“We buy homes for cash” – Everyone has seen those small signs around neighborhoods. There’s a reason why there are so many: It’s because they work. Direct mail works, too.

But what if you want to let people know that you are a real estate investor and you’d like to buy an inexpensive home for cash? What should you do? Will your small “we buy homes for cash” sign be seen beside all the others?

Here are 2 secrets that you need to know in order to successfully market your real estate business:

REAL ESTATE INVESTING MARKETING SECRET #1: Be different!
When there are a dozen of those “we buy homes for cash” signs on the street corner, it’s hard to see the difference between one and another. But if you have yours in the window of a store or on the side of your car or on a free mug that you fill with candy and leave on the doorsteps of homes in your target neighborhood, you’re setting yourself apart. You’re being different. When you do that, you’re likely to be heard above the noise. It’s not that your message is any different, it’s just that you’re reaching your target market in a way that no one else is.

How else can you be successful in this way? If no one else is doing postcards, do a postcard. If no one else is hiring a clown to go door to door to hand out flyers, do that. Do whatever it takes to look different from your competitors.

REAL ESTATE INVESTING MARKETING SECRET #2: WIIFM?
When you are marketing your business to people, remember to always keep coming back to the fundamental acronym: WIIFM. That means “What’s in it for me?” and the “me” in this acronym is your audience. Don’t go to a homeowner who is down on his or her luck and say “I’d like to earn an income by selling your home to someone else. That’s focused on you! Instead, say “I’d like to help you get back on your financial feet.” Notice the difference?

It works the same for everyone else, too. When you approach a bank, remember that their primary concern is trying to recapture as much of that money as possible. Going through a foreclosure for them is extremely expensive so you can point out to them that you can make it cheaper by taking a property off their hands.

Remember these two important secrets and you’ll never miss out on potential business again!

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Short sales are becoming much more frequent in the United States, mainly because they are an alternative to foreclosure. Homeowners who are facing foreclosure are looking for ways to keep from damaging their credit, and a short sale does just that. Quite basically, a short sale is when the lender agrees to accept an amount less than what is owed on the property loan. It is important to understand that not all lenders will accept a short sale. In this article, you will learn some information about short sales and how to deal with the process.

If you are considering a short sale, you should first call the lender that is holding your mortgage loan. You need to specify that you need to speak only to someone who handles the short sales for the company. Be prepared to be put on hold, transferred, and even disconnected a ton of times before you get to the right person. You may even have to explain what a short sale is to the person on the other end. You do not want the general department either. You should ask to speak directly to the supervisor of the short sales department.

Your next step is to send in a written letter of authorization. This will give the lending company written permission to disclose any pertinent information to the parties that request it. You should include your name, address, the date, and account number. You should also have the document notarized, just to be on the safe side. Make a copy for yourself.

Somewhere along the way, you may find that you need a real estate lawyer. It would be best if you contact one as soon as you start looking into a short sale. The lawyer can help you through the process. When you contact a real estate lawyer, you need to ask them to prepare a preliminary net sheet for you. This document is a bunch of fee calculations that show the price you expect, the costs associated with selling the home, unpaid money you owe, and back payments and late fees.

You will also need to provide a written hardship letter. The best tip that you can get for writing this letter is to be as pitiful as possible, within reason of course. Do not simply say that you lost your job and cannot pay the full amount. You need to include other hardships that you have suffered as well as the loan problems. If you have children, you add them in somewhere as well. It sounds awful, but you need to play the sympathy card here.

In many situations, you cannot sell the home for the amount that is owed. The market rises and falls so quickly, but when it falls, it stays down for awhile. This is usually the main reason for a short sale. It is simply impossible for you to pay the amount that is still owed on the loan because the house will not sell for that much. In this case, you can obtain a comparative market analysis from the real estate agent. If you provide this document to the lender with any other documentation that they need, you are more likely to get the short sale approved.

Short sales can be a headache, not just for you, but for the real estate agents as well. There will be tons on paperwork and records that you will need to fill out and send in, but just keep in mind that lenders tend to look at short sales as a way for them to lose money so they will be rather demanding.

Keep your patience and provide what you can. Be sure, better days are ahead………

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Have you looked into buying foreclosed homes as a way to make some money or maybe just to get yourself a nice home at a cheap price? If you have, you may be surprised to know that it’s not as easy as you may think. Foreclosed properties are often available for sale at a steeply discounted price. With that said, buyers need to be aware that buying and living in a foreclosed property isn’t as easy as it sounds. That is why some buyers rather opt for properties that are referred to as REOs. These properties are real estate owned.

As previously stated, buying and moving into a foreclosed home isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Some states tend to draw out the process, you need to know that just because you are the winning bidder at a foreclosure auction, doesn’t mean that you can move in right away. In fact, you may still end up with no home. Why? Because many states have redemption laws. These laws gives delinquent borrowers time to get their mortgage back in good standing.

It’s also important to know that many people don’t want to leave their homes. While many will do so when faced with a legal eviction notice, you may be surprised how many occupants put up a fight. In fact, there are even cases where lawsuits were brought against the new buyers! If you are unable to afford the cost of legal representation, foreclosures may not be in your best interest.

Liens and back taxes also need to be examined. Depending on the state in question, buyers of foreclosure properties may be responsible for any outstanding liens or back taxes. Don’t let this come as a surprise to you after the fact. If you’re not careful, this can significantly increase the cost of a foreclosure, possibly making it no longer affordable. For your own personal protection, always consult with a professional before buying a foreclosed property, especially at a real estate auction.

The buying of foreclosures can be considered a risky business, there are many homeowners who opt to purchase real estate owned (REO) home or property. these properties are owned by the original lenders. During this process, the lender is commonly referred to as the investor. Often times, the lender in question will buy back the home at a real estate auction. This is often done when not enough interest in generated in the auction or when the bids are anticipated to be or are low.

Many experts state that buying a REO home is the best way to buy a property that is in trouble. Why? Because at this stage, the home is likely cleared of all occupants. Financial lenders often have the means and the power to evict all occupants, even those who are against leaving. The only individuals you should have to deal with are the investors, which would be the bank. In rare events, a bank may turn over the sale of the home to a real estate agent. However, since real estate agents take a percentage of each sale, the asking price of an REO home is likely to increase. For the best price, deal with banks directly.

How you can find real estate own properties? Visit all local banks in your area, ask if there are any real estate owned properties currently available for sale. If so, request information on those properties. The online websites of nationally owned, but locally operated banks can be examined as well. Many times, REO properties are listed for sale online. Remember, the same information can be acquired by scheduling an in person meeting with the bank’s loan officer or real estate advisor.

An important warning, whenever you are interested in buying a home, whether it be through a traditional real estate agent sale, an REO, or a foreclosed property, never enter into any agreements without the proper legal knowledge. Always hire or consultant with an attorney who specializes in real estate or foreclosures.

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