Real estate investment is getting faster and easier

It takes time and effort for a real estate investor to find an offer. There are many properties for sale, but finding bargains has not always been easy. Fortunately, many tools and websites now available are making it easy. There are sites that help generate leads from motivated sellers and there are sites that provide valuable information to help the investor determine the value of the property. As a result, investors can get leads and do most of their analysis before viewing a property.

One site that is good for determining property values ​​is a subscription site called Real Quest (www.realquest.com). Real Quest allows subscribers to view links, tax records, and comparable sales. Another site, http://www.zillow.com, which is free, even shows an aerial view of some properties. Additionally, many of the US counties now have free access to online tax records. And of course, if the investor is a licensed agent, they have access to the MLS. By taking advantage of these and other online resources, an investor can calculate the retail value of a property without even looking at it.

It is important to determine the amount of the offer, but most deals are won or lost in negotiation. Before an investor tries to negotiate the price, he must develop a relationship with the seller. The best way to do this is to listen. Why are they selling? What is your financial situation? Where are they moving? The most important thing is to create a report. Just listen; there will be plenty of time to ask questions. If the investor can give the seller what he needs, a deal is much more likely to be reached. And it’s not always about the price; sometimes they need something else, like a certain closing date, help with moving costs, etc.

Some investors focus only on rehabbing properties and don’t have the time to evaluate sellers and locate deals. That’s where the value of a good wholesaler comes in. A wholesaler spends his time locating and negotiating deals and then selling them to investors who are rehabbing properties. Good wholesalers know how to talk to sellers and negotiate deals. They provide a valuable service when they shop well and some even provide financing for the rehabilitator.

Unfortunately, wholesalers sometimes have to hold properties for longer than planned. When that happens, maintenance costs are passed on to the rehabilitators and prices go up.

The good news is that the Internet is starting to change that, too. Wholesalers can now use online real estate investor auctions, email lists, or other creative Internet strategies to quickly find buyers for their offers. And thanks to the Internet, the wholesaler can reduce their maintenance costs and pass those savings on to the rehabilitator. As a result, everyone wins.

If you are a real estate investor and you do not use the Internet to locate, analyze or sell your offers, you are missing a great opportunity to save time and reduce your costs.