Insurance and Credit

Have you noticed how anytime you walk in to a book store and find your way to the business or financial books all the views that are expressed in the titles are very similar??? In one way or another they all call out for a monetary version of bloodshed. I mean the titles are about “how you can crush the other guy”or “it’s not personal its business”, “How to come out on top” etc etc. Years ago when I got into the real estate investment game I spent hours looking thru the book titles. Trying to find the one book that would teach me how to become that REAL ESTATE INVESTING GOD I knew I could become. After reading many of the most popular books of the time I actually would feel beat up over the content. I mean did I have to be a “take no prisoners” type of investor? Did I have to prey on some one else’s misfortune?? The answer was no. However I did need to learn to take somethings to heart,and NEVER let go of them. I liken it to building my investment suit of armor so to say. So I set out to build a list of my investment rules. We each should have our own set of investment rules. It will help you keep the animal investor inside of you in check. In my case,being that I am a VERY competitive aggressive alpha male type personality I need rules that would keep me “Human”. My own set of personal laws that would keep me on the “non predatory” path. Doc’s Rules for investing:

1) Set up personal guidelines: Define and follow your personal guidelines. This is the most important rule I have. My guidelines define the investments I will go after as well as the amount of investment I’m willing to part with to get it. It outlines my investment strategy as well as how I want to conduct my investment business. Things to include, but not limit you to, are: Top dollar amount and lowest dollar amount. Type of investment you want to deal with. Period of term for investment.. Etc etc. (Between you and me I even have a guideline about the amount of time I will work per-day)

2) Remember some ones family is behind the deal you?re working on. Simply put,whoever you are dealing with has mouths to feed. Don’t forget this. Just because you can get a great deal on a house because the current owner is in a facing some sort of adversity that is causing them to sell below market value, doesn’t give you license to kick them when they are down. Treat everyone with dignity and respect. If the price they are offering still falls within the personal investing guidelines you have set for yourself don’t use your position to abuse the seller. If you are getting the house for .40 cents on the dollar,don’t be a jerk and push for .38 cents. Always remember…it could be you in the sellers postion. (This rule DOES NOT come in to play when dealing with a bank owned property)

3) Always ask for what you want. No where does it say you can’t ask for something in an investment deal you like, I.E. if you’re looking at a piece of real estate with a pool,ask the seller if they would be willing to throw in new carpet to the sale. I once met a investor who was looking at a house that had been on the market for more than 6 months. When he went to talk to the seller he happen to see a 1954 Merc Coupe in the garage, so he asked if it was included in the deal. The deal eventually closed for the house AND the car. 4) Offer everyone the chance to make money as a bird dog for you. I always give several of my business cards to anyone I do business with and offer them a portion of any profit I make from any investments they help me locate. You would be amazed at how many people are willing to help you make money when they get a small part of it for doing very little work. (And if you follow rule #2 you will be amazed at how many of those bird dogs will sing your praises from the highest mountains)

Just some ideas of things to keep in mind when you’re working on your investment mindset. I have used these rules over the years,and in many cases they, have gotten me more return and repeat networking opportunities then I can count.

It is important to understand the difference between the kinds of mortgage insurance that people may discuss with you as you are in the process of purchasing your home.

There is frequently some confusion among homeowners about the types of insurance they are discussing when they are talking to their bank.

Lenders feel they have to protect themselves when a lender has a small down payment. The borrower is so little invested in the property, that once the mortgage payments become difficult, or the value of the property goes down, he may abandon it. With a small down payment, the dollars invested doesn’t give the borrower much incentive to protect it.

The lender then requires that the buyer take out an insurance policy on the mortgage, but the beneficiary of the policy is not the buyer, but the lender. Note that the bank is the beneficiary, not the borrower or his family.

If you are concerned, as a responsible homeowner and family man, that your family will not be able to continue to afford the mortgage and live in their home if anything occurs to stop your flow of income, you may think about taking out mortgage life or disability insurance.

With this type of insurance, your family will not have to worry about keeping up the mortgage payments in case anything happens to you, the primary breadwinner.

If the insured party dies, mortgage life insurance pays off the loan, and if he is disabled, mortgage disability insurance will make the insurance payments during the period he cannot. Decreasing term mortgage life insurance is the one most people buy, since mortgages go down and therefore it is not necessary to keep the initial loan amount as the policy principal. There is no need to continue paying the premium on a $200,000 mortgage as the mortgage gets lower and lower with each mortgage payment.

For those who are concerned about them and their family being able to stay in their house in case of a medical disability, mortgage disability insurance will pay the monthly mortgage for the disability period.

Take sure you are clear on the terminology that your bank uses when you are discussing mortgage insurance. Lenders may offer these types of life or disability policies, and even make some income from them, but it is important to understand which kind of policy they are offering to you; if you have a low down paymentloan, you may not be getting the kind of protection you think you are.

Property investment provides a steady income and a nest egg. The first step in successful property investment is to find the real estate that will bring you the greatest return for the money. We have four tips for finding bargain real estate that will get you a decent return on your investment.

There are plenty of possibilities for investment property, but not all properties are created equal. You may want to see a property coach to get expert advice when it comes to your property investing projects. These firms offer a myriad of services, including picking out positive cash flow property to how best you can administer your real estate. Buyers agents can also give investment property advice as regards the best kinds of real estate and locations.

You can definitely spot positively geared real estate just outside major capital cities. Try focusing your search to only a few suburbs, to make sure you get a better understanding of exactly what properties are worth in those suburbs. That’s the best way to find bargains as soon as they hit the market.

Property investment also means knowing the right locations for your real estate acquisitions. A newly developing location in Sidney may seem like a great risk, but it may be better to purchase in areas with the customary infrastructure already set up as these to lower property risks. This is because real estate rates in growing areas generally tend to be on the rise. Selecting areas with established track records are in general the best buys for property investors.

When it comes to how to invest in property, most newbie investors get confused on whether they should buy units or homes. Units may look like better options now (thanks to rental income opportunities), but for the longer term, houses may actually be better investments. When comparing these two properties, check the land involved. When you acquire a house, you also possess the land on which it stands. This is not the same story if you opt to buy units. Not having land may negatively affect the value of the property in the long run and may even confine the renovations you can do to improve its value.

Property investment seminars will also teach that investors need to consider necessary renovations when figuring the value of a property. In general, not scrimping on renovations means long-term tenants and better appreciation potential. However, renovations can be costly and the price of the work should be figured into the initial investment. By choosing properties wisely and renovating for quality, the value of real estate should bring a good return.

Property investment is a lucrative venture when it is done right.