?> Buying and Selling Distressed Houses for Maximum Profit

CashCome.com Articles Pages

Home
Articles Index
Site Map

Buying and Selling Distressed Houses for Maximum Profit

?>

Download eBooks and Software

Fully Verified Winning System Since 1999 & Vip Club Picks!
Winning Sports Picks & Predictions By Zcodesystem.com - Nhl, Nfl, Mlb And Nba Predictions And Picks From The Best Experts In The Industry + Fully Automated System Proven Since 1999 Awesome Conversion 5.26% And Recurring 60% Commission!

The Lotto Black Book
This Radical Approach To An Online Sales Letter Converts In The 3-5%... We've Never Seen Something Like This Since The Early Days Of 2004-2005 And I'm Sure You Haven't Either... We Convert More Than Our Competition And We Pay Out More... Try It!

Paleo Recipe Book - Brand New Paleo Cookbook
Brand New Paleo Diet Cookbook With Over 370 Recipes. Pays 70% Commission On This High-quality, Easy To Sell Product. Get Banners And Promotional Material At Http://paleorecipebook.com/affiliates.html


Articles > Business and Finance

Buying and Selling Distressed Houses for Maximum Profit

 by: Jeanette Joy Fisher

If you want to become a real estate investor, find a "fixer-upper" owned by an anxious seller. Finding distressed houses at bargain prices, fixing them up, and then selling them on a consistent basis can make you a millionaire.

Why Sellers Sell At a Discount

Homeowners' problems often prevent them from staying on top of their home's upkeep, and factors such as job loss, divorce, serious illness, various addictions, or other personal problems quickly overwhelm them. These sellers can't make the needed repairs because of financial or physical limitations, and when that happens, their home becomes a low priority and sometimes will go into foreclosure.

Look for the "Triple D"

Home sellers with three problems give beginning investors a great opportunity. A "Triple D" is a Doghouse, involved in a Divorce, and in Default. The label "doghouse" comes from Southern California Realtors who used this term to describe the worst fixers. These houses maybe "tired" and need only cosmetic work in order to favorably compare with other homes in the area.

What to Look for in a Doghouse

The hardest house for a homeowner to sell is a "doghouse," "dump," or "fixer-upper." These run-down houses scare off most buyers, who don't have the money to cover the down payment, closing costs, new furniture, carpeting, appliances, roof repairs, and other deferred maintenance required to bring the home back into top condition.

As you look through the classified ads or at realtor listings, keep an eye out for terms like "handyman special," "as is," "fixer," or other tell-tale words. Also have your agent use similar terms when scanning the Multiple Listing Service for your target area.

Once you've found a property that you can turn from doghouse to dollhouse, find out the seller's problem and then offer a solution. Distressed sellers frequently experience financial problems and need cash as soon as possible. Therefore, if you're ready to close quickly, you'll be set to negotiate a lower sales price.

How to Close Quickly

Find an experienced lender and get yourself not only "pre-qualified," but also "pre-approved." Taking that second step assures worried sellers that you already have your loan in place for their property, and this puts you well ahead of other potential buyers.

How to Know When "Bad" Is Good

When you first start out in the real estate "fixer" business, you'll want to look for "ugly" houses needing only cosmetic work. Look for entry level fixers that just need some cleaning up, painting, and carpeting.

When you're new to the fixer game, always remember your limitations and use caution when considering houses needing structural repairs. My husband replaces structural beams, sub-flooring, walls, plumbing, and electrical systems, but he acquired those skills after years of experience.

If you find a house with structural problems, get estimates from reliable contractors to do the work. Experience teaches you how to do more over time. Until then, rely on experienced professionals to do the repairs. Take professional estimates into account before deciding whether or not to purchase an investment property.

The Easiest Houses to Sell

A dollhouse, located in a popular neighborhood, sells the quickest. For instance, we once sold a home we named "Orange Tree Cottage" in just three hours! To qualify as a dollhouse, a home must be in a location that buyers want and must offer the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, and amenities they're seeking. Beyond the price, however, buyers purchase the house that meets both their basic requirements and their emotional needs.

Filling Buyers' Emotional Needs

After many years of investment experience, we've found that using Design Psychology and Marketing Psychology techniques greatly increases our profits. Both concepts go far beyond "curb appeal."

For instance, we use colors that target our prospective buyer's income level and match the selling season. Generally, buyers of higher-priced homes prefer complex colors, and using cool colors during hot weather and warm colors in cold seasons makes buyers feel more comfortable. We also paint the front door a happy color and entice buyers into the house by placing potted plants on the porch.

Over the years, we've bought and sold dozens of distressed properties. By using caution and common sense, as well as following a few simple rules and using Design Psychology strategies, you, too, can become a wealthy real estate investor!

(c) Copyright 2004, Jeanette J. Fisher. All rights reserved.

About The Author

Jeanette Fisher, Design Psychology Professor, is the author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Credit Help!, Joy to the Home, and other books. Jeanette teaches Real Estate Investing and Interior Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, and newsletters, see http://www.doghousetodollhousefordollars.com/pages/5/index.htm.


JeanetteJoy@gmail.com

?>


News on Business and Finance

The Business Finance Store Discusses Business Incubators
The Business Finance Store discusses business incubators and how entrepreneurs can find the right one to develop their ideas into a successful business.Santa Ana, CA (PRWEB) May 20, 2012 Pinterest, the online virtual pin board, raised $100 million in a round of financing this week, The Wall Street Journal reported. The venture-capital funded tech startup is reportedly valued at $1.5 billion ...

The Business Finance Store Highlights Considerations for Upgrading a Credit Card Terminal
The Business Finance Store highlights some things to look for when considering upgrading a credit card terminal.Santa Ana, CA (PRWEB) May 19, 2012 VeriFone’s SAIL credit card swiper might be a little too close to Square’s mobile technology, Bloomberg Businessweek reported. While VeriFone’s SAIL looks physically different, the agreement and usage terms are remarkably similar, such that Square ...

Putin and Russia's Big Business: From Unstable Stability to Stable Instability?
The inauguration of Vladimir Putin to a third presidential term would seem to have ensured — for better or worse — an era of stability and continuity in Russia.

Genpact Signs Business Process Management Engagement with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
NEW YORK, May 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Genpact Limited (NYSE: G), a global leader in business process and technology management, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories ...

Small Business Owners Not Excited About Crowdfunding
Editor of CNBC.com's Small Business section, has covered business and personal finance for more than 20 years. She loves to shop local. "If your mother hasn't called you crazy yet, then you haven't graduated from the school of entrepreneurship."

transparent