real estate article: New Article... "For Real Estate Investors: A Lesson in Clarity" - 09/14/11 09:55 AM
Recently, I was conducting the last class in my course on real estate investment analysis that I teach in Columbia’s MSRED program.  I had assigned my 55 students a series of case studies (much like those in my book, Mastering Real Estate Investment) and told them to build financial pro forms and discuss the reasoning behind their analyses. After reading and commenting on all those analyses, I felt there was one overarching theme on which I wanted to focus my final remarks to the troops: The theme was “clarity.”
Trying to reduce a course to a single word might seem unrealistic … (0 comments)

real estate article: New ebook: Real Estate Project Feasibility - 11/15/10 05:07 AM
I've just released a brief new ebook, "Real Estate Project Feasibility: What's Behind Doors #1 and #2?" It discusses the two classic methods of deciding whether the development of a particular income-producing property appears feasible: the "front-door" and "back-door" approaches. In the first case, you have a site looking for a use; in the second, a use looking for a site. You'll see how to run the numbers to determine how much rental income is necessary to support a project at a given cost, or how to find the maximum project cost you can afford if you expect a given rental income. … (0 comments)

real estate article: Educational content for real estate investors - 08/11/10 04:58 AM
We've just sent out the August, 2010 edition of the RealData Dispatch, our more-or-less monthly newsletter to almost 9,000 real estate investors and developers who subscribe.  If you're not currently signed up to receive it, I invite you to view this edition online and to subscribe (free).
This issue is devoted almost entirely to educational content.  We have new articles, including "5 More Rules of Thumb for Real Estate Investors," some video clips on due diligence and APOD, and a promo to receive a signed copy of my most recent book, "Mastering Real Estate Investment."
Investor education is a big part of … (0 comments)