Atlanta Real Estate Investors Alliance Blog
Are Your Property Taxes Too High?
Posted on March 18, 2011 by
Do you think your property taxes are too high? If you do, how do you get them lowered? And who’s responsible for determining the amount you pay in property taxes, anyway?
Let’s begin with the last question first. I greatly respect and much admire the folks who work in the Tax Assessor’s office. They have a daunting, thankless job!
When Kim and I first began disputing our property taxes in 2006, I viewed the Tax Assessor’s office as my adversary. Over the years, after spending a lot of time getting to know these folks and learning how the process works, I now realize how WRONG I was. Read More→
Haves & Wants Speed Marketing Session: Mar 7, 2011
Posted on March 17, 2011 by
This was the Haves and Wants Speed Marketing Session that we recorded live at our March 7, 2011 Atlanta REIA Meeting. This is a new 30 minute session at our Atlanta REIA Main Monthly Meeting that starts at 6:00 PM on the 1st Monday of the month and is hosted by Joe Thompson. The purpose of this marketing session is to help facilitate deals by giving our members the opportunity to quickly market things they HAVE and no longer want and to find things they WANT but don’t yet have. Thanks to all those of you who participated. And special thanks to Joe for hosting the session and to Alan McDonald for recording the session and improving the quality of this video each and every month.
Download Mar 7, 2011 Speed Marketing Flyers (pdf). Read More→
What’s Hot in Real Estate Investing Webcast Replay: RealtyJoin.com 2.0 with Andy Heller
Posted on March 17, 2011 by
Local real estate expert Andy Heller was our special guest on the March 2011 What’s Hot in Real Estate Investing Webcast. Andy talked about the recent launch of RealtyJoin 2.0, the new and improved Social Networking Site for Real Estate Investors, Agents, Brokers and Tradespeople. It’s a site specifically designed for real estate investors matchmaking, and will help you make more MONEY. Be sure to take 5 minutes to visit www.RealtyJoin.com, create a profile for yourself and/or your company and “Friend” Atlanta REIA on RealtyJoin.com Read More→
Eric Nicoll
Posted on March 17, 2011 by
For over a decade, Eric Nicoll, CPA has been helping real estate investors to maximize their opportunities to create wealth through real estate. Having been a builder, developer, investor and financial strategist himself, he is able to bring a depth of knowledge to the table to assist investors with their transactional issues as well as tax planning strategies and tax preparation needs with the prime goal of helping people to build wealth.
Determining Accurate Property Values In Today’s Market
Posted on March 17, 2011 by
Most seasoned real estate investors and other real estate professionals are pulling comps entirely different than they did a few short years ago. One of the main reasons many investors are sitting on the sidelines is because they are not comfortable determining home values in this market. Find out why on Tonight’s Live Webcast at 7PM where Gordon Catts will be talking about resources available through public records, the Internet as well as subscription services and explain why it is critical to have a better understanding of the valuation process. In this market the difference between making a big profit and making a big loss rests on the investor’s ability to understand and apply the valuation process to investment properties. There are a number of excellent resources available for gathering the necessary information to make an informed decision. We will identify some of these valuable resources as well as identify professionals who can help you identify opportunities as well as steer you clear of pitfalls. Register for the Webcast Now!
Lenny Ogburn
Posted on March 17, 2011 by
Lenny Ogburn has always been an entrepreneur and investor, owning a partnership in 3 video stores in the early 1990’s, owing over a dozen rental properties and self storage units, rehabbed and/or flipped over 30 properties, has invested in car notes, business notes and real estate notes. In 1998, when he bought his present home at a great price, paying the sellers asking price and acquiring it by a subject-to deal, the county that year raised his property tax value to over $60,000 higher than the purchase price of his home. Having bought 7 properties that year, Lenny quickly realized that buying properties as an investor was tough to make cash flow from the rentals when the county jacked the values for investors and home owners. Read More→
Atlanta REIA North on Determining Property Values in This Market and More!
Posted on March 16, 2011 byWednesday, March 16th @ 6 PM: Atlanta REIA North Meeting
One of the main reasons many investors are sitting on the sidelines is because they are not comfortable with home values in this market. On Wed, March 16th, Gordon Catts will be talking about resources available through public records, the Internet as well as subscription services and explain why it is critical to have a better understanding of the valuation process. In this market the difference between making a big profit and making a big mistake rests on the investor’s ability to understand and apply the valuation process. There are a number of excellent resources available for gathering the necessary information to make an informed decision. We will identify some of these valuable resources as well as identify professionals who can help you identify opportunities as well as steer you clear of pitfalls. We’ll also do a Q & A with Gordon.
Join us Wednesday night from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at 1960 Skylar Hill Dr, Suite D in Buford, GA (Map) as we explore this fascinating topic. Atlanta REIA Members may attend at no charge. Guests may attend for $5.00. Late Nite Networking takes place after the meeting at the Mall of GA Taco Mac.
What’s Hot in Real Estate Investing Webcast on RealtyJoin.com 2.0 with Andy Heller
Posted on March 15, 2011 byTONIGHT, Tuesday, March 15th @ 7 PM
Local real estate expert Andy Heller will be our special guest on Tuesday’s Webcast. Andy will be discussing the launch of RealtyJoin 2.0, the new and improved Social Networking Site for Real Estate Investors, Agents, Brokers and Tradespeople. It’s a site specifically designed for real estate investors matchmaking, and will help you make more MONEY. Register for the Webcast Now! Andy will also be our guest speaker at the Atlanta REIA Main Monthly Meeting on April 4th, 2011 at the W Hotel Atlanta Perimeter.
Also, be sure to take 5 minutes and register a profile for yourself and/or your company and “Friend” Atlanta REIA on
www.realtyjoin.com
Some of the leading real estate gurus in the country have teamed up with a group of top software developers and Web designers in Silicon Valley and formed RealtyJoin, a social networking site for the real estate industry. RealtyJoin will make it easier for you to find great deals, opportunities, and vendors, and make more money – and membership is free!
RealtyJoin is designed to help you connect with new clients and develop new business opportunities. Think of RealtyJoin as a marketplace for real estate investors, agents, contractors, architects, and other companies that provide goods and services to the real estate industry. Read More→
Use What You Have… to Get What You Want
Posted on March 15, 2011 byPete Fortunato (PeterFortunato.com) has been one of my main real estate investing teachers for many years. The guy is phenomenal! (Not to be confused with pneumonia…I’m dyslexic – what happened to “spell it like it sounds?”) Pete is one of the best and most creative deal structurers on the planet!
Pete has a great saying: “Use what you have, to create what you need, to get what you want.”
Until recently, I’ve never fully understood what he meant. But finally, the light turned on!
As real estate investors, we’re often asked by prospective tenants or buyers, “Will you work with me on the deposit?” The usual answer is, “No. Are you nuts?” Ok, perhaps we only think the “Are you nuts?” part.
Point is, we’ve always required the cash up front in order to make the deal work.
Similarly, when we’re buying a property, all too often, the homeowner also wants all the cash up front. Since I’m always light of having the amount of cash the seller needs, the deal is lost.
Now, let’s think like Pete. It’s not the cash that the seller wants, is it? Isn’t it what the cash will buy or do that’s the key? Read More→
The Fair Lease/Purchase… An Investor’s Perfect Hybrid!
Posted on March 14, 2011 byWe see them all over the roads today. Growing in popularity, Hybrid vehicles are beginning to offer an enticing option to dependence on foreign oil supplies. Similarly, the Buy Low, Rent Smart, Sell High lease/purchase model offers investors a Hybrid of the “buy and flip” and “buy and hold” investment models.
Most residential investment models resemble and can be grouped into one of two general categories. Each has a major flaw that concerns many investors who consider or invest in each model.
The “buy and flip” model by definition is for the investor who seeks to purchase property at a discount, oftentimes improve the property, then sell the property quickly for immediate gain. This model is ideal for investors who have no interest in landlording, as the “buy and flip” investor does not intend to seek a tenant for the property in advance of sale.
The main problem with the “buy and flip” model is that if a buyer does not come by quickly, then the investor is faced with discounting the property and/or involving a real estate agent in the marketing of the property. Due to this possibility, most “buy and flip” investors need a discount of 25% or more even after adjusting for the necessary repairs and improvement. With such high investor discounts, the pool of properties available with such significant discounts is often small. Simply put, the higher the discount the investor needs to make his or her model work, generally the fewer properties available at such a steep discount. Read More→
What’s Happening at Atlanta REIA – March 14, 2011
Posted on March 14, 2011 byThere’s always a lot going on at Atlanta REIA on a weekly basis. This week we have several webinars, several meetings and several workshops. Check out what’s happening below or view our event calendar for more information. Read More→
The Real Estate Junkie Webcast Replay for March 2011
Posted on March 10, 2011 by
Are you aware of how the new “MARS rule” is influencing your business operations? If not, you need to found out now! In November 2010, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) published the final Mortgage Assistance Relief Services Rule. This rule took full effect on January 31, 2011. Whether you are a Realtor, Investor, Mortgage Broker, Seller… you need to know your rights and your obligations! MARS is fully enforced and we want to be sure you are using the new required disclosures and keeping your business in tip-top shape! This is “MUST KNOW NOW” information! Watch the webcast replay below for continuing education on the most current and evolving market changes with Licensed Broker, Investor and Short Sale Expert, Kimberlee Frank! Read More→
