Who else is writing about Investing, Personal Finance and Real Estate? - 05/29/07 11:17 AM
Blog Carnivals are a great source for discovering new voices discussing the topics that you care about. 
MoneySmartLife is hosting the Carnival of Personal Finance, and the EquityScout article on Real Estate Investing vs. Speculating was featured as an editor's choice.  Real-Real Estate Investing is hosting the Carnival of Real Estate Investing, and the EquityScout article on real estate investors working with Realtors took first place.   
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Investors vs. Speculators - which one are you? - 05/27/07 09:01 PM
There's a difference between real estate investing and real estate speculating.  Either may be the right approach for you, but trouble is headed your way when you think you're on one side of the fence but you're actually on the other.   
Real estate investors/speculators are showing up a lot in the popular media- which, generally speaking, isn't good news.  Check out the Florida couple who took out $750k in loans to buy three properties, backed by their combined $90k annual salary.  Seemed like a good idea at the time, I guess, but when the market turned south they were stuck with … (4 comments)

Realtors and Investors :: Are you speaking the same language? - 05/23/07 05:11 PM
Redfin created a lot of buzz on 60 minutes last week.  That story will come and go (we have short attention spans and a new distraction will come along soon) but the core issue will remain: is there a disconnect between the value that a Realtor brings and what the consumer wants?
Seems that there is plenty of discussion around why agents are worth their 6%, but not enough on what the customer really wants. 
That issue becomes even more significant when the customer is a real estate investor. 
Real estate investors are different. 
Here are five angles to consider when you're … (9 comments)

Real Estate Investors :: Focus negotiation on principles, not positions - 05/21/07 02:50 PM
I've previously written about negotiation skills as a critical tool for real estate investors that is often overlooked in investing literature.  The key observation being that good negotiators are not necessarily the "tough" guys - the my way or the highway types.  Good negotiations are those who can focus on the principles of the negotiation without getting sidetracked into defending positions. 
There are myriad ways that this can play out in terms of real estate investing.  A couple of examples that I highlighted in a recent post on real estate negotiations have to do with situations I've faced with tenants and … (2 comments)

Establishing ground rules with your tenants - 05/07/07 10:03 PM
When it comes to managing someone’s behavior it’s usually easier to set the right rules from the beginning than it is to change change them once a habit has been established.  If  you've raised a child or tried to correct a bad golf swing then you'll know what I'm talking about. 
Landlords should bear this principle in mind when it comes to dealing with tenants. As a landlord  you are a service provider and the tenant is your client. Good tenants are an important component in your investment strategy. It’s important to realize that you have a leadership role in … (2 comments)

New hurdles for foreclosures? - 05/02/07 10:44 AM
The state of Massachusetts recently announced a new measure in blocking some foreclosures.  Governor Deval Patrick released a statement on steps that homeowners facing foreclosure could take.
An except of the statement reads:
In an ongoing response to the state’s foreclosure crisis, Governor Deval Patrick today directed Commissioner of Banks Steven L. Antonakes to seek delays from mortgage lenders, on a case-by-case basis, for any Massachusetts homeowner who has filed a complaint with the Division of Banks as part of their consumer assistance outreach efforts.  You can read the entire press release here. 
The initiative seems to stop short of a moratoriaum, … (2 comments)

 

Christopher Smith

Houston, TX

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