Joplin & Springfield Real Estate Investor Association

If you got into real estate anytime in the last decade, you’ve spent most of your investing life in a market where prices went up, inventory stayed tight, and competition never really let up.

There are some real advantages to that kind of market. Flips, both wholesale and retail, sell fast. Renters are easy to find, and rents usually climb every year. The headlines are upbeat. Everyone feels smart.

It’s fun to be in the real estate business when the wind is always at your back.

The downside of that kind of market is, of course, that everyone wants to be in it. And that means that great deals are hard to come by.

When homeowners and investors are all racing to buy, prices get pushed up and profit margins get squeezed.

Finding deals that actually pencil out as long-term holds or really profitable flips becomes the hardest, most time-consuming part of the business. We find ourselves doing deals that are pretty marginal—because, well, they keep working out as long as the market stays hot, and prices keep going up.

But the one constant in the real estate market is change…and that’s what we saw in 2025.

Buyers hesitated. Inventory grew. Rents and house prices didn’t.

Logically, most of us get that lower sale prices and flatter rents aren’t a problem as long as purchase prices and payment terms come down even more.

Slower sales and less competition = more motivated sellers.

More motivated sellers = lower prices and better terms. ... Read More…

 

... Read More…

When you acquire property from a seller and simultaneously sell it to a third-party buyer, as a briefly intervening title holder, you may think you don’t need an owner’s title insurance policy. After all, you’re only holding onto the property for a few seconds and not even taking possession of it. So, what’s your risk if an eventual title issue arises?

Even if you own the property for only a few seconds, hours, or days, you’re entering the “chain of title,” or the ownership record. If any title issues arise later, you could be dragged into legal disputes. Some problems are not discoverable through a standard title search, and don’t surface until later:

• Errors in the public records
• Forged documents
• Omitted signers required for effective transfer from an LLC or other entity
• Undisclosed purchase agreements or other contracts
• Undisclosed heirs

As long as the end buyer has an owner’s title insurance policy, they can file a claim for any covered issues that arise. They can also, however, make a claim against their seller to enforce warranties provided in the deed that was recorded to transfer title. If the end buyer did not get an owner’s title insurance policy, then seeking recovery from their seller may be their only option. And even if a title insurer accepts the claim and pays the insured, the title insurer may seek recoupment from the seller or a previous title holder, depending on the circumstances. The ... Read More…

 As you may know, in the Real Estate Investing business, You've got to Buy Low ("DEALS") and Sell High (the closer to Perfect you Fix-up the Property, the better you're able to enter the Retail Market (MLS) of highest sale prices).

You can Buy Distressed Property or find a Distressed Owner. Then Fix-up the Property and Sell or Rent it.

To be Successful you've got to keep finding these "DEALS" otherwise it's like you're treading water. OK to tread in a Lake but this business is more like a River so Treading ends you down river, breaking even or losing money.

One way to fill your "Pipeline" with Deals is with the Marketing Magic from National Expert Kathy, who'll Teach us How YOU can be Successful with that "PIPELINE" of opportunities! Tuesday, January 28, 6:30-9pm & Saturday, February 1, 10:00-3pm2025.

Another way for finding DEALS is Tony Youngs Hidden Market techniques. Tony shared page 1 of his Goals on his Thursday (1/2/25) evening webinar, below. Like to join us for Tony's Thursday webinar? Mike@MassRealEstate.net and I'll see if I can get Tony for an invitation for YOU.

  GOALS FOR 2025 (print and paste on your Refrigerator beside your Vision Board)

Financial:

Health Goals:

Spritual Goals:

FINANCIAL:

I will make $250,000 this year

I will do this by working the Hidden Market System

I will plot a course of 8 foreclosure properties and find 30 hidden market leads by following that course.

I will wholesale the properties I find to other i ... Read More…

 

Maybe you’re someone who's completely comfortable asking complete strangers questions like, “How much do you owe on your house” or saying things like, “That’s crazy, you’ll never get that price”.

But if so, you’re unusual—most real estate entrepreneurs have a tough time telling other people that their properties are not worth what they think they’re worth. Whether it’s that you don’t want to argue with a seller who seems certain that his price is right, or whether it’s your fear that YOU’RE the one who’s wrong, or whether you don’t want to disappoint or offend complete strangers who’ve come to you for help, the fact is that you might just have a hard time choking out the fact that you need to pay less for a property than what the seller wants.

I’m the same way. The difference, though, is that I have over 2 decades of trial-and-error-based experience in talking to property owners of all descriptions. And because I’ve spoken to, oh, 20,000 or more sellers, I’ve had the opportunity to try a lot of phrases that get my point across without sounding confrontational, insulting the seller or his ugly house or iffy neighborhood, or asking questions that the seller might find invasive if stated too directly.

So, I’m sharing those phrases with you. Study them, practice them, and use them when the situation arises. You’ll feel more comfortable, yo ... Read More…

 

Warning: This is the longest blog post I've ever written. At the same time, I think if you can read it all, you'll be glad you did.

Because there’s a dark secret that a lot of investors know, but that no one seems to talk about much. It’s a secret that every full-time investor eventually discovers for himself or pays the consequences.

So, I guess this “secret” isn’t, really a secret—in fact, it’s right in front of all of us, all the time. Look at any successful investor, and there it will be, staring you right in the face. Yet, you may have never noticed it on any conscious level.

Part of the reason you’ve never noticed it is that the real estate education industry tends to misdirect you, denying the truth of this phenomenon without coming right out and addressing it. Have you guessed it yet? No? then let me drag out “the reveal” a little longer with an example.

Let’s take 2 imaginary real estate entrepreneurs, Investor A and Investor B (well, OK, they’re not all that imaginary—they’re both based on people I know, and if you look around a little, you’ll see examples of both, too).

Both investors start from the same place. It doesn’t matter where—maybe they’re frustrated corporate employees who hate their jobs and despair of being able to retire while they’re still young enough to enjoy it. Maybe both have decent credit and $20,000 in savings. Maybe bo ... Read More…

 

Marco is a buyer of seller-financed notes and mortgages who is also a member of our amazing national community of real estate entrepreneurs. He’s co-teaching the all-day workshop on getting started in buying notes in late February and is the author of a weekly “Seller Finance” e-letter.

        Like many other members, I attended the excellent Saturday Workshop taught by Robert Mohon called, “The Ultimate Credibility Package.”

        One of the things I learned was all bankers are taught the four Cs of lending money: things they look at when considering whether to make a loan. These are:

1. Credit
2. Collateral
3. Capacity
4. Character

        This made me think about the differences between lending money and buying seller financed loans that someone else already made, which is what I do. I came up with these four Cs for Note Buyers:

1. Credit
2. Collateral
3. Capacity
4. Conditions

        These are all crucial for deciding WHETHER to buy, and how much to pay for, any note you might be offered. So let me break them down:

Credit

        Seller financed note buyers review each payor’s credit report. Beyond FICO score, it shows their history managing credit and making payments consistently. It also notes bankruptcies in the last 7 or 10 years, and foreclosures in ... Read More…

 

In my 25+ years in the real estate business, I bet I've met more than 100,000 investors at all levels of knowledge and experience. Some have become amazingly successful, while others have lost steam or experienced dramatic failures.

During this time, I've noticed that there are certain characteristics that come with real estate investing success. As a matter of fact, that I have come to believe that I can predict with fair accuracy whether a particular investor will be successful. All I have to do is find out a little about their attitudes and actions, and I'll know what their chances of becoming successful are.

Before I outline the specific characteristics that I've found in successful investors, I’d like to define what I mean by "successful investor".

A successful investor is NOT the person who owns the most properties or does the most deals, or who has the most zeros in his net worth.

A successful investor is simply a person who knows what he wants - financially, personally, and in terms of what he wants to contribute to the world - and successfully uses real estate investing as a way to get those things. For a successful real estate investor, real estate is a means to an end, not an end unto itself. A successful real estate investor works to become as financially secure as is necessary for his peace of mind and who is happy and comfortable with his investment activities.

Successful investors I've known include high school dropouts and PhDs, men and women of all r ... Read More…

One of the most important aspects to a marketing campaign is to create a solid mail piece for your business: one that sellers will actually respond to.

Here are the key things to remember when you want to create effective messages:

1. Don’t just explain what you do or what you’re offering;  “touch” your prospective seller with “the dream”, or “the solution” to their problem. You’ll want to touch the basic emotions and the needs of your seller within the body of your letter, whether that is fear, relief, greed, pride, or vanity.
2. Keep it simple. The grammar doesn’t necessarily have to be perfect. You want to reach this person at their comfort level. Keep your letter relaxed, personal and conversational.
3. Use simple language; don’t fill your letter with big words or technical words or “industry jargon” that your seller or your customer might not understand.
4. Don’t make your letter hard on the prospect’s eyes: use paragraphs so that there is a specific break between thoughts and so that the letter just flows better and is more pleasing to the eye.
5. Even though this is a personal letter, I still begin with a powerful headline or first sentence to make sure I have their attention so that they read the rest of my piece.
6. I also list the benefits to the seller of choosing to work with me the investor, as opposed to perhaps listing their home or trying to sell it themselves. You have ... Read More…

Title: Ohio's quest to regulate residential PACE lending.
Please see the attached article from Crain’s Cleveland Business on PACE loans in Ohio and where HB 646 currently stands.

Title: Landlords offered cash incentives to participate in voucher program.
Please see the attached article from The Toledo Blade regarding a new regional initiative focused on addressing Toledo’s housing crisis by enticing landlords to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program through a cash incentive.

Title: Columbus plans to fast-track affordable housing, help cover permit fees for small and medium-size developers.
Please see the attached article from Columbus Business First regarding comments from Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther on the city’s plans to start fast-tracking affordable housing projects by the end of the year.

Title: Ohio's largest business organization outlines blueprint for the state's economic future.
Please see the attached article from The Statehouse News Bureau regarding a new report from the Ohio Chamber of Commerce containing several recommendations for Ohio businesses and outlining the group's policy objectives for the coming decade. A copy of the Chamber’s executive summary and the full report are also attached for your review.
&ck=c442755c-bfa6-4f31-8ec4-4614a43f69f2 ... Read More…