Joplin & Springfield Real Estate Investor Association

The simple answer to the seemingly complex question of “Who needs a real estate coach?” is everyone investing in real estate. That’s right, the institutionalized investing company to the one-person show need coaches and advisors.

The CEO of a public investing company has mentors/coaches as well as a board of directors to turn to. They often don’t have a choice of who their coaches are, but real estate investors do. Unfortunately, with this choice of a coach comes another choice that is often made instead. That choice is to not get any help at all.

Not getting any help at all is very often the cause of failure statistics we hear so much about. Real estate investors will often claim that they don’t have the time or money for a coach. Think about that comment. How can you not have the money to get help from someone that can potentially save or make you more money since you obviously are not getting it done on your own? Or how about that time you are lacking? Maybe if that investor sat down for an hour with a coach, they would be able to see why they don’t have time and do something about it with the help of someone who has already been in those shoes.

A coach gives to real estate investors something most of them don’t have; a sounding board and a board of directors to turn to for advice. These are two great resources to use when trying to avoid trial and error decisions and processes.

I’m not knocking trial and error as the way ... Read More…

We are counting down the days until our virtual event of the year, Speed Learning for 2021. On December 5th, from 8:30 am until 5 pm, this free Zoom event will feature over 20 national and local speakers.

Our lineup of speakers will be discussing topics including wholesaling, staging to increase price and value, rentals and land-lording, latest flooring innovations, how to work with appraisals, making rehab decisions and so much more! Included in the lineup are five national speakers including Marco Kozlowski.

Marco has been a real estate investor for over 20 years, acquiring over 6,000 properties focusing on various types of multi-units. He has coached hundreds of successful students using his investment methods and has helped countless investors retire within 3-5 years.  Marco will be teaching you how to purchase income producing real estate from the comfort of your own home, without using any of your own money or credit.

Throughout Marco’s presentation, he will explain in great detail his simple system that he uses to purchase apartments, mobile home parks, hotels, motels, and more. He will be discussing how to overcome fear of investing as well as how to position yourself with the financing you need to achieve your goals.

As you prepare to attend this educational presentation, consider the question, “How many units do you need to buy your freedom back?”

Using Marco’s simple system, you will learn exactly how to achieve those goals. You will learn how to find motiv ... Read More…

"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Successful people rarely reached the top without a lot of help along the way. The ability -- and willingness -- to ask for help is one trait that really stands out among those who are truly committed to success. You find these people at your local Real Estate Investors Association https://nationalreia.org/find-a-reia/

Personally, I've been approached a number of times by tax and accounting "up-and-comers" I and have seen this done the right way ... and the wrong way. Whether it's your boss or another entrepreneur, here are some tips for seeking advice and connections from those who get asked for this all the time:

• Do NOT waste their time. Once they've agreed to help, get to the point quickly. Don't go through your life story in excruciating detail, nor spend an hour explaining your business plan or the plot of your novel. Plan what you want to ask so you can make a clear, succinct request.

• Be as specific as humanly possible. Don't just ask, "What should I do?" Imagine you can ask only one question (because that may be the case). Identify the most important issue you're facing that your expert is qualified to address and build your question around that. You may get a chance to ask a follow-up, or to move on to another subject, so be prepared, but don't assume you'll have all the time in the world to get to what you need.

• Save one general question for the end of your ... Read More…

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”  - George Bernard Shaw

Based on what I've seen in my work with local businesses, here are the basic business mistakes people make when starting and operating a small business. These are by no means an exhaustive list of business mistakes, merely the most common -- and eminently avoidable...

• Not having a CLEAR business plan.  A good business plan will guide you through the first few months and years of your business. It should contain metrics that help you monitor costs as well as progress.

It doesn't have to be fancy, or even something that would hold up under an investor's scrutiny (though, certainly, if you're going down that road, go the extra mile and make sure it's good). But it does have to give you a roadmap to the goals you should be hitting by certain points -- 3 months, 6 months, 12 months.

• Doing everything yourself.  Even in a one-person operation, you'll have your hands full. If you're not able to hire employees, at least be ready to outsource the tasks that aren't integral to your daily operations.

In this way, of course, you free yourself for the highest-level activities, such as marketing and sales.

• Targeting the wrong market.  Nothing takes the place of solid market research before you launch your business. Find out who needs your product or service, where they are, what they expect to pay for it, and whether there are enough customers for you to survive.

But the BEST w ... Read More…

 Please see https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-cuomo-announces-moratorium-covid-related-residential-evictions-will-be-extended-until for complete and continued updates on the moratorium on residential evictions.

“Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”  -George Bernard Shaw

You'd probably be surprised if you sat in on some of the meetings I have with certain tax planning and preparation clients.

This is by no means the majority of my clients, but there are some who have socked away a significant nest egg ... but who are bored, tired, and a little numb.

And, of course, there are those among my clientele who have not yet reached the financial (or otherwise) zenith they've been working so hard towards, and they are still stuck in the grind of "everyday living". They spend hours reading the "news" and tilting at windmills on Facebook, and then they wonder: where is all this time that others seem to have to build their career?

In many instances, they haven't taken the time to re-assess whether or not what they're shooting for is, in fact, the place where they will be most alive.

They haven't taken the time to dream. And, more importantly, they haven't put a concrete plan to whatever dreams they might have had in earlier days. They're dragged around by their nose by national events and whatever circumstance comes their way.

Maybe "they" is you?

So here's what I suggest ...

Get a piece of paper and make a list of all the things you want to do during your lifetime -- no matter how crazy or undoable some of those things might seem. If you want to go on an African safari and become a famous gorilla researcher, then write it down. If you want to sip coffe ... Read More…

When someone has an interest in becoming a landlord, there are a few things they’ll want to consider. The potential landlord may have some questions around common-placed terminology that a seasoned landlord is very familiar with. Because of that, we’re going to dive into some basic Q&As:

This is probably one of the most important and foundational questions and answers a landlord needs to know. Most people know what this is, even if they don’t know the exact definition. A lease is a legal contract that a tenant and landlord are bound to until it expires — it outlines critical information such as monthly rent, security deposits, rent increases, and tenant or landlord responsibilities. Most issues can be avoided by following the lease, and most tenant questions can be answered by the lease. Requirements for a lease agreement may vary by state, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with the current standards before going into an agreement.

Here’s another question that landlords may be curious about, especially if they’ve never been on either end of the tenant-landlord relationship. A sub-lease is a separate rental agreement between the original tenant and a new tenant who may move-in temporarily, or someone who moves in with the original tenant and shares the rent. This isn’t as common and in most leases, a sub-lease is not allowed. Landlords should make sure there is a segment in their ... Read More…

Now that you have a basis of understanding for seller-financed transactions, the next step is to really understand the deal and learn what issues and complications might arise.

The first and most obvious is the due on sale clause when there’s an underlying mortgage. The key here is to reduce the red flags to the bank. Most banks, especially the big ones, do not routinely check title to see if the borrower has sold the home. They only check if there’s a reason to. You want to limit your conversations with the bank, try to do everything online, do not modify the underlying insurance as the bank will be alerted to that, and be careful about how you make payments. I could spend a lot of time on this as there are numerous ways to accomplish this.

Another issue that does come up (I’ve seen it many times) is when the seller misunderstood the transaction and then wants the mortgage paid off. This might be due to faulty (or lack of) communication by the investor, forgetfulness, or they just want it removed. They may even get a lawyer who doesn’t understand subject-to and claims that it is illegal to leave someone’s mortgage in place with the house is sold. Having really good documents and disclosures goes a long way in protecting yourself.

Then there are issues with the sellers. What happens if the seller dies? What happens if they file for a bankruptcy? What happens if they disappear on you? I always recommend keeping in great contact and a great relationship with the sellers. ... Read More…

 
There is no doubt a national crisis upon us when it comes to health, work and our homes. Millions of Americans are faced with joblessness amidst the current pandemic. With the loss of income and/or the loss of health, a domino effect has occurred and has impacted almost every area of our lives.

Currently we all are experiencing tension in the face of an uncertain future. Whether that be health, career or home, we all have something at stake. When it comes to the housing market, there are several points of impact, from the renter to the investor or landlord.

For landlords, renting out property is a means of revenue. For some, this is their only means of income. Renters and landlords are both facing dire circumstances from either side of the spectrum.

Thankfully, there are organizations getting involved and working hard to see that individuals on all sides are being represented. Under One Roof Coalition as well as FFREIA are  pushing forward to help both tenants and property owners. Through the National Apartment Association, we are asking Congress to help renters & property owners to recover from COVID-19 and the housing issues it’s caused.

To help, please visit: https://www.underoneroofny.org/ and follow the link from the homepage.

As a reminder, due to Covid-19 we’ve moved our meetings online via Zoom. Next Thursday, April 9th, we will have Jaime Cain, Esq. from Boylan Code LLP as our guest speaker for the Freedom First General meeting. Jaime is the attorney and leader behind o ... Read More…