Nationwide, 1 in 4 mortgages were underwater by the end of 2009.  Recent research suggests when a negative equity hits 25% (i.e., the borrower owes 25% more than the market value), borrowers tend to walk away from their mortgage, even if they are perfectly capable of making the payments. These two trends, taken [...]

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Learn Real Estate

Learn by Doing, Exercise 2 for Real Estate Investors – How to Sell

by Ryan Moeller | February 9, 2010

It is important to learn and stay sharp as a real estate investor.  Learning theory is great, but applying by doing is the best way to learn and retain.  Here is the 2nd of a series of exercises that new and existing real estate investors must do to hone their craft.  Hopefully you had tremendous success during the [...]

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Real Estate Investing

Improve Your Productivity: 4 Great Ways to Clone Yourself While Real Estate Investing

by John Fedro | February 8, 2010
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Congratulations!  You are pursuing a career in the lucrative world of real estate investing.  The sky’s the limit.  Isn’t it? We are all bound by the same 24 hours in each day.  Our current unique lifestyle is a result how each one of us has used this precious time.
Here are a few tactics, out of [...]

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Mortgages & Lending

Fed Leaving Door Open to Extend Mortgage Backed Security Purchases

by Ryan Hinricher | February 8, 2010

I’ve been curious lately about the end of the Mortgage Backed Security (MBS) purchases by the Federal Reserve in March.  The Fed is planning to end the program in less than 60 days on March 31st.  Currently they stand at about 94% having purchased 1.17 trillion of the 1.25 trillion allocated to purchase these securities.
So [...]

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Commentary

Those Greedy SOBs!

by Richard Warren | February 8, 2010
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When you’re driving on the highway, have you ever noticed that anyone who drives slower than you is a moron and those who drive faster are maniacs? It’s human nature to think that there is something wrong with those who don’t act the way we think they should. It’s certainly true in real estate.
Today I [...]

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Real Estate Investing

How to Handle a Landlord with Multiple Properties for Sale

by Jason Hanson | February 7, 2010
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I love landlords. I get the majority of my deals from landlords who are sick of dealing with tenant hassles. The biggest payoff comes when you get a call from a landlord who wants to sell you multiple properties, such as 3, 10, 20 and maybe even 50 houses at once.
So what do you when [...]

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Real Estate Marketing

Superbowl Commercials 2010 | Why You Should Take Notes

by J. Lamar Ferren | February 7, 2010
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Superbowl Commercials are the probably the most watched commercials year round.
Superbowl Sunday is the day people can’t help be excited about: from the fans, to the players, to the coaches, and yes, even the Sponsors…
And that’s exactly who I want to talk about this year… The Sponsors!
After doing a little bit of research, I found out [...]

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Real Estate News

The Ten Best in RE.net This Week: Feb. 6, 2010 Edition

by Dean Ouellette | February 6, 2010
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1) On the ethics of “strategic default”… – I understand where Scott is coming from on this post, but some parts of the country are in such a bad position you have to start questioning it. Imagine being in a home you owe $600,000 and today it is only worth $350,000. At some point a common [...]

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Real Estate Technology

Property Fraud Alert Service – Watch Your Back!

by Justin McClelland | February 6, 2010
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There is a service offered in a select number of counties called, Property Fraud Alert, which, after you sign-up, runs a query against any new documents recorded within the county of your choice.  The primary purpose for this service is to help stop mortgage and property fraud.  If any document recorded within your county lists [...]

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Economy

Where Have All The Houses Gone? Can we Fix the Growing Shadow Inventory Problem?

by Brian Brady | February 5, 2010

If you know who Pete Seeger is, you’ll recognize that I’m about to pirate the song he sang about the cyclical nature of war.  Hang in there.  I promise I’ll tie this into real estate investing.
Where have all the houses gone?
Gone off balance sheet, every one.
When will they ever learn?
When will they e…ver learn?
You gotta [...]

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Commentary

Recent Important Snippets You May Not Have Seen

by Tom Koziol | February 5, 2010

After reading a story titled, “Local homeowners get the runaround on loan modifications” in my local paper this week, I decided to do a bit of snooping about the HAMP program. Fortunately the title company I use for my real estate deals has a very proactive website. It not only gives me the latest NOD [...]

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Mortgages & Lending

How to Fund and Finance Your Real Estate Deals — Without Needing Tranquilizers!

by Peter Giardini | February 4, 2010
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Last week I wrote about my discussions with a local loan officer for a small bank in my area.  This article really touched a nerve not only with the number of comments but also with at least one of my clients.
I sent a link to the article out to my clients to ensure they were [...]

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Starting Out

Your Signficant Other Hates Real Estate Investing – Now What?

by Shae Bynes | February 4, 2010
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It’s pretty common for spouses or significant others to be really nervous and potentially downright unsupportive when you begin your quest as a wildly successful real estate investor. I’m blessed to have a spouse who is my partner in business and we work very well together, but this is not always the case.
I’m not a [...]

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Real Estate Wholesaling

Three Pitfalls to Avoid When Getting Started as a Wholesaler

by Stephani Davis | February 4, 2010

Wholesaling houses is a great way to make quick cash in real estate with very little risk or upfront investment. Like any other money-making niche in the real estate arena, there is a learning curve that you will need to work through if you want to become a successful wholesaler.  Following are three pitfalls that [...]

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Commentary

Walking Away From Your Upside Down Home: The 75% Solution

by Charles Feldman | February 3, 2010
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There has been much debate of late about whether or not it is morally acceptable for homeowners who currently own more for their mortgages than what their homes are actually worth to just walk away from their property, using their “new found” money to pay for a cheaper rental unit, perhaps.
Today’s New York Times even [...]

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