possible either? What if the buyer doesn’t have someone lined up who can get institutional or private financing? If that is the case what good is the MAO formula to the buyer?
Sure, I know the buyer could use a Hard Money loan to fund their deals and there is a formula for getting a Hard Money loan too. The basic Hard Money formula used in my area is… “The After Repaired Value of the subject property X 65% less the Lenders points and fees = the most that can be borrowed on that property”. The biggest problem I see using Hard Money loans is if the borrower can’t get the property they are buying resold quickly. Most hard money loans are short term, usually one to two years in length and if the property hasn’t sold and the Hard Money loan becomes due and payable, the borrower may find it impossible to find other financing to replace the Hard Money loan and could lose the property. Read More→
Determining Your Marketing Plan in 7 Easy Steps
Posted on October 5, 2013 by
One of the things I have learned over the years about my ongoing marketing efforts is that my results only seem to be limited by how much time, effort and creativity I put into the marketing process and not how much money I spend. The more time and energy I put into the marketing of my real estate investment business, the better my results tend to be. When I decide to slack up, get lazy and not stick to my marketing plan, my results quickly diminish as a result.
This is also true of the people I hire to market my business for me. Their success does not depend on how much I pay them, nor the size of their marketing budget, but how much time, energy and creativity they put into the marketing process.
Remember, 800 Pound Guerilla Marketing is about dominating your local market using a little time, effort, creativity and a relatively low budget using both new and traditional marketing techniques along with the power of the Internet. The more time, effort and creativity you put into the marketing process, the better your results should be.
As real estate investors, one of our most important responsibilities is to generate a steady flow of motivated buyer and seller leads for our business. After all, no leads = no deeds = no profits. If we don’t want to be responsible for personally generating leads ourselves, then we must hire someone competent to generate leads for us. But even if we do hire someone, it is still our responsibility to make sure they are generating the quantity and quality of leads we need to meet our business’s short term and long term financial goals.
If you want to generate all the leads you can handle for your real estate investing business, start by following these 7 easy steps to determine your marketing plan and your marketing budget: Read More→
