Valencia, CA (PRWEB) February 10, 2010 — It’s no secret that many struggling Realtors have given up in the past few years; in fact, National Association of Realtors’ numbers show that their ranks have shrunk 11 percent since the peak of the market in 2006.

“I’ve been able to obtain 15 to 20 new leads per week with the use of these social media strategies, and I can show everyone the exact steps that I’ve used,” according to Trower.

However, there is hope for those who are willing to use new methods of real estate marketing . Real estate broker, Naomi Trower has discovered a new way to market her business using social media, and she’s been so successful at it, she has written an ebook outlining her methods step by step. The book, “Social Media Marketing: Market Your Real Estate & Mortgage Business Using The Power of Social Media”, is available at http://NaomiTrower.com/ebook.

“I have seen so many people leaving our industry during the past 3 years, so that prompted me to look at alternative cost effective strategies to market our business,” Trower explained. “The past 2 years I’ve integrated internet & social media marketing into our marketing strategy, and I have had so much success using these strategies to increase my business even in these troubled economic times, that I wanted to share that success with everyone in the real estate market.”

Trower found that using sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube has proven to be an extremely cost effective way to market her services. It also provides her with the opportunity to reach a huge new audience who she might never have been able to reach with expensive traditional methods of advertising.

Her ebook shows how anyone can strategically grow their Twitter following to tens of thousands; how to come up with the social media marketing plan that’s right for them; how to build up fans for their Facebook business page; how to ensure that their blog is not just found in search engines, but ranked highly; and many other valuable insights into using social media to find more customers and make more sales.

“I’ve been able to obtain 15 to 20 new leads per week with the use of these social media strategies, and I can show everyone the exact steps that I’ve used,” according to Trower.

Trower, a social media strategist, avid blogger, and entrepreneur, is a real estate broker in the state of California. She owns Premier Equity Group, Inc. & Premier Realty Group. She has a team of real estate agents and mortgage consultants.

In addition to being a real estate broker, she enjoys helping others achieve real estate and business success.

Those seeking more information or wishing to purchase her ebook can visit http://NaomiTrower.com/ebook

Request a free Chapter by contacting her via email.


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(PRWEB) September 11, 2009 — A simple, well designed, functional website that helps you close more deals is a basic necessity of any real estate investing business. When choosing a good real estate investing web site, it is important not only to have a wide selection of designs to choose from, but also to be able to customize the web site to look exactly the way you like it. In keeping with this principle, RealEstateInvestorsWebSites.net have released new designs for their real estate investing websites.

Real estate investors can now choose from 120 designs created specifically for real estate investing. You can personalize each design with your company name and slogan or even logo, or get any design fully customized to reflect your full brand identity or even a new one built from the ground up at no extra cost.

Real Estate Investing WebSite

“Real estate investors can now choose from 120 designs created specifically for real estate investing. You can personalize each design with your company name and slogan or even logo, or get any design fully customized to reflect your full brand identity or even a new one built from the ground up at no extra cost.”

With many squeeze pages (landing pages) available with each web site, real estate investors can run targeted marketing and convert more leads into closed deals.

The websites are fully database-driven, interactive and adaptable to suit any real estate investing business model controlled from a virtual back office (admin panel) with an inbuilt follow-up autoresponder system and un-equaled automation capability in the industry.

Each web site is delivered fully customized to suit your investing needs, whether you buy, sell or wholesale houses, attracting private money lenders or any other business model. Each comes fully optimized for search engines targeting your local market right where you buy and sell properties.

For more information and to see the available designs, visit Real Estate Investing WebSites or call 214-227-8718.

Even a person not very skilled in carpentry, plumbing, and other traditional trades can improve the saleability of a property with modest effort and a few common tools.

One of the first things a potential buyer will notice when viewing your property is the condition of those around it. Encourage your neighbors to clear away children’s toys, junk cars, or other unsightly objects before buyers come looking.

Offer to mow the lawns of those to the left and right, or take their trash to the dump as an incentive. A small cash offer on successful sale will also motivate cooperation.

At the same time, show them you’re getting your own house in order. Mow the lawn carefully and repair any bare spots. Trim the edges. And invest in a few dozen inexpensive flowers and plants if the season permits it. The exterior is always what is seen first and first impressions linger.

Since a home inspection will almost always be done prior to a conclusive bargain being struck, take the opportunity to make those inexpensive plumbing repairs BEFORE showing the house. Some of the more expensive ones might wait, to be used as a bargaining chip. But fix that leaky sprinkler head that sprays the sidewalk and replace that dripping bathroom faucet.

Replacing carpeting throughout an entire house, or even one room, can be expensive. But getting it cleaned costs very little, typically. And repair any small damage or try to cover it with a piece of furniture. Eventually, you’ll have to show every flaw when you have a concrete deal. But it needn’t be the first thing they see. Replace those old welcome mats and small entrance rugs with new ones.

New screens are low priced and can make the exterior look fresh and new. To save even more, you can remake the screens with mesh and rubber kits, provided the frames are still in good shape.

Replace any cracked or broken windows. You’ll usually have to do this anyway as part of closing the deal. Of course, all the windows should be cleaned thoroughly to give that shiny new feel. Even a brand new house that’s dirty will fetch a lower price.

If you have air conditioning and heating ducts, replacing defective or worn conduits can get very costly. But many parts in a house that are not seen use silvered duct tape anyway, so patch any holes carefully to give a professional look. Replace old filters to give the appliances a newer look and the air a fresher smell.

A bit of spackle and a coat of paint on those rooms that have seen accidents needn’t cost a lot and don’t take a lot of effort. Be sure the work is done carefully, though, or it can come out looking worse than before you started.

A buyer that sees that you’ve made efforts to keep the property up will be more inclined to offer a better price. Think of the last time you bought a car. Didn’t you favor the one that was well maintained? You were probably willing to pay a little extra to get that one. They will be too.

To the novice real estate investor foreclosures often look irresistibly attractive. Who wouldn’t want to make a quick profit of 50% or more? But whether a foreclosure deal is really sugar or merely sweet-tasting arsenic depends on a list of complex factors.

Foreclosure is a legal procedure in which a mortgage holder reclaims a property due to default on a loan. Some states in the U.S. allow ’strict’ foreclosure � the borrower has a certain period to make the debt current, after which the title reverts to the lender.

Needless to say, you don’t want to get in the middle of someone’s legal process. Any thought of holding out a promise of ‘rescue’ to the current owner in exchange for part or whole ownership is suicidal. Look elsewhere for that great deal.

Also keep in mind that, in some foreclosure proceedings, borrowers have the ‘right of redemption’. This allows them a certain period in which to ‘cure the loan’ � make back payments, shore up credit, etc � and reclaim title to and possession of the property. Stay clear.

Once the foreclosure process is complete, or at least inevitable, you can put in action a plan to acquire the property. Look for deals in which, at minimum, a Notice of Default has been issued.

Auctions on foreclosed property are common but tricky. Never bid blind on a property. There’s no substitute for first hand knowledge of the physical condition and legal status of a property.

Keep in mind that foreclosures are sold ‘as is’. Unlike other property sales, no warranties are provided and no title insurance granted.

At minimum, you’ll need to have a professional inspection performed, even if you are a knowledgeable investor. Some investors are, of course, professional inspectors themselves � along with wearing many other hats. The property needn’t be free of every tiny defect, but you’ll want to know that the roof doesn’t need to be replaced, that the plumbing is sound, there are no serious foundation cracks, or potential for flooding, etc. If any of those are present, they can be acceptable if you’re looking for a ‘fixer-upper’ and have the time and funds. Discount your offer accordingly.

Eventually you’ll hear about someone entering a ’short sale’ deal. This occurs when a lender is willing to accept less money for a property than is outstanding on the loan.

Another type of foreclosure opportunity is the REO � real estate owned (by the lender). These are properties auctioned but not bought. It’s possible to get some very good deals, but exercise extreme caution.

Remember to do your research. Get a thorough inspection and perform adequate title research. Any major defects or encumbrances in the form of tax or other liens has to factor large in your plans.

Remember, arsenic just tastes like sugar, it’s still poison. Learn to tell the difference.

Buying and selling real estate is similar to timing other investments � stocks, bonds, mutual funds. But there are two important differences.

Most investments can be bought or sold within minutes at the market price. Buying or selling real estate takes months. That difference introduces interesting wrinkles in timing when to buy or sell.

Like other investments, selling at a high point, with the intention of buying back in at a lower price, is one way to make a profit. Here again, the difference in time required to complete a transaction makes life more interesting.

It’s usually easy to sell a stock, wait a day or a month and buy that same stock at a lower price. When that stock continues to rise, there are often others that have declined but can now be predicted to rise again. The real estate market rarely offers those kinds of opportunities.

The other difference is that companies differ but most stocks are alike. Real property is always unique.

Selling requires one to either acquire a new residence, wait for a new opportunity to enter view, or buy back in at a higher price, hoping for yet greater increases. Along the way the costs of getting in and out are substantially higher than a few dollars for a stock trade.

So, what to do?

One clue is provided by the historical fact that many have and continue to make good money in real estate � even though the market has gone through several cycles over the last few decades. That last piece of information gives another clue � think long term.

There are several strategies for improving your timing options. One is to acquire property at bargain prices, either through seeking out foreclosures, or looking at property requiring substantial repair.

If you have patience, it’s possible to find foreclosures that sell for anywhere from 25% to 35% under current market for that area. Read local newspapers and websites for Notice of Default listings and upcoming auctions.

It’s also possible to find areas where sellers tend to be leaving, but there is some likelihood of a turnaround. The latter is possible � previously depressed neighborhoods in Manhattan, such as the Lower East Side, now sell at a premium. Areas in other major urban centers have experienced similar turnarounds. Again, you will need to research and think long term. Look for political activity of urban renewal efforts.

If you’re good with tools or know someone who works inexpensively it’s possible to acquire property needing substantial repair. Fixing a leaking roof, and repairing water damage through installing new drywall and painting, can increase the sale price of a home by 10% or more.

One key to making any of these strategies, and many others, feasible is to have as much working capital available as possible. That doesn’t necessarily mean having a huge savings account. You need to be liquid and have access to money, not necessarily in your own account. Keep liquid, keep your credit rating high, and establish a good working relationship with a lender in order to have rapid access to financing.

Opportunities for profit, even in a market that’s leveling off from historically high rates of increase, are still around. But only for those who are willing to exercise patience, do tons of research, and have the ability to walk away from any deal when illusions meet reality.

Buy low, sell high. Anyone in any market aims for that, but few succeed. The only reasonable conclusion is it’s easier said than done. So, to be part of that group of ‘we happy few’, consider some of these ways to maximize your return.

In any business deal there are essentially only two ways to achieve the highest profit � keep your costs as low as possible, and attract the highest bidders.

To keep costs low going in, do as much yourself as possible. Two areas to start on are inspections and repairs.

Acquire the skills, and even licensing, needed to perform professional level inspections. Professional inspectors get up to several hundred dollars for a thorough review and detailed report. And they earn it. A good inspection can save you thousands in the form of foregoing falsely attractive deals and providing negotiating bargaining chips.

After the purchase, carry out any repairs needed yourself � to the extent you can do professional level work. Be thrifty, but not foolish. Amateur repairs lead to larger costs down the line. Shop around for low-cost quality roofing materials and superior carpet deals. When you can’t do the work yourself, seek out skilled handymen from small outfits. Companies whose prices include overhead for bonding of employees eat into your profits.

Shop around for low-cost loans with lesser known lenders. Major banks and mortgage companies tend to have higher fees and less than competitive rates. Never pay anyone an ‘application fee’. Perform the same exercise with respect to title and insurance. You’re not required to use anyone the lender recommends.

Once you’ve selected them, don’t passively accept unnecessary fees with ridiculous prices. In today’s world it’s absurd to pay $50 to deliver a few dozen papers across town, but tacking on charges like that is common practice. Take your time looking for property, lenders, title companies, insurance brokers, agents, etc. Shop as carefully as you would for a new car � no more so, you’re investing much more.

Educate yourself about real estate law and basic accounting. Professionals in those areas charge large fees � and earn them. Good advice costs heavily for a good reason. These professionals can save you thousands by avoiding costly mistakes. But you can perform many of those services yourself if you’re willing to study. You don’t need a law or accounting degree, just an active mind and a lot of patience for detail.

When you’ve found an attractive property, negotiate firmly but in good faith. Be willing to state clearly what you want and prepare to compromise. Individuals who feel they’ve been burned often find ways to sabotage your profits in ways you discover only later.

When you’re on the selling side, perform the same thorough shopping process and negotiate agent percentages, closing costs, and other high-ticket items.

Prepare the property for sale at the maximum price by investing in a few flowers and having the property thoroughly cleaned. Leave the lights on even during the day. Put on some “mood music” at a low volume; put out some attractive flyers with photos and little snacks for visitors.

Market your property heavily to get a large pool of interested buyers. Competitive bidding always benefits the seller. Be willing to take your time during the process. He who is most eager, makes less.

That last question is stated just as it should be. Not ‘what to buy (or sell)?’. Investing, true enough, is buying with the intention of selling for capital gains or reaping dividends in some form. But ‘buying’ is an activity carried out for consumption. Investment is undertaken to make a profit.

So, the question becomes, what will return the most profit for a given risk over a specified span of time? And, the sad but true answer is: no one knows.

Nevertheless, it is possible to judge the pros and cons and make moderately well-founded predictions based on history and current circumstances. So, here goes…

STOCKS

Dozens of thorough studies show that over a span of 10 years or more stocks in general will outperform any other investment. Historical returns averaging 12% per year are well-documented. No bond, real estate, commodity or other investment does so well, on average.

But there are two drawbacks to that position. Few investors want to buy a stock and hold it for 10, 20 or more years in order to be safely assured (to the degree that’s possible) of seeing that return. Second, funds aside for the moment, individuals don’t invest in ’stocks in general’, they buy and sell a particular stock.

So, if stocks are attractive, consider a particular company’s prospects over the time span you select. Technology, and other social and economic changes, eventually obsoletes every company. Except, of course, those that change with the times, eventually becoming an entirely different kind. General Electric no longer makes most of its revenue from selling light bulbs.

BONDS

Bonds, when well rated (AA or above) by one of the major agencies, return 4% or better with low risk and semi-annual interest payments. But assuming a modest 25% tax rate, the return is already down to 3%. Add the effect of even modest inflation at 2%, and the return is down to 1%. That doesn’t even include the possibility of price depreciation for those who chose to sell prior to maturity.

Even so, bonds have advantages no other instrument enjoys. Since they have a set interest rate and maturity date, their behavior is much more readily predictable, given plausible assumptions about interest rate changes and other economic factors.

And many millions of skilled investors make substantial sums through bond investing. For those who can follow their lead, or carry out their own research, healthy profits are possible with modest risk.

COMMODITY or CURRENCY

Neither commodity nor currency exchange investing is appropriate for the novice investor. Period. Though the situation is changing. See Funds below.

REAL ESTATE

Real estate investing, either through actual property acquisition or paper investing (via Mortgage Backed Securities, ETFs – Exchange Traded Funds, IRAs – Individual Retirement Accounts – or other means) is a stellar way to make substantial gains. But, for all except those who simply occupy the property, it’s a full time job.

FUNDS

For those with limited time or temperament for research and investment tracking, funds offer an excellent alternative to direct investing. Mutual funds, one of the more common types, pool investor money and diversify investment (usually) into a variety of instruments: stocks, bonds, currency, commodities, etc.

Investors save money by not incurring a fee for every trade, but pay management fees of one kind or another (usually annual), and those can eat substantially into overall returns. Check out each carefully.

It would be pleasant if the situation were simple. But, if it ever was it no longer is. As Einstein once said, “A theory should be as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

On the upside, the research and advice available today is better than ever. With the Internet, individuals can investigate instruments at least to the degree that helps confirm or contradict recommendations made by advisers. (Including mine!)

Tread carefully at first, then be bold.

‘Flipping’ is the practice of buying property, then selling for � hopefully � quick profit. The flip side to flipping is keeping property for the long term to take advantage of tax incentives and capital appreciation. Calculate the total costs vs amount saved from tax write off. Don’t forget to include interest charges, property taxes, insurance, repairs, etc., along with the regular monthly payment.

Remember that property values have risen in most markets for several years. But with interest rates increasing no one can predict how much higher they’ll go nor for how much longer. No gain without risk!

Apart from gains from a tax write off and appreciation, some costs can be offset by renting the property. But, consider the amount of time and cash you have to find tenants, manage the property, and pay for or perform repairs.

Foreclosures are another investment avenue, but also not without risk and often requiring substantial cash outlay. A foreclosure occurs when a property owner is no longer able to make payments on a mortgage, usually over a period of several months. But seldom are foreclosed properties all gain and no pain.

Foreclosed properties tend to be in need of repair � someone about to lose their home isn’t usually incented to maintain it in pristine condition. Be prepared to spend time and effort bringing the home back to salable condition, if you have the skills, or laying out cash, time, and effort to find a reliable contractor.

Similar considerations apply to investing in abandoned property, with some possible additional legal hoops to jump through. Foreclosed properties usually have clear title. The lender (a bank, mortgage company, or other financier) reclaims title as a part of the foreclosure process. In the case of abandoned properties, it may not be clear who has title. Factor in the additional time and cost for title searches and possible legal action.

For those who want to take advantage of profit opportunities in real estate, but without actually laying out cash, signing dozens of documents, or worrying about the physical property, there are purely paper investments. As a result of computerization and the explosive expansion of investment options in the 1980s, several types of ‘monetization’ of real estate came into existence. REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) are one type. There are others � mortgage backed securities, property bonds, trusts, mutual funds, and stocks oriented specifically toward real estate. Before investing in any of these ‘non-property’ options, talk to a broker.

But easier is not the same thing as easy.

The biggest barrier to success in real estate investing for those starting out is the steep learning curve. Real Estate investing, no matter where you live, is a complicated business and you can lose big money quicker than you can say ’stock market crash’ if you haven’t done your homework.

So, to simplify the process, here are some things to consider when getting started.

Before investing money, invest some time. Think about what financial goals you want to achieve and over what time frame. Be realistic. Easy to say, hard to do � especially when home prices have been rising for several years and still are. But like any market, real estate values may go down, and when they do it’s usually a sharp, steep drop.

Once you’ve decided how much of a time and money commitment you want to make, write it down. Make a one year to five year business plan in as much detail as you can, and then review it after six months and again after two years.

Part of that plan should be an estimate of how much capital you’ve got to invest, which will differ depending on whether or not you plan to use your primary residence as your first investment. Just as one example, if you have less than $10,000 to start with you are definitely looking at either using your own home or buying a ‘fixer-upper’ as your first venture.

It’s true you can get into a secondary property with no money down and just a couple of thousand in closing costs if you have good credit. But the market would then have to rise quickly, and you would have to sell right away.

That’s risky and has serious tax and legal consequences. The alternative would be to take on high monthly payments and maybe additional expenditures on repairs. Again, risky and potentially expensive. You stand a high chance to lose more than your initial investment, because even though you only put in a small amount, you’re still legally bound for the entire package.

Unwise move for the newbie.

Another part of that plan should state how much risk you’re willing to take. Be especially honest and consider your personality type. Some investors favor capital preservation, others lean toward maximum return in the shortest time. People differ in their tolerance for risk. Be sure you know yours.

You’ll need to consider your available time commitment, establish a relationship with a lender, learn about the market, contracts, insurance, legal rights and requirements, tax consequences, and many other aspects of real estate investing.

If you still want to take the plunge � bravo! You can make a healthy additional income, or even a full time living, in what remains one of the soundest investments available. And, apart from what can be serious money � it’s a great adventure!

The process of finding ‘diamonds in the rough’ has been revolutionized by the Internet. You can spend hours on-line finding descriptions, prices, photos, and useful legal info about properties close by or thousands of miles away. Unless you restrict yourself to FSBO (For Sale By Owner) ads on eBay, Google Base, or Windows Classifieds, though, prepare to pay realtor fees.

Visit Realtor or estate agent businesses. If you can afford it, you can obtain an MLS, a multiple listing service, and get the same information they get. In some locations, a license is required, even if you have the cash.

Even if you use the web to find a great value, be prepared to do some ‘leg work’. The only way to judge properly is to visit the property and the surrounding area. Is the neighborhood maintained in a way that won’t depress the selling price? While you’re driving around, look for FSBO signs, For Rent signs, and talk to some of the neighbors.

The person next door, might know something about that yard that turns into a swamp after a few days of rain. Be prepared to make more than one visit, in different kinds of weather and at different times of day, if possible. Property, land and houses, look and act different in the cool of the night than they do in the heat of the day.

And the best way to check for a leaky roof is to go when it’s raining � exactly the weather you don’t enjoy evaluating property in. Neither will your competitor for that property. Going that one step further puts you ahead in the race. Information is power.

After the informal inspection, you can strike a contingent deal. ‘Contingent’, here, means dependent on a satisfactory professional inspection. Find someone experienced and reliable, even if you have to pay a little more. The price will be repaid many times over, especially if you use them regularly in the future.

Learn the craft yourself if you have time and interest, but at minimum learn at least enough to keep the inspector honest. Most are, anyway.

Review the report carefully. It’s not required that everything is 100%, but every major and minor flaw should be recorded. Leaky plumbing or roofs, stained carpets, damaged walls or floors, inoperative air conditioning or heating systems, etc. Look especially for any standing water in basements, near foundations, etc.

Everything is negotiable, so there’s no rule about who pays for repairs, if anybody. But information is power. Still, be realistic. Very few properties, even newly constructed ones, are perfect. If they are they’re expensive enough to eliminate your profit, unless you plan to keep the investment for an extended period.

Happy hunting!