What makes real estate so great? That’s a good question and one that has many answers. Real estate is tangible. Meaning, you can see it, touch it, feel it. This really differentiates it from other asset classes like stocks and bonds. Real estate is also broad and deep. What I mean is that there are numerous ways to invest in it. You can wholesale, fix and flip, hold rental properties, invest in commercial, buy notes, raw land, apartment complexes and multi family, deed of trust investing, tax liens, land leases, farm and timber land…just to name a few. Clearly there Read more…

Once again housing got more affordable in the last week. Let me explain. We all already know that mortgage rates are at historic lows, which has kept housing extremely affordable. Couple that with housing prices still remaining well below the peak high’s of 2006-2007. Now there is one more thing that we can add to the mix…reduced MIP (mortgage insurance premiums) on FHA mortgages. Last week, President Obama announced that the Federal Housing Administration would be slashing the MIP premiums on FHA loans. MIP is something that a homeowner must pay when they have less than 20% to put as Read more…

Great little houses (in many areas, 3 bedrooms or less, under 2,000 square feet) are frequently looked on by real estate investors as rental prospects. But when prospective renters (or homebuyers) come to look, uppermost in their minds is the question: “How can I fit my life into this small space?” What’s the magic of installing a few space-saving conveniences before showing your investment property to renters (or homebuyers)? From the new occupant’s viewpoint, your rental is that much more move-in ready because they don’t have to shop for and install these conveniences themselves, or pay for them out-of-pocket. For Read more…

What is holding back recent college graduates from buying homes? There are many current economic incentives for first-time home buyers: The economy, hiring and job stability is recovering. In many industries starting salaries for new graduates are at an all-time high. Interest rates are still low, helping homebuyers afford and qualify for loans. Particularly in the east, housing market prices are considered still somewhat under-valued by many experts. (This is not true on the west coast where prices may be over-valued.) Renting is currently more expensive than owning in almost every major market. But researchers are finding that today’s college Read more…