Apartment Owners Association of Connecticut

December 22, 2009

AOACT January 2010 Newsletter

Apartment Owners Association of Connecticut

Welcome to the Apartment Owners Association of Connecticut (AOACT). We’re glad you found us.

Before you hand over the keys of your rental property to a new tenant, it’s crucial that you find out as much as you can about them.


Our next quarterly meeting of the AOACT is on January 13, 2010 in Meriden, CT

Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Comfort Inn
900 East Main St.
Meriden, CT
7:00-9:00pm

Free for AOACT Members | $30 for non-members

Guest Speaker: Attorney Gary Lavigne

Main Topic
: Setting up your LLC’s: Protect your apartment buildings Legally and Correctly! The Do’s and Don’ts of LLC’s!

Other Topics:
A Seasoned CT REIA Landlord:
Guidelines for Tenant selection

Lou Brissette:
Fire Marshall Do’s and Don’ts… What You Need to Know!

Information Exchange:
-Bring your question – and our members will discuss their solutions.
-Bring your deal and bring your business cards.
-Network with new and experienced landlords and property managers alike!
-Find out who’s buying and who’s selling

When there are people, property, and payments involved, it’s essential to understand what you’re doing, both legally and financially.

Register Now for this event


When there are people, property, and payments involved, it’s essential to understand what you’re doing, both legally and financially.

Tips on everything from:

  • How to screen potential tenants
  • Handling security deposits
  • Leases
  • Repairs
  • Problem tenants
  • Basics of rental accounting and record keeping
  • Rental policies and guidelines – renter’s insurance, pets, subletting, and tips on how to enforce these policies
  • And Much More…

Real estate investors actually profit from inflation because with a 30% equity, just a 3% inflationary increase in property values results in a 10% return on investment.
Without even considering normal operating profits and tax benefits!

Real estate can be purchased in many forms, including: shopping centers, industrial buildings, warehouse net leases, apartments, single family residential housing, and even raw land. The investment can be direct, or through various kinds of partnerships and investment trusts.

No Money Down… and positive Cash Flow! From Phil G. in Bristol, CT. You too can get positive results like these.

Details of the "Fast Track Team Coaching" program is available on line at:
www.CTREIA.com or call our hotline: 860.255.7815


"Fast Track" Team Coaching Program. Step-By-Step System That Removes All the Guess Work From Buying Apartment buildings!

Have you always wanted to make BIG money in multi-family real estate but today’s market have you feeling a bit lost?

Good News!

You can find your way to consistent CASH FLOW and Massive Wealth in real estate REGARDLESS of today’s economic climate, with NONE (or little) of your own money down and faster profits than ever before… IF you have this ALL-NEW Secret System steering your way.


Apartment Owners Association of Connecticut is the largest state wide association representing the interest of apartment owners.

AOAofCT mission’s is to inform and educate apartment owners so that we continue to provide quality rental housing. AOAofCT is organized to promote responsible landlording and for the rights of property owners and to work with City, County, State, and Federal officials to solve problems. Provide for the exchange of information and statistics and for interaction on laws, regulation and proposed government actions.

To serve and advance the rental housing industry so that adequate affordable rental housing will be available through private enterprise and to provide a clearing house for accurate, up to date information that impacts apartment owners.

PLEASE REMEMBER WE CANNOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE. WE ARE LANDLORDS HELPING LANDLORDS… WHY NOT COME TO A MEETING AND NETWORK? CHANCES ARE SOMEONE THERE HAS AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION!

AOAofCT is a sub chapter of CT REIA, where landlords can network in order to receive educational operation and motivation. AOAofCT meetings and events are where Connecticut landlords, property managers, and maintenance professionals can exchange ideas, information, personal experiences and resources. Our goal is for landlords to provide tenants with outstanding rental properties while maximizing their own business, net worth, and cash flow.

www.AOACT.org

Connecticut’s Largest Apartment Owners Association

AOA of CT MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

  • Keep you up-to-date on new laws, codes and regulations and on timely landlord/tenant issues and concerns
  • Representation at the State Capitol – for the proposing and defending key pieces of legislation that affect apartment owners.
  • Meetings and seminars – that are both educational and afford members occasions to share their expertise with others
  • Discount to all events sponsored by: CT REIA, WREIA, AOAofCT

Apartment Owners Manual is a Do-It Yourself Reference Guide, Rules, and Forms

Members $29 | Non Members $79

Improve your landlording skills and manage property like a pro. Whether you’re full time landlord or just getting ready to purchase your rental
property, this Manual will help you improve your landlording skills from attracting good tenants to maintaining your property to understanding
your rights and obligations under the law.

This manual is a clear, concise resource of practical advice and information; it can also be used to record important data for your future reference. Giving you the know-how to manage property like a pro. A source of practical advice and simple tools to improve landlording skills and implement practices. Instructions contain in this manual are for your benefit and protections, so follow them closely. Correspondence forms may be reproduced on your own letter head if you prefer.

Forms: Lease, Rental Application, Move-In Check List, Lead Paint, IRS Rules, Notices, Evictions, Small Claims form, Lead Paint booklet and so much more!


Order Your Apartment Rental Forms… Today…

  • Apartment lease
  • Rental application
  • Move-In Inspection Report
  • Lead Paint
  • Employment Verification
  • Landlord Verification
  • New Resident Move-In Check List
  • Rejection Letter
  • Abandonment Letter
  • Notice of Termination
  • Notice of Intent to Enter Dwelling Unit


Order your forms on line at
ctreia.com/store.php

Other Events


CT REIA Meeting w/ Robyn Thompson
Learn how to buy, renovate, and sell single and multifamily homes for huge profits

January 25, 2010
5:30-9:00pm
Crowne Plaza Hotel.
100 Berlin Rd.
Cromwell, CT
Learn more

Robyn Thompson Real Estate

  • Are you tired of having more month than you have money?
  • Are you looking for financial independence?
  • Are you ready to start a business that will generate huge chunks of cash?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, retailing ugly houses is for you! Robyn has taught thousands of students how to achieve financial independence by investing in distressed properties. Robyn has made retailing homes a science and she knows every technique imaginable to locate profitable deals, renovate distressed properties at lightning speed, minimize holding costs, and qualify good credit buyers and expedite closings so you can collect a big check.

Learn Robyn’s trade secrets for buying and repairing distressed homes, as well as selling and cashing out investment properties, designed for both novice real estate investors and seasoned professionals! Robyn has taught hundreds of students already, and now you have the opportunity to learn everything you need to know to begin retailing houses and making money in your hometown.

Register now for the January 25, 2010 CTREIA Meeting


Rehabbing the Gold Rush of Foreclosures with Robyn Thompson
All Day Real Estate Rehab Seminar
Everyone who attends will receive a Free Rehab Learning CD from Robyn

February 6, 2010
9:00am – 4:30pm

Location TBA

Learn more

Robyn Thompson Real Estate

Robyn has shared her knowledge with thousands of students across our nation and is now coming to your city to explain her perfected system and how it will work for you. This is not a "blue sky" program but a reality and each and every one of you can place as she does Ca$h In The Bank. Robyn has rehabbed over 260 properties in her 11 years of investing.

She will instruct you on:

– Her Buying Machine

– Where to Find Properties to Retail

– 10 Criteria to Ensure High Profit Deals

– The Rehab Process

– Locating the Best Contractors to Get the Job Done

– Prescreening Contractors

– Writing an Iron Clad Contract to Gain Control

– 4 Strategies to Funding Deals when You Have No Money

– Selling Houses in a Down Market

– The Most Critical "WOW" Factors to Sell the House

– Marketing to Attract "A" Credit Buyers

– Prescreen Buyers in 4 Min to Ensure They Can Buy

– Handling Marketing Response

– Request for Credit Review

– Qualifying Buyers

– Income/Debt Calculations

– Other Income Factors

– Credit Score Guidelines

– Finding Down payment Funds

– Conventional Financing vs. Government Financing

– "A" Credit Guidelines

– Where to obtain Credit References

– Options When a Buyer Just Can’t Afford a House

– Real Life Examples and Practice Problems

– Streamline the Mortgage Process

– Application to Closing Timeline

– Missing Items List

– Building Your Team

Register now for this all day rehab seminar on February 6, 2010

 

September 3, 2009

AOACT September 2009 Newsletter

Early-Bird Registration ends
Friday, September 18th


A New Day for Housing

The Annual Conference of the Connecticut Housing Coalition
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Connecticut Convention Center, Hartford
With Featured Speaker
Ron Sims

HUD Deputy Secretary

Plus Candidates for Governor and 25 wide-ranging, informative workshops


Registrations postmarked or submitted by September 18th
$95 – Member rate
$110 – Non-member rateRegistrations postmarked or submitted after September 18th

$110 – Member rate
$125 – Non-member rate

We strongly encourage you to use our new online registration form.  You may now pay your registration fee by either check or credit card (Mastercard/Visa).   To register online, click here.
For a .pdf version of our brochure with conference details and a mail-in registration form, click here.

For additional conference information, please contact us at info@ct-housing.org or at 860-563-2943 x10.

When there are people, property, and payments involved, it’s essential to understand what you’re doing, both legally and financially.

No Money Down… and $2000 per mo. Cash Flow! Phil G. Bristol, CT. You too can get results like these...

Details of the “Fast Track Team Coaching” program is available on line at:    www.CTREIA.com or call our hotline: 860.255.7815


“Fast Track” Team Coaching Program. Step-By-Step System That Removes All the Guess Work From Buying Apartment buildings!

Have you always wanted to make BIG money in multi-family real estate but today’s market have you feeling a bit lost?

Good News!

You can find your way to consistent CASH FLOW and Massive Wealth in real estate REGARDLESS of today’s economic climate, with NONE (or little) of your own money down and faster profits than ever before… IF you have this ALL-NEW Secret System steering your way. Next Session will start Sept. 30th


September 21st. Louis Brown

The economy couldn’t be better for some people. Why? It’s because they are in a position to profit from the implosion of prices today. The discounts over value today haven’t been this good since the 1980s. For some it’s even better than that.

Think about it. Low interest rates. High seller motivation. Fewer buyers. Low prices. Government rebates. Tax incentives. You couldn’t ask for a better climate to make a lot of money quickly. This is a negative bubble that won’t last forever. Negative news drives prices down and profits up. I’m taking advantage of this and you should too.

Why are people running away from real estate if it is so great? Simply out of fear. They don’t know what is going on. They listen to the news and it is all bad. They don’t look past the headlines to see the opportunity. Have you ever heard that fortunes are made by the contrarians? These brave souls are the ones who look at the fundamentals of the economy then find business sectors with bigger than average losses and buy heavily.

Think Warren Buffet. He’s made fortunes doing this very thing. They know that when the economy returns they will prosper as that sector will recover sooner and more than the rest of the economy.

So what am I doing in this economy? Well I’ve had over 33 years of real estate experience. I’ve bought, sold and held commercial, apartments, single-family and land.

Here’s a couple of points that I follow:

  1. I believe holding is the key to long-term wealth.
  2. Residential real estate is great in that it is the least risky of all real estate. After all, everyone needs a shell. Err…house that is.

So now that you know what to buy to prosper in this economy (and all others forever). Next, you need to know where to buy, what to buy, how much to pay, and where to get the money to do it.

These are key questions that relate to any business. You may even think you know these answers. But what is missing for most investors is a duplicatable plan that addresses all the issues, guides you through the entire process, and delivers the profits.

First, let’s address where to buy. I believe most people can build a business in your own back yard. That is to say that there are at least two neighborhoods within a 5 mile radius of your house that would have good median priced homes. Median price for your market. That’s important because it will yield cash flow.

Second, the what to buy question is what I call our Street Smart business plan. Pretty houses in pretty neighborhoods that pretty people with pretty checkbooks want to own. Ultimately my exit plan is to sell the houses to the clients who live there. More on that later.

Third, how much to pay. This is where skills come in. Sure you can duke it out with all the foreclosure investors and buy at the courthouse steps, but that is a very risky place to start and it requires all cash. Instead, I look for other ways to find the deals which allows me to buy at a discount and be in control of the process. I can evaluate the property, the condition, the timing of the closing and even the financing. Skills and the tools I’ve created for that process delivers the discount I need to make a profit.

Fourth is where to get the money. Welcome to my “The Seller IS the Bank” program. With the proper training you will find that sellers will be your allies in the process. By knowing the right words to say, they will allow you to take over the payments on their loans. Not only that but they will carry back seller financing for the difference. I would never be able to do this if I focused on foreclosure buying at the courthouse steps or short sale deals.

Of course in order to have this happen repeatedly you need a plan. It should include specific education, skill training and the right paperwork to tie down your profit centers and protection. This is a key business strategy many would be investors miss. They wing it and hope for the best and fail miserably.

As to getting the properties sold in this economy, you must have a plan for that as well. Here is the next phase in my master plan to make the most money with the least effort that has a payday for many years to come.

We offer our properties on a Rent to Own program. We give clients up to three years to buy, grant rent credits for timely payments and then do the financing as well if they choose for us to do it. Friends, there is a HUGE market of people who would love to have a home. They have poor, bad or no credit. They will pay money down for the right to build their credit with you. Some people call them tenants. Yes, the same people who would rent are looking to someday own a home if they only had the chance.

Just imagine all the problems this solves. The tenant (we call them clients) feels it is their home and they treat the house and you totally different. Not only that but they pay you first so they will earn their rent credits toward the purchase.

Here’s an example of a real deal. My Street Smart training clients do deals just like this one routinely.

A lady had inherited a house. She lived there. She had a brother and bought his share out several years earlier by getting a loan for 50% of the value then giving the money to him.

Now she was having cash flow problems as her job had cut her hours. She couldn’t pay the mortgage and worse yet every time she turned around the house was costing her money – taxes, insurance, new roof, new water heater, new privacy fence, etc. So she was looking to sell and move into an apartment with no maintenance headaches.

She knew the property was worth at least $160,000. She was willing to take a discount to be rid of it quickly. Using my seller is the bank philosophy and the right words to make her feel comfortable that she was making the right decision, here’s the deal she accepted:

  1. $130,000 purchase price financed as follows:
  2. 75,300 existing loan take over payments of $454.24 per month (5.5% interest rate)
  3. 45,000 payable at $300 per month until paid (zero interest)
  4. 8,000 cash down from which she paid all closing costs.

To fully get why this is a good deal you must compare it to a traditional loan. As this is an investor property, typically the interest rates are higher than for a primary residence. If you could get a loan, let’s say the rate would be a 7%, 30 years fixed rate. Now in today’s market, $8000 down would not be acceptable to a lender. They would want to see at least 20% down. That means you would have to come up with $26,000 CASH (at least) on investment property.

Not only that but you would pay loan points and loan closing costs of about 3%… or $3,660 CASH. So with the traditional way most investors buy you would tie up $29,660 CASH and have to make a payment of $691.92 for the next 30 years, totaling $249,272.42.

Due to my “Seller IS the Bank” program I am able to pay off her loan at $300 per month PRINCIPAL only at zero interest. That loan pays off in 150 payments, or 12.5 years, with payments to begin 3 months after we buy. The loan we took over has 26 years to run. This means my cost of funds totals $197,448.32 or a savings of $81,484.41. Not only that but I don’t need any credit because the seller is the bank and their property is the collateral for the loan. Moreover, there are cash savings and no closing costs. Whew! Lots of numbers but read this through again. Same deal, two different offers. Do you like this plan better?

By the way, just about any typical investor is excited to get a $160,000 house for $130,000 even if they have to go to the bank to get the money. So the cost of funding savings is on top of the equity being earned.

With the right strategy and offer I was able to earn as much extra profit from that one deal as most investors earn in 6 to 8 deals.

Now let’s look at the exit strategy. I sold it on my “Work For Equity” program where I give my buyer credit towards their down payment if they do the painting and fixing up. So I had no further cash outlay.

They put $15,000 down and agreed to a $1,300 per month rent payment. They agreed to a $169,900 purchase price. That’s a beginning cash flow of $546 per month which will increase due to inflation and will increase again when my $300 per month loan pays off in 12.5 years. And of course I recaptured all my cash outlay plus put cash in the pocket as well.

So now you can see the many profit centers when buying:

  1. Zero credit issues. I did not have to use my credit to qualify for the loan
  2. No bank financing
  3. No loan origination fees
  4. No loan closing costs
  5. No 30 year loan
  6. No loan qualification delays
  7. Shorter term cost of funds
  8. Low down payment (many times its no down payment and in some cases the seller PAYS US to buy)
  9. Opportunity for more profit if the seller later chooses to sell their seller financing note at a discount
  10. Pretty house, pretty neighborhood that pretty people with pretty checkbooks want.

Now let’s take a look at the profit centers when selling:

  1. Cash down from your buyer (more than a security deposit)
  2. No refunds. You don’t have to refund the down payment (option fee) vs. having to refund a security deposit
  3. No fix up. Customer possibly is qualified to take property in “as is” condition saving you delay and cost of fix up
  4. Cash Flow as rent income is hundreds of dollars per month higher than the payment to the seller or their bank
  5. No out of pocket costs. You use the tenant rent payment to pay down and payoff the underlying financing
  6. Less stress. You have a happy client who you gave a real opportunity to
  7. Increased business. You receive referrals of new potential clients which allows you to build a buyers list
  8. Less repair costs. You have a homeowner in training who takes responsibility for minor maintenance and repairs
  9. Less collection worries. You have a client who has a financial and life improvement INCENTIVE to pay on time
  10. You have the best of both worlds. If they buy…Yeah!! You sell at your price and they pay the closing costs. If they don’t buy…yeah!! You get the
    asset back and get to do it all over again. Either way you win.

This all fits nicely into my business philosophy… we help people when we buy, we help people when we sell. We are problem solvers and dream grantors.

There you have it. Instead of being in the real estate business I teach you to be in the finance business. We use easy to learn skills to get creative financing from the seller when we buy, then offer creative financing to our buyer when we sell and make a hefty markup in between.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at how to prosper in today’s economy. This business model has worked for me in all economic ups and downs. This negative bubble happens to be a time when you can prosper much more than usual because of low interest rates, concern in the marketplace, high supply of houses and willing sellers.

Over the last 25 years I have engineered a process complete with all the Tools, Training, Technology and Team coaching and mentoring to share this method with others. This process works and has led many to become millionaires in a short time because they were wise enough to realize that adopting someone else’s already perfected process was smarter than trying to create their own. I now have users and devotees of this system in all 50 states and 15 foreign countries. You too can build a long-term fulfilling business that is extremely profitable for you and your family. Read this again and see if this is right for you.

Louis Brown will be speaking at the September Monthly Meeting of the Connecticut Real Estate Investors Association. He will also be teaching a full day seminar. Please visit us at www.CTREIA.com or call our hotline at 860-265-4414. To Your Success, Lou Brown.


Apartment Owners Association of Connecticut is the largest state wide association representing the interest of apartment owners.

AOAofCT mission’s is to inform and educate apartment owners so that we continue to provide quality rental housing. AOAofCT is organized to promote responsible landlording and for the rights of property owners and to work with City, County, State, and Federal officials to solve problems. Provide for the exchange of information and statistics and for interaction on laws, regulation and proposed government actions.

To serve and advance the rental housing industry so that adequate affordable rental housing will be available through private enterprise and to provide a clearing house for accurate, up to date information that impacts apartment owners.

PLEASE REMEMBER WE CANNOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE. WE ARE LANDLORDS HELPING LANDLORDS… WHY NOT COME TO A MEETING AND NETWORK? CHANCES ARE SOMEONE THERE HAS AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION!

AOAofCT is a sub chapter of CT REIA, where landlords can network in order to receive educational operation and motivation. AOAofCT meetings and events are where Connecticut landlords, property managers, and maintenance professionals can exchange ideas, information, personal experiences and resources. Our goal is for landlords to provide tenants with outstanding rental properties while maximizing their own business, net worth, and cash flow.

www.AOACT.org

www.AOACT.org

Connecticut’s Largest Apartment Owners Association

AOA of CT MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

  • Keep you up-to-date on new laws, codes and regulations and on timely landlord/tenant issues and concerns
  • Representation at the State Capitol – for the proposing and defending key pieces of legislation that affect apartment owners.
  • Meetings and seminars – that are both educational and afford members occasions to share their expertise with others
  • Discount to all events sponsored by: CT REIA, WREIA, AOAofCT

Apartment Owners Manual is a Do-It Yourself Reference Guide, Rules, and Forms

Members $29 | Non Members $79

Improve your landlording skills and manage property like a pro. Whether you’re full time landlord or just getting ready to purchase your rental
property, this Manual will help you improve your landlording skills from attracting good tenants to maintaining your property to understanding
your rights and obligations under the law.

This manual is a clear, concise resource of practical advice and information; it can also be used to record important data for your future reference. Giving you the know-how to manage property like a pro. A source of practical advice and simple tools to improve landlording skills and implement practices. Instructions contain in this manual are for your benefit and protections, so follow them closely. Correspondence forms may be reproduced on your own letter head if you prefer.

Forms: Lease, Rental Application, Move-In Check List, Lead Paint, IRS Rules, Notices, Evictions, Small Claims form, Lead Paint booklet and so much more!


Upcoming Events

Apartment Owners Association of CT Meeting

September 16

Women Real Estate Investors Association. Elana Suzanne – Sell Your House Fast and for Top Dollar

September 21

Lou Brown photo

CTREIA Monthly Meeting

Guest Speaker: Lou Brown

September 30

Fast Track Team Coaching. “How to Buy Apartment Buildings with None of Your Money”. Details on line at
www.ctreia.com

October 7

Details to follow

November 21-22

New England’s largest Real Estate Conference and Tradeshow

(details to follow)


Order Your Apartment Rental Forms… Today…

  • Apartment lease
  • Rental application
  • Move-In Inspection Report
  • Lead Paint
  • Employment Verification
  • Landlord Verification
  • New Resident Move-In Check List
  • Rejection Letter
  • Abandonment Letter
  • Notice of Termination
  • Notice of Intent to Enter Dwelling Unit


Order your forms on line at…

ctreia.com/store.php

Apartment Owners Association of Connecticut
September 2009 Issue #001

Trends in Resident Screening

Apartment Owners Association of CT Meeting…

Thursday Sept. 10. 6:45pm to 8:45pm
Location: 185 Main St. New Britain (CCSU) (ITB-bldg)
Parking/garage rear of building)

Before you hand over the keys of your rental property to a new tenant, it’s crucial that you find out as much as you can about them.

  • The rental Application… What you need to know immediately!
  • A signed rental Application could be very beneficially to you in housing court…
  • The entire back ground report… Eviction, Criminal Records, Credit, Employment Verifications, Landlord Verifications, and so much more… “Details… Details”

Other topics that will be covered:

  • CT and Federal Housing Guidelines
  • City, State and Federal building codes (many towns have their own guidelines)
  • State Fire Marshal rules

When there are people, property, and payments involved, it’s essential to understand what you’re doing, both legally and financially.

Tips on everything from how to screen potential tenants, handling security deposits, leases, repairs, and problem tenants. The basics of rental accounting and record keeping,
Rental policies and guidelines – renter’s insurance, pets, subletting, and tips on how to enforce these policies.

Bring lots of business cards to network with Members & Guests!

Real estate investors actually profit from inflation because with a 30% equity, just a 3% inflationary increase in property values results in a 10% return on investment.
Without even considering normal operating profits and tax benefits!

Real estate can be purchased in many forms, including: shopping centers, industrial buildings, warehouse net leases, apartments, single family residential housing, and even raw
land. The investment can be direct, or through various kinds of partnerships and investment trusts.

No Money Down… and $2000 per mo. Cash Flow! Phil G. Bristol, CT. You too can get results like these…

Details of the “Fast Track Team Coaching” program is available on line at:
www.CTREIA.com or call our hotline: 860.255.7815


“Fast Track” Team Coaching Program. Step-By-Step System That Removes All the Guess Work From Buying Apartment buildings!

Have you always wanted to make BIG money in multi-family real estate but today’s market have you feeling a bit lost?

Good News!

You can find your way to consistent CASH FLOW and Massive Wealth in real estate REGARDLESS of today’s economic climate, with NONE (or little) of your own money down and faster profits than ever before… IF you have this ALL-NEW Secret System steering your way. Next Session will start Sept. 30th


September 21st. Louis Brown

The economy couldn’t be better for some people. Why? It’s because they are in a position to profit from the implosion of prices today. The discounts over value today haven’t been this good since the 1980s. For some it’s even better than that.

Think about it. Low interest rates. High seller motivation. Fewer buyers. Low prices. Government rebates. Tax incentives. You couldn’t ask for a better climate to make a lot of money quickly. This is a negative bubble that won’t last forever. Negative news drives prices down and profits up. I’m taking advantage of this and you should too.

Why are people running away from real estate if it is so great? Simply out of fear. They don’t know what is going on. They listen to the news and it is all bad. They don’t look past the headlines to see the opportunity. Have you ever heard that fortunes are made by the contrarians? These brave souls are the ones who look at the fundamentals of the economy then find business sectors with bigger than average losses and buy heavily.

Think Warren Buffet. He’s made fortunes doing this very thing. They know that when the economy returns they will prosper as that sector will recover sooner and more than the rest of the economy.

So what am I doing in this economy? Well I’ve had over 33 years of real estate experience. I’ve bought, sold and held commercial, apartments, single-family and land.

Here’s a couple of points that I follow:

  1. I believe holding is the key to long-term wealth.
  2. Residential real estate is great in that it is the least risky of all real estate. After all, everyone needs a shell. Err…house that is.

So now that you know what to buy to prosper in this economy (and all others forever). Next, you need to know where to buy, what to buy, how much to pay, and where to get the money to do it.

These are key questions that relate to any business. You may even think you know these answers. But what is missing for most investors is a duplicatable plan that addresses all the issues, guides you through the entire process, and delivers the profits.

First, let’s address where to buy. I believe most people can build a business in your own back yard. That is to say that there are at least two neighborhoods within a 5 mile radius of your house that would have good median priced homes. Median price for your market. That’s important because it will yield cash flow.

Second, the what to buy question is what I call our Street Smart business plan. Pretty houses in pretty neighborhoods that pretty people with pretty checkbooks want to own. Ultimately my exit plan is to sell the houses to the clients who live there. More on that later.

Third, how much to pay. This is where skills come in. Sure you can duke it out with all the foreclosure investors and buy at the courthouse steps, but that is a very risky place to start and it requires all cash. Instead, I look for other ways to find the deals which allows me to buy at a discount and be in control of the process. I can evaluate the property, the condition, the timing of the closing and even the financing. Skills and the tools I’ve created for that process delivers the discount I need to make a profit.

Fourth is where to get the money. Welcome to my “The Seller IS the Bank” program. With the proper training you will find that sellers will be your allies in the process. By knowing the right words to say, they will allow you to take over the payments on their loans. Not only that but they will carry back seller financing for the difference. I would never be able to do this if I focused on foreclosure buying at the courthouse steps or short sale deals.

Of course in order to have this happen repeatedly you need a plan. It should include specific education, skill training and the right paperwork to tie down your profit centers and protection. This is a key business strategy many would be investors miss. They wing it and hope for the best and fail miserably.

As to getting the properties sold in this economy, you must have a plan for that as well. Here is the next phase in my master plan to make the most money with the least effort that has a payday for many years to come.

We offer our properties on a Rent to Own program. We give clients up to three years to buy, grant rent credits for timely payments and then do the financing as well if they choose for us to do it. Friends, there is a HUGE market of people who would love to have a home. They have poor, bad or no credit. They will pay money down for the right to build their credit with you. Some people call them tenants. Yes, the same people who would rent are looking to someday own a home if they only had the chance.

Just imagine all the problems this solves. The tenant (we call them clients) feels it is their home and they treat the house and you totally different. Not only that but they pay you first so they will earn their rent credits toward the purchase.

Here’s an example of a real deal. My Street Smart training clients do deals just like this one routinely.

A lady had inherited a house. She lived there. She had a brother and bought his share out several years earlier by getting a loan for 50% of the value then giving the money to him.

Now she was having cash flow problems as her job had cut her hours. She couldn’t pay the mortgage and worse yet every time she turned around the house was costing her money – taxes, insurance, new roof, new water heater, new privacy fence, etc. So she was looking to sell and move into an apartment with no maintenance headaches.

She knew the property was worth at least $160,000. She was willing to take a discount to be rid of it quickly. Using my seller is the bank philosophy and the right words to make her feel comfortable that she was making the right decision, here’s the deal she accepted:

  1. $130,000 purchase price financed as follows:
  2. 75,300 existing loan take over payments of $454.24 per month (5.5% interest rate)
  3. 45,000 payable at $300 per month until paid (zero interest)
  4. 8,000 cash down from which she paid all closing costs.

To fully get why this is a good deal you must compare it to a traditional loan. As this is an investor property, typically the interest rates are higher than for a primary residence. If you could get a loan, let’s say the rate would be a 7%, 30 years fixed rate. Now in today’s market, $8000 down would not be acceptable to a lender. They would want to see at least 20% down. That means you would have to come up with $26,000 CASH (at least) on investment property.

Not only that but you would pay loan points and loan closing costs of about 3%… or $3,660 CASH. So with the traditional way most investors buy you would tie up $29,660 CASH and have to make a payment of $691.92 for the next 30 years, totaling $249,272.42.

Due to my “Seller IS the Bank” program I am able to pay off her loan at $300 per month PRINCIPAL only at zero interest. That loan pays off in 150 payments, or 12.5 years, with payments to begin 3 months after we buy. The loan we took over has 26 years to run. This means my cost of funds totals $197,448.32 or a savings of $81,484.41. Not only that but I don’t need any credit because the seller is the bank and their property is the collateral for the loan. Moreover, there are cash savings and no closing costs. Whew! Lots of numbers but read this through again. Same deal, two different offers. Do you like this plan better?

By the way, just about any typical investor is excited to get a $160,000 house for $130,000 even if they have to go to the bank to get the money. So the cost of funding savings is on top of the equity being earned.

With the right strategy and offer I was able to earn as much extra profit from that one deal as most investors earn in 6 to 8 deals.

Now let’s look at the exit strategy. I sold it on my “Work For Equity” program where I give my buyer credit towards their down payment if they do the painting and fixing up. So I had no further cash outlay.

They put $15,000 down and agreed to a $1,300 per month rent payment. They agreed to a $169,900 purchase price. That’s a beginning cash flow of $546 per month which will increase due to inflation and will increase again when my $300 per month loan pays off in 12.5 years. And of course I recaptured all my cash outlay plus put cash in the pocket as well.

So now you can see the many profit centers when buying:

  1. Zero credit issues. I did not have to use my credit to qualify for the loan
  2. No bank financing
  3. No loan origination fees
  4. No loan closing costs
  5. No 30 year loan
  6. No loan qualification delays
  7. Shorter term cost of funds
  8. Low down payment (many times its no down payment and in some cases the seller PAYS US to buy)
  9. Opportunity for more profit if the seller later chooses to sell their seller financing note at a discount
  10. Pretty house, pretty neighborhood that pretty people with pretty checkbooks want.

Now let’s take a look at the profit centers when selling:

  1. Cash down from your buyer (more than a security deposit)
  2. No refunds. You don’t have to refund the down payment (option fee) vs. having to refund a security deposit
  3. No fix up. Customer possibly is qualified to take property in “as is” condition saving you delay and cost of fix up
  4. Cash Flow as rent income is hundreds of dollars per month higher than the payment to the seller or their bank
  5. No out of pocket costs. You use the tenant rent payment to pay down and payoff the underlying financing
  6. Less stress. You have a happy client who you gave a real opportunity to
  7. Increased business. You receive referrals of new potential clients which allows you to build a buyers list
  8. Less repair costs. You have a homeowner in training who takes responsibility for minor maintenance and repairs
  9. Less collection worries. You have a client who has a financial and life improvement INCENTIVE to pay on time
  10. You have the best of both worlds. If they buy…Yeah!! You sell at your price and they pay the closing costs. If they don’t buy…yeah!! You get the
    asset back and get to do it all over again. Either way you win.

This all fits nicely into my business philosophy… we help people when we buy, we help people when we sell. We are problem solvers and dream grantors.

There you have it. Instead of being in the real estate business I teach you to be in the finance business. We use easy to learn skills to get creative financing from the seller when we buy, then offer creative financing to our buyer when we sell and make a hefty markup in between.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at how to prosper in today’s economy. This business model has worked for me in all economic ups and downs. This negative bubble happens to be a time when you can prosper much more than usual because of low interest rates, concern in the marketplace, high supply of houses and willing sellers.

Over the last 25 years I have engineered a process complete with all the Tools, Training, Technology and Team coaching and mentoring to share this method with others. This process works and has led many to become millionaires in a short time because they were wise enough to realize that adopting someone else’s already perfected process was smarter than trying to create their own. I now have users and devotees of this system in all 50 states and 15 foreign countries. You too can build a long-term fulfilling business that is extremely profitable for you and your family. Read this again and see if this is right for you.

Louis Brown will be speaking at the September Monthly Meeting of the Connecticut Real Estate Investors Association. He will also be teaching a full day seminar. Please visit us at www.CTREIA.com or call our hotline at 860-265-4414. To Your Success, Lou Brown.


Apartment Owners Association of Connecticut is the largest state wide association representing the interest of apartment owners.

AOAofCT mission’s is to inform and educate apartment owners so that we continue to provide quality rental housing. AOAofCT is organized to promote responsible landlording and for the rights of property owners and to work with City, County, State, and Federal officials to solve problems. Provide for the exchange of information and statistics and for interaction on laws, regulation and proposed government actions.

To serve and advance the rental housing industry so that adequate affordable rental housing will be available through private enterprise and to provide a clearing house for accurate, up to date information that impacts apartment owners.

PLEASE REMEMBER WE CANNOT GIVE LEGAL ADVICE. WE ARE LANDLORDS HELPING LANDLORDS… WHY NOT COME TO A MEETING AND NETWORK? CHANCES ARE SOMEONE THERE HAS AN ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION!

AOAofCT is a sub chapter of CT REIA, where landlords can network in order to receive educational operation and motivation. AOAofCT meetings and events are where Connecticut landlords, property managers, and maintenance professionals can exchange ideas, information, personal experiences and resources. Our goal is for landlords to provide tenants with outstanding rental properties while maximizing their own business, net worth, and cash flow.

www.AOACT.org

www.AOACT.org

Connecticut’s Largest Apartment Owners Association

AOA of CT MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

  • Keep you up-to-date on new laws, codes and regulations and on timely landlord/tenant issues and concerns
  • Representation at the State Capitol – for the proposing and defending key pieces of legislation that affect apartment owners.
  • Meetings and seminars – that are both educational and afford members occasions to share their expertise with others
  • Discount to all events sponsored by: CT REIA, WREIA, AOAofCT

Apartment Owners Manual is a Do-It Yourself Reference Guide, Rules, and Forms

Members $29 | Non Members $79

Improve your landlording skills and manage property like a pro. Whether you’re full time landlord or just getting ready to purchase your rental
property, this Manual will help you improve your landlording skills from attracting good tenants to maintaining your property to understanding
your rights and obligations under the law.

This manual is a clear, concise resource of practical advice and information; it can also be used to record important data for your future reference. Giving you the know-how to manage property like a pro. A source of practical advice and simple tools to improve landlording skills and implement practices. Instructions contain in this manual are for your benefit and protections, so follow them closely. Correspondence forms may be reproduced on your own letter head if you prefer.

Forms: Lease, Rental Application, Move-In Check List, Lead Paint, IRS Rules, Notices, Evictions, Small Claims form, Lead Paint booklet and so much more!


Upcoming Events

September 9

Get Motivated Business Seminar.

Free ticket are available at www.CTREIA.com

September 10

Apartment Owners Association of CT Meeting

September 16

Women Real Estate Investors Association. Elana Suzanne – Sell Your House Fast and for Top Dollar

September 17

Teleseminar – Learn About CTREIA Multi-Family and Apartment Coaching Program

September 21

Lou Brown photo

CTREIA Monthly Meeting

Guest Speaker: Lou Brown

September 30

Fast Track Team Coaching. “How to Buy Apartment Buildings with None of Your Money”. Details on line at
www.ctreia.com

October 7

Details to follow

November 21-21

New England’s largest Real Estate Conference and Tradeshow

(details to follow)


Order Your Apartment Rental Forms… Today…

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  • Rental application
  • Move-In Inspection Report
  • Lead Paint
  • Employment Verification
  • Landlord Verification
  • New Resident Move-In Check List
  • Rejection Letter
  • Abandonment Letter
  • Notice of Termination
  • Notice of Intent to Enter Dwelling Unit


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