The Mindset of Getting Started in 2019, as a Real Estate Investor

I want to give you some tips for getting started in 2019… it’s a mindset change.

So, people ask me all the time…. What’s the market doing, is this a good time to invest in real estate? Will 2019 be better than 2018? Well… my answer to this question is the same answer I’ve been giving for years. But… before I give you the answer…. here’s what you might be hearing…

There are several experts and news outlets that are reporting that interest rates are going up, mortgage brokers are getting out of the business, prices are up in some areas and down in others, or home sales are declining or flattening out. So, what does all this mean to you as a real estate investor? Well… if you’re focused on one strategy, this could affect your entire business. What does it mean to me? Absolutely nothing!

You see, I’m not focused on the real estate market in general… and my business is not affected by what happens in the marketplace. Yet, this is how most people look at it. If it’s a seller’s market, if it’s a buyer’s market, if interest rates go up or down. The ONLY thing that matters to me is that people have problems or create situations. Problems and situations lead to great deals. Now in fact, problems could be a result of what happens in the market place. But people will continue to lose their job, fall behind on payments, health issues, death, and so on.

And Situations could be a job transfer, promotion, home upgrades, paying for their kids’ education, or starting a business and needing capital. This is not necessarily a problem… but there’s something happening in their life that’s more pressing and they need to do something with their home.

Now problems are usually viewed as a negative… and situations are created because there’s something more motivating to the owner. Either way… when you have a problem or a situation… you have what’s called… MOTIVATION. Motivation is the trigger you’re looking for. And the best part is… IT’S CALLED LIFE. Our lives change every single day. Good and Bad!

And if you focus on this, you’re going to set yourself apart from the competition, become smarter in your approach, find deals faster and ultimately, you’re going to kickstart 2019 with a better mindset.

Now, let me break this down a little further so you know what to focus on.

So, if you are working an area where home prices are going up and it’s a seller’s market, focus on the term’s strategies such as a lease option or seller finance. And just because it’s a seller’s market, this doesn’t mean that people don’t go through problems.

Now if you’re a rehabber, you should be selling just before the peak of the market. Now, it is hard to know exactly when this peak will come… but you can gauge it when you start to see prices start to flatten out or even decline. The problem is that as soon as you recognize it, it may be too late. So, I like to see the prices increase for a period of time and even at the climb, I’m thinking about selling. I’d rather be a little early then late. This moment of time will vary city to city so get with a local real estate professional to determine this.

If you’re in a buyer’s market, well this is the time to buy and rehab houses and this includes wholesaling houses. Now don’t get me wrong, you can work any strategy in any market but when I see these trends, I do cater to specific strategies.

So, remember this… no matter what time of the year, what market you live in, if it’s a seller’s or buyer’s market, there will always be problem. Knowing what strategies to focus in on, will not only keep you in the game, you’re going to make a lot of money. So, at the end of the day, I really don’t care what the market is doing. I focus on the situations that are happening all around me. I’m not focused on one strategy or one way of doing things like most investors out there. So, one last tip I will give you… Stop looking for houses and start looking for situations. Let the situation determine your investment strategy. So, go out and make 2019 your best year ever!