Learn To Be A Fix & Flip Investor

Monday, April 3, 2017

9 Tips for Large Rehab Projects

What is the secret ingredient for a smooth run rehab project? While all large rehab projects are different, here are few suggestions.

1. Set a Budget – Your number one goal should be to make your real estate deal profitable and cash flowing. Setting a rehab budget is one important key to making that happen. Your initial budget can be very general and include a contingency fund that can be allocated later as plans firm up and price quotes come in. Also, it is best to budget high at first and slim things down later on.

2. Layout and Design What You Want – Ask yourself what do you want and what adds value to your rehab project. Do you want to remove walls? Do you want to remodel a new bath? Does the kitchen need updating? Are the electrical and heating systems in working order? Are can be reused? Good questions give direction to both project costs and value.

3. Be Specific – Your contractors will need to know specifics in order to get the job done. Just saying that the stove will be about here or the bathroom will be over here will not work. Nor will telling them to just pick out some tile for the bathroom. Contractors need to know specifics. So tell them exactly where and how you want things. Draw out what you would like, to scale if possible. It does not have to be fancy. A pencil drawing will often do. Have a product list for tile, fixtures, carpet, etc. The more specific you can be on the front end, the better off you will be on the back end and fewer mistakes will be made throughout the process.

4. Get Quotes – Now that you have drawn up your specific plans, get quotes for the work you want done. You may have the best-laid plans in the world, but may not realize just how much they are going to cost to be implemented. Your contractors also will see things that you have likely missed or were not aware of. Things such as plumbing or electrical systems that are in the way, or load bearing walls that cannot be moved without great expense. They may also know about code issues. Whatever the reason, the quotes from your contractors may make you want to…..

5. Reconfigure Your Plans – Sometimes even the best ideas have to be reworked. Sure, anything is possible with unlimited dollars, but you do not have unlimited dollars because you set a budget as your first priority. You may not be able to move that wall or add that walk in shower. You may also have to tone down your materials a bit or shift funds from one part of the project to another. Sometimes you may have to reconfigure your plans several times before you come up with one that works.

6. Talk to The Neighbors – Talking to the neighbors is one of the best things you can do with any large project. People are naturally curious. Plus rehab projects can be loud and messy which can get on folk’s nerves. A simple knock on the front door to introduce yourself and tell them what you are doing will go a long way. Hand them a business card and ask them to call you if they have any issues or concerns. Be friendly and courteous and they can become some of your best watch dogs and allies as the rehab project goes along.

7. Finalize Your Plans – Once you have reworked them, it is time to stop thinking about them and firm them up. Again make them as specific as possible so you can avoid headaches and speed bumps later on.

8. Contractor Meeting – Gather all you contractors together at the beginning of the project and get everyone on the same page. Go over the plans and introduce everyone to each other and exchange phone numbers. Some of them, after all, are going to be working together and closely coordinating various aspects of the rehab project. Having such a meeting is a big help and will take you out of the “middleman” role.

9. Get Ready to Rehab! – Your vision is now ready. Take your budget and contractors, pull the trigger and watch your rehab project come to life.

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.

Friday, March 31, 2017

The 6 Ways to Save on Flip & Flip Supplies

If you are flipping a property, the finishes, colors and supplies you use simply need to be neutral and appealing to a wide range of buyers – you don’t have to perfectly suit your personal taste or use specific colors or products. The freedom that comes from not having to create a specific look allows you to save money when you flip a home. By seeking out the best values and bargains instead of buying for a specific look you can save money on your flip – and increase your profit. Saving money doesn’t mean you settle for poor quality pieces; many of the items on our list are good quality, they have simply been marked down for a fast sale.

6 Ways to Save on Flip Remodeling Supplies:

Shop the Big Box

You might prefer a more custom or designer look for your own home, but you can find some great bargains at your local Home Depot or Lowe’s. When you shop at a big box home improvement store you can buy cabinets in a variety of sizes and colors that are already in stock, saving money on your remodel.

Visit the Post Office

The bundle you get when you change your address includes a great coupon for Home Depot – use it and save on your big flip renovation supply purchase. You don’t have to move, the packets are free and there is a 20% off coupon in each one.

Buy “Oops” Paint

Shops that mix paint can and do make mistakes – and offer great quality paint for a fraction of the original cost if they mess up. Many stores have an “oops” shelf where they offer paint that didn’t quite turn out at a drastic discount. The original buyer might care that the paint they asked for turned out slightly deeper than intended, but you won’t, particularly when you see the deeply discounted price. Buying cheap paint can lead to multiple coats and wasted hours painting; buying quality paint that was tinted incorrectly can help you save a bundle on your flip.

Stop by the Bid Desk

If your home improvement store has a bid desk, then stopping by and making a bid can save you a bundle. If you are going to spend several thousand dollars at once, the pro desk may be able to help you save by offering you a better price on the whole bundle.

Choose Unconventional Stores

Not all flipping supplies need to come from the home improvement store. Big box stores carry a variety of items from flooring to light fixtures and sometimes offer significant discounts on older merchandise.

Unpackaged, but not Broken

Save money on just about anything by buying a floor model or one that has been removed from the box. If the only thing wrong with the piece is that the box is damaged, you can save a bundle on supplies for your flip.

Reuse Favorite Items

Use the same tile, paint and other products in all of your houses. You’ll be able to save by buying in bulk and you’ll always have supplies on hand if you need to make a repair before the sale.

Protect your profit by saving money on your supplies and improvement products when you flip your next home. The more money you save, the more you’ll end up with in profit when the deal closes.

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Funding For Flipping | Cheaper Than Hard Money | Flexibility of Cash Innovative Funding for Flippers Private Hard Money Lender

Funding for Flipping was for flippers just like you.

Is lack of Capital Preventing You from Effectively Marketing, Outsourcing, or Operating you Real Estate Investment Empire.

Just like you, we struggled to find a Private Hard Money Source of funding that was reliable, honest, understood the business and had pricing that was based in reality.
We developed this program after years of the Flipping Business. We know what it takes to find money for Flippers Like you. We have the experience and funds available to help you in your Fix & Flip deals.
After years of experience in flipping we have developed a reliable and reasonably priced funding Private Hard Money source for Fix and Flippers.

We o put together a program that is realistic for our industry, and we want to bring it to our fellow flippers.

Imagine Having $50K-$250K Cash

In Your Checking Account For Anything Your Business Needs F4F.com fundingforflippers.com fundingforflipping.com

Our Flipper Program

Loan Amounts: $50,000 - $3 million
Loan to Value (LTV): up to 90% of the purchase price, plus 100% of the construction funds.
Interest Rates: 8% to 18%*
Points: 1-4 points
Loan Position: 1st TD
Loan Term: 6 or 60 Months
Property Types: Residential, Condos, 2-4 Plex, PUDs
Loan Types: Non-owner occupied residental. Purchase, Refinance, Bridge Loan, Rehab, Business Loans

Our Commercial Program

Loan Amounts: $250,000 - $25 million
Loan to Value (LTV): up to 60% Loan Type: Acquisition, Refinance, and Cash-Out
Interest Rates: 7.9% to 14%*
Fees: 1 - 3 points
Loan Term: 3 - 260 months.
Property Types: Residential, Condos, 2-4 Plex, PUDs
Loan Types: Non-owner occupied residential, multifamily, retail, office, industrial, mixed use, vacant buildings, and entitled land

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The 3 Real Estate Myths Beginning Flippers Believe

Real estate flipping offers many benefits to investors, but it is easy for those new to the process to become overwhelmed. From feeling like you need to be rich – or at least have the purchase price of a distressed home saved up – before you start to trying to do it all yourself, these are the most common myths and misconceptions new investors make.

Are you Falling for These Real Estate Investor Myths?

1. You Need to Have a Lot of Seed Money

While you will need some money to get started, the amount is surprisingly small. Once you find a property that you like, you’ll be able to secure hard money loans from a variety of sources, including conventional and private lenders. Most people remember how much trouble they had securing their mortgage for their primary residence; private lenders who are investing in a flip property often require far less information and the process is streamlined.

When you secure financing for a flip property, the investors you use are more concerned about the profitability and potential of the property itself and less concerned about digging through a decade’s worth of your bank statements. While you will need to provide information about the deal and about your financial health, the process is much faster and far simpler than securing a home mortgage.

The money you’ll need will be for putting the property under contract and for closing costs; you may well be able to finance the rest, so you don’t have to delay your dream of flipping homes until you save the full purchase price. Your first project is usually the biggest hurdle – once you have a history of successfully flipping properties, financing will become even easier to secure.

2 DIY Adds up to Big Savings

If you are already a contractor or have a specific skill set, then doing some of the work needed to flip a home yourself can help you save. If you are only available on the weekends, are unsure of your skills or only have a limited time, then going the DIY route may not work as well.

The faster you get a property ready to sell, the better in most cases, so carefully consider both the timing and the true cost of doing things yourself before you decide to DIY. If you want to be involved, then taking on the role of project manager may be better – you can still oversee the work, but you can let a pro get into the home and do what they do best.

3. Wholesaling is the Right Place to Start

Wholesaling, or working to find potential investment properties for others, can be a way to get started or to earn extra capital, but it is not the only way to get started. Wholesaling is low risk, allows you to get to know the investors and hard money lenders in your area, but there are some significant drawbacks.

Depending on where you live, wholesaling may be considered brokering – and you won’t be able to do it legally unless you are a real estate professional. You’ll also be missing out on some amazing potential deals if you are simply playing the middle-man.

Jumping in with both feet does have a learning curve, but there is no better way to learn the ins and outs of flipping a home than by doing it. There is nothing wrong with wholesaling (provided it is legal in your area) but it does not really develop your skills or lead to a long term investment – you find properties, connect buyer and seller and move on.

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Rehab Investment Property with Second Deed Trust Loan

Second mortgages or home equity lines for a private hard money lender are often used to rehab an investment property. You will need to meet certain asset guidelines to secure a second mortgage. When you don’t meet these guidelines, a second deed trust loan is an option. When you expect the turn around on your property to be quick, or you need additional funds to prepare a property for sale, a second deed trust loan is perfect for you.

Investing Without Spending Your Cash Reserves

When you are in the business of property rehabilitation for resale purposes, your cash reserves can be more important than your credit score. Your ability to borrow money at low interest rates can increase your overall profit margin, but if you don’t meet specific cash flow requirements it can be impossible to secure a second mortgage. You don’t have to deplete your financial resources in order to rehab a property, but you need to be creative with your funding sources.

Time Spent on the Project Influences Profits

The longer it takes for you to prepare a home for resale, the more money you will spend on first and second mortgage payments. Knowing that you have monthly payments to make will help keep you motivated to get the job done on time.

Avoid Liquidating Other Assets to Rehab a Property

Some property investors will sell off a smaller property to solve cash flow issues when trying to secure a second mortgage. While this works, you may have to sell a property for less than it’s worth in order to sell quickly. A second deed trust loan is a better alternative that offers a lower financial risk than selling off a property under pressure. When you want to rehab a property and you need extra money, a second deed loan is a great choice.

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Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Here’s Why You Need to Reconsider Private Money Lenders in California

Well, you must have heard the phrase “All that glitters is not gold; same is the case with private money lenders in California. These lenders do vouch to get you money at a faster pace. However, it is advised to make an informed decision after weighing the pros and cons.

The corporate fraternity is prone to vulnerabilities that might affect your business. Such circumstances are unavoidable and need to be dealt with precision. However, if you are a nascent business in its initial phase, then the probability is high that you might not have an ample capital at your disposal.

For such situations, here are a few things that can help you make an informed decision.

Assess the situation

The private money lenders in California are a viable option for immediate capital that might sound attractive. However, knowing what you are getting into before opting for the loan seems a safer bet.

It needs to be cleared that no private money lender in California will give you a long-term loan. That is not how it works.

In most cases, the timespan to payback stretches to 18-months. Thus, within a short passage of time, you will be expected to make the refund. Moreover, since the loan is short-term, the interest rate will be high and expected payment will be hefty.

As appealing as getting your loan within a few days sounds, in contrast to a few weeks; the payback can be a major setback if not planned smartly. Thus, make sure to evaluate if you will be able to make timely payments before signing the deal.

Look at the greater good

In certain cases, private money lenders in California might seem like the best possible option. However, if the intensity of the situation is not high then making an objective decision that takes the pros and cons into consideration is a smarter way to go about things.

In scenarios where such loans will help you generate a steady revenue stream, private money lenders in California is the right choice. On the contrary, if the cash flow will not blossom, then an alternative revenue stream is a safer option.

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