Commercial Real Estate: Five Common Mistakes New Investors Make

You have to make sure when you are just getting started in the commercial real estate field that you set yourself up properly. You are going to make mistakes in this business, but you have to learn how to think on your feet and bounce back.

Commercial real estate can be a tough area to begin a career in. Anything could go wrong at a moment’s notice. The carpenter that you originally made a deal with may decide that the quote he sent you was not enough to cover the work agreed upon. You could have been misled to believe the family home that looks ready for a quick turnaround now needs thousands of dollars in repairs and refurbishments. Quick thinking and due diligence will become your best friend, however, you will still run into some headaches.

One of the biggest mistakes that novice investors run into is misjudging the market. Three words could make or break your business: supply and demand. The most successful entrepreneurs are people that see a need in the market. Once they figure that out, they figure out multiple ways to fulfill that need for their customers.

For example, if you find that your city is having an increase of entrepreneurs or small business owners you could invest in co-working spaces. Looking for the census records of the city you are in can yield a lot of answers. Things like average household income, the amount of people that are moving to the city or the rate of employment are great indicators of the market conditions.

Most experts will tell you the best way to succeed is to follow the numbers religiously. You always want to make sure that you are able to accurately figure out how much profit you will make off your investment. You do not want to spend a lot of your career just breaking even. Make sure you calculate every expense that you may incur over the entire process. At the end of your deal you do not want to find out that you have another expense that puts you the hole. That being said you do not want to forego certain repairs or enhancements to save money here and there.

Everything in the commercial real estate business ties in together

You have to remember that many mistakes usually have a ripple effect. The contractor you forget to schedule today cannot make the repairs before the inspector checks to see if the house is up to code. Another thing people new to the business may do is overextend their loan. What we mean by that is borrowing too much money from lenders when investing in a piece of property. If the value of the property does not exceed or at least match the price you are asking for you could end up owing a lot of people a lot of money.

When things get a little hectic during commercial real estate business sometimes you have to fold

When in doubt know your way out. There is a thing called scope creep. This is when the general scope of the deal or flip that you want to do gets more complicated, or has much more work than anticipated. Many beginners feel as though they can force a deal to go their way, however, it may be more beneficial cutting your losses and finding a better investment.

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444 
Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177 
Dennis@level4funding.com
www.Level4Funding.com

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701    

   

About the author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true.

Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

Commercial Real Estate: How To Choose The Right City

There are a lot of things you must take into consideration before diving in the commercial real estate business. One of the biggest obstacles that many people have to face is location.

There are a lot of shows on many networks showing the attractive version of the commercial real estate business. One of the biggest obstacles that you might run into is finding the right city to begin your career as a commercial real estate investor.

Sometimes you could have the right business plan but living in the wrong city may give you some problems when you are looking for prospective properties. After the real estate bubble burst, there were many cities that fell. Places, where you could possibly be successful, are not the same as they used to be.

In regards to the traditional commercial real estate, like offices and storefront area big cities like New York, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco are great places to start from. Tourism is your friend when you are looking in large buildings to possibly invest in. You want to look at the amount of tourist funnel into the city. These type of cities are great for commercial businesses.

You do want to make sure that you check the pricing of the properties thoroughly you do not want to invest too much of your time just in one location. Cities like New York or San Francisco may have some steep prices. This may, in turn, drive possible buyers away from the property you want to flip. Make sure if you are planning on using the space for your personal business will be able to survive in the area or neighborhood it is located.

When it comes to commercial real estate for potential home buyers there is a slight difference

Commercial real estate in regard to house flipping is very different in comparison. New York is one place you may want steer clear of; many people wind up leaving the city because of how high the cost of living has become. Many people are moving to southern states. For example, Atlanta, GA has had a large influx of people moving and buying single family homes. One major thing southern cities like Charlotte, Dallas, Houston and Atlanta have going for them is the vast amount of space. There are plenty of places to build new homes. On top of that, there are a lot of tourist attractions within the metropolitan areas if you want to venture into the city.

Commercial real estate is not confined to the large attractive cities

Sometimes you have to forego flipping the lofts of Manhattan and venture upstate to Nyack. You have to be flexible when it comes to the commercial real estate business. Many investors want to conquer a New York or a Chicago, but sometimes investing in a Greensboro may be more profitable. In bigger cities you also have to deal with much more competition. Go to a city where you can be the big fish.

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444 
Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177 
Dennis@level4funding.com
www.Level4Funding.com

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701    

   

About the author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true.

Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

Commercial Real Estate: Fix and Flip Tips

The commercial real estate business has taken a lot of hits in recent years. Depending on the market or the city that you are working in you could go through a hundred different situations. Should you take on the business or you leave it to someone else?

From 2007 to 2009, the commercial real estate market took a huge hit due to the recession. While it is making a comeback it is still difficult to turn around a high yield. In 2007, the housing bubble burst to result in a $8 trillion loss. In turn, as we all know many people were laid off and consumer spending took a drastic decline.

Alas, the U.S. is a very resilient country and has come back very strong. The same can also be said for the commercial real estate business. Even with taking as big of a hit as it did the real estate business is slowly beginning to thrive again. That being said there still is a lot of work to do, and for some this field may not be the right choice.

One of the biggest roadblocks that investors run into is actually financing the property that they want to flip. When the bubble was increasing many lenders gave out no/low doc loans. Basically, potential buyers did not have to provide documentation of their income to the institution. After a while, the mortgages that were taken out were worth more than the value of the property and homeowners could not pay for them. Many first time home buyers and investors now have to deal with stringent credit standards that turn a lot of buyers away. A lot of lenders now are more cautious when it comes to lending a commercial real estate loan.

Financing the property is not the only thing you have worry about in the commercial real estate business.

When it comes to finding a vacant property or even finding someone that is willing to sell their home. When it comes to real estate right now the pickings are very slim. Finding the right property is a large part of the work that you have to put in. There are not many homes that are available for investors to attempt a flip.

Another problem that many investors have is finding the right cities that have an economy that is conducive for commercial real estate. A lot of the hot spots for flipping are in places like Los Angeles, Baltimore, Chicago and Detroit. It is not a requirement to be successful, but relocating your business could be a good idea.

With little options to choose from when it comes to property and vacant buildings competition is a very big part of the business now. If you are just starting out, you want to make sure that you are ready to battle at auctions. You have to be ready to jump on every possible buy that you feel as though you can make a profit on.

So should you join the commercial real estate business?

Short answer, if you can see yourself making a profit in the commercial real estate world then, yes. However, if you get in the business and find yourself barely breaking even or having a hard time finding buyers for a possible flip; you should try a new approach. You want to make sure you understand the market and how it works, as well. Go into partnership with another person to help you as well. Your connections are key in the commercial real estate business.

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444 
Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177 
Dennis@level4funding.com
www.Level4Funding.com

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701    

   

About the author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true.

Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

Commercial Real Estate: How To Find Leads

When you are just starting out in the commercial real estate business you have to always keep your head on a swivel. There is always a property to be sold; always a flip to be made. You just have to go out and find it.

The commercial real estate business can be a crucible when you are just starting out. One of the biggest obstacles many beginners face is finding out where the next potential buy is. If you ask most professionals in the trade, they will tell you it is usually word of mouth that gets helps them find their prospective buy. Some will tell you looking through public records is the best way to find a new property. These are just a small few ways that you can go about finding your first buy, but you have many options if you look closely.

Word of mouth is possibly the best way to find out where the best prospects are for investing. The first place you could go to is your family. Most of the time they are best places to start. The commercial real estate business is about making and having connections. You want to make sure that you start making connections with people that are on the ground floor of the market that you want to corner. Having your ear to the street will give you a lot of leads when you are beginning.

Being a people person is a lot of the battle in the commercial real estate business; you have to be able to talk to different people without fear. Being extroverted is a great trait that you could use to your potential. Everyone likes someone that is personable. However, it is possible to be introverted.

Another way you could figure out where some potential properties is by mentioning to people that you are in the commercial real estate business. Just by giving people your business card or the link to your website in passing opens up many different doors.

Connections in the commercial real estate business are extremely important

This is the age of social media, with a swipe of a finger or a quick click of a mouse puts you in contact with millions of people. The same model can be applied to commercial real estate. If you are having trouble finding where the best lots are located or when the next foreclosure is happening a tweet could suffice. You could keep up with certain hashtags that involve your business such as #CRE. You could also send a massive email chain could also help you find some new clients.  You also want to make sure that you keep up with the plethora of blogs and forums that are online. You usually will have some that could give you the rundown on a city you may want to start plotting investments.

When all else fails the commercial real estate business will always have something around you just have to go searching

Sometimes you just have to trust your gut and go cold searching for a property that you may be interested in. Many investors will drive around popular neighborhoods and cities looking for distressed or derelict properties that need a little refurbishment. This is called, “driving to dollars,” in the commercial real estate world. Depending on your experience this will be the first or last thing you do.

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444 
Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177 
Dennis@level4funding.com
www.Level4Funding.com

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701    

   

About the author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true.

Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

Commercial Real Estate Property: Your Quick and Dirty Guide To Fixing and Flipping

The commercial real estate business can be very unforgiving, however, you can make it work for you. Before you start your new venture as a realtor there are a few things that you should do prior to inking your first deal.

The commercial real estate business can be very tough when you are just starting out. As with any craft, there are different things that you have to take into consideration. For example, the real estate business can go through a feast and famine period. The recession in the U.S. a few years ago is a perfect example of this. Before the recession hit a lot of investors were buying up property at low prices and trying to turn a profit by selling really high. After the market bubble burst there were not a lot of properties being sold.

There really is no way you can accurately predict the outcome of the economic climate. You can, however, adjust the way you approach your investments. Before you start you want to make sure you do a lot of research on the business. Make sure you talk to people who have been in this business for years. They usually have a myriad of trade tips that they have can vary. Anywhere from the best places to find a potential buy to dealing with a lender efficiently. Asking someone first is always better than spending a lot of time trying to educate yourself.

After educating yourself on the commercial real estate business you now have to apply your knowledge.

  You have a mission that you want to accomplish, but you cannot complete your goal if you never take the plunge. Like most coaches say, “You can practice all you want, but now it’s time for the real game.” You want to start out by scoping the prospective places you may want to invest in. Spend time in different parts of your city; go as far as visiting surrounding cities to see if there are any commercial real estate properties that you would be interested in. You want to set a set a price of what you are willing to pay and the lowest price you are willing to sell your property for.

Where are the best places to look for commercial real estate opportunities?

One way you can find potential commercial real estate buys is by going through public records. Most of the time you will be able to find a couple of homes that are either being foreclosed by using public records. A lot of commercial real estate investors will also drive around looking for distressed and abandoned properties that need some refurbishments. This is called, “driving to dollars. After finding the right place, you want to make sure everything is up to code and the property is safe to live in or work in.

To find a potential buyer, you want to begin by asking around to see who is looking for a new home. Family members and friends are great options to begin with. Once you find a buyer make sure that you negotiate a fair price for both parties.

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444 
Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177 
Dennis@level4funding.com
www.Level4Funding.com

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701    

   

About the author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true.

Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

Commercial Real Estate: How To Buy With Little To No Money Down

Commercial real estate can be a very profitable business once you get started, however, it can be hard getting the money needed for your investment. In this article, you will be able to find out to get the property you want without little to no down payment.

Everything in this world costs money we all know that, but there are always going to be instances when you will not have all the money up front. If you want to purchase commercial real estate you still can! The “Great Recession,” halted a large portion of the home renovation business a while. However, the fix and flip business is making a steady comeback.

A lot of commercial real estate properties require a down payment. However, if you are just starting out you may not be able to afford that. Do not worry you have a few options at your disposal. One thing that you could do is apply for a loan. Seems very obvious believe us not many people do not think about this before they consider buying. Many commercial lenders are willing to lend you the amount you need to pay for the down payment.

In lieu of a loan from a commercial real estate lender, you could also split the cost of the property with a business partner. Sharing the expense of your new property will make it much easier to pay off the down payment. It also opens the door for new things you may want to do. For instance, instead of only being able to only spend $10,000 on repairs and enhancements, you could share all the expenses and turn a better profit in the long run.

You are not tied to going the liquid money way for the down payment on your commercial real estate property

If you do not want to go the hard cash route to pay for the down payment on your commercial real estate property you still have many options. Some more experienced investors know to have other things they could possibly trade or offer in place of money. For example, you could use collateral to pay the down payment. This can range anywhere from a car, motorcycle, watercraft or anything of value.

If you have the connections, you could potentially trade services, as well. Say you are a plumber and you are moonlighting as a real estate investor on the side you could offer your services on any changes they want to make to their new home.

You could also trade houses with the owner of the property you want to buy. This takes a little convincing and a lot of confidence on your part, but this is a great option if you already have a commercial real estate that you are willing to part with. You want to make sure the home or vacant space you want to trade has equal or greater value.

What if I do not have any commercial real estate property I want to trade?

In this event, you could ask the seller of the property to transfer their mortgage to you. This is a great way to quickly get the property that you want to buy. However, this only happens if the owner wants to get rid of the property quickly. While you are taking on a new mortgage depending on how well you refurbish the property you could pay the mortgage off fairly quickly.

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444 
Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177 
Dennis@level4funding.com
www.Level4Funding.com

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701    

   

About the author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true.

Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.

Commercial Mortgage: Advice For Your First Loan

Is this your first time financing a  commercial mortgage? If so, you don’t have to go at it alone.

An investment property can be a big step for you or your company. Thus, like any other big step you probably want to know just what you are getting into of course and why shouldn’t you? Signing up for a commercial mortgage for the first time is always the hardest. In other words, you’ve more than likely talked a good game about purchasing that strip mall, office park or hotel. But, you’ve probably never seen it through until now and that’s perfectly okay. Before, it was a future dream and bow you are ready to make it a reality so let’s help make that happen.

By now, you probably have your eye on a few good properties, but before you start shopping around for your commercial mortgage, there are definitely a few things you need to do. For starters, stop whatever you are doing this minute and check your credit—double check it, in fact. Your credit and your credit report don't  matter. Chances are you have some issue you need to address or clear errors that you didn’t know where affecting your ability to be a strong borrower in the eyes of your future lender. Thus, this is the very first piece of advice you should take —check your credit and thoroughly review your credit report. If you do have a few outstanding issues that you want to take care of before applying for a commercial mortgage do that, but do not close out any old account, at least not before you obtain your loan. Knowing what your credit score will help you determine if you need an investor partner and it will also help you narrow down your loan options.

Other pre-applying tips that you take advantage of for your first commercial loan include having a down payment of at least 20 percent down or consider a second mortgage if the term down payment scares you and exploring your borrowing options i.e. there are more than banks that are interested in helping you finance your commercial property. Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask about owner financing—it may be just what you need.

The Difference between Wanting to Apply for a Loan and Applying

Clearly, looking at a few properties and checking your check and figuring out your down payment situation are all a part of the game, but there is a difference between wanting to finance an investment property and taking the next step—applying for financing. Thus, when you are ready to apply for your commercial loan make sure you truly understand the numbers, have the necessary documentation on-hand, have the necessary people on board ( accountant, investors, attorney and so on) and try your best to get pre-approved. In doing all these things your commercial property is that much closer to being yours.

Hello Investment Property!

Once you’ve obtained your mortgage for your investment property, it more than likely full-steam ahead. Ultimately, this is an exciting time and a true chance to learn as you go!

Dennis Dahlberg Broker/RI/CEO/MLO

Level 4 Funding LLC
Arizona Tel:  (623) 582-4444 
Texas Tel:      (512) 516-1177 
Dennis@level4funding.com
www.Level4Funding.com

NMLS 1057378 | AZMB 0923961 | MLO 1057378
22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112 | Phoenix | AZ | 85027

111 Congress Ave |Austin | Texas | 78701    

   

About the author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true.

Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 42 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.