Archive for July, 2009

Real Estate Investments For Your Average Millionaire

Tuesday, July 28th, 2009

You were watching T.V. one night and came across one of Dean Graziosi’s infomercials.  It was interesting, exciting and it made you want to go out and BUY THAT REAL ESATE!  However, you’re a smart consumer; you know most infomercials are full of a lot of fantastic talk, but the products are normally a fantastic flop.

So now, you’re wavering on the idea of the whole “real estate investment thing”.  You think it might be possible, but it also might be a scam.  So what’s the real deal?  Is it possible to make money – a LOT of money – with short sales, foreclosures, abandoned houses and the like?  Would you be throwing your money down the toilet like that time you bought the special towel that was supposed to suck up a gallon of water, when it really barely sucked up a drop?  Most importantly – is it worth it?

Well, if you do a search on the Internet for Dean Graziosi, you’ll get a lot of sites that have reviews, testimonials and yes – complaints.  If you read through the sites, however, you’ll find out some fairly exciting, interesting and flabbergasting information.

Now, keep in mind that any time someone is at the top of the food chain – as Dean is at the top of the real estate chain -, there will always be someone willing to complain about them.  However, consumer advocacy sites such as Rip-off Report.com, Infomercialscams.com and Programcritique.com not only give him kudos for his continued 100% customer guarantee, but for his programs as well.

Whether the product is a book he’s written or a program created to help people become better investors, the reviews and kudos always outweigh the complaints.  In addition, as soon as he realizes there’s a problem, he investigates to find a solution.

So, is it real?  Yes.  Can it make you money?  Yes.  Is it worth it?  Yes.  The one thing to remember, however, is that real estate investment is just like any other moneymaking venture, including a job.  You have to put in the time if you want results!

Motivation Critics are abound

Thursday, July 23rd, 2009


Labelling Dean Grasiozi a fraud goes with the territory.  For every successful person, you have a multitude of people who are ready and willing to accuse you of achieving your success through a variety of undeserving means.  Sadly, it is human nature to downplay someone else’s attributes in order to feel less pressure on ourselves to aspire to greater heights.  Accusations of criminal family connections, fraudulent behaviour or sheer good luck are popular ways that are used to diminish the fact that material success can be achieved by a means other than hard work.  Admitting that hard work will earn you money means you may have to work hard; this is a task many people are hesitant to tackle. 

 

How can you tell if Dean Grasiozi or anyone else’s ideas for success are realistic? Evaluating the difference between unsubstantiated claims and a reliable critique involves some tried and true ways of judging accuracy.  There is a good way to criticize and an unsupported way.  Reducing the accusations to name-calling really doesn’t prove that anyone is a fraud any more than claiming yourself to be a productive and wealthy real estate guru would.  Verifying a claim requires a well-thought out and believable theory that is laid out in steps people can follow in the real world and assess for themselves. If Dean Grasiozi were a fraud, it would mean that his strategy for succeeding in real estate does not work.  If someone, or another company that wants you to buy their book, claims that Dean Grasiozi is a fraud, they should be willing to explain why and how his plan failed. Be wary of the motivation to criticize and check the facts, if there are any.  Most companies that cry, “fraud” are only out to take your money for their own purposes and most of these are not able to tell you why their plan works better; they only tell you that the world is full of frauds.

 

Use Turn Key Real Estate to Your Advantage

Monday, July 13th, 2009


One of the terms I didn’t understand when I first started learning about real estate investing, and a term which Dean Graziosi cleared up for me was “Turn Key.” But its not just understanding the term that is important when you want to make a profit from real estate now, it is also understanding the full meaning of the concept that is important.

All good real estate investors try to find a great value “Turn Key” investment, as these are the properties that are going to give you that profit from real estate you need now. These are homes, projects, or properties, are  in “ready to live in” condition.  There is no need to put any money into maintenance or repairs, or at least very little money is needed.  In this case the seller has usually done all the work to make the home livable. If they are older homes then they have been remodeled, renovated or rehabbed and are ready for someone to call this property home.

Through Dean Graziosi I learned that these are the ideal real estate investment properties, and it is even better when these are already tenant occupied and sometimes even have property management in place.  This is for the investor who wants to profit from real estate now and not have to worry too much about the property.

Today, a lot of  “Turn Key” property has an added advantage in that it can be found at about a 25% discount from market value, and this means real estate investors get a nice profit for their original investment dollar.

When I first started in real estate investing, I believed I could make the most money by staying away from this type of real estate, and focusing more on the “fixer upper,” but thanks to Dean Graziosi, and the information I learned from reading his wikis, blogs, and books, I learned that this often isn’t the case. You can find good “Turn Key” real estate at a wholesale price.

Women in Real Estate

Monday, July 6th, 2009


There is little debate that the role of women in real estate is changing.  Real estate investing used to be a field dominated by men, but single female homebuyers are taking the market by storm. According to some studies, single women now account for over 20% of home sales in the U.S.  Moreover, this is not limited to primary residences, but rental and rehab properties as well.     

 

If you want to get started in real estate, but don’t know where to start, there are many strategies you can use to get started with minimal risk.  If you are concerned about having money down, and most people are in today’s economy, the most effective strategy you can use is the lease-option purchase.  This option will allow you to get into a home without the upfront capital required in traditional real estate transactions.   It also allows you to see firsthand if the investment will be a solid one before you buy it. 

 

If the lease-option is not appealing to you, you may consider investing in pre-foreclosures.  Not only do pre-foreclosures require less cash than foreclosures, they also allow women to do what they do best.  While men are wired to solve problems, women are wired to sympathize.  Women have the unique ability to help home owners in ways that men cannot, by gaining their trust through empathy and compassion.  Sellers that are facing foreclosure are in a place where they want nothing more than to be understood during their hard times.  Yes, they want their problem solved, but they are not looking for help from someone who is just out to make money off their misfortune.  So, if you are a woman and you are serious about real estate investing opportunities, why not do what you do best?  You just may stumble on real estate millions.