A Quick Survey to Determine Good Deals

Analysis paralysis--one of the biggest blocks of successful real estate investing. That's when you stumble into a good deal, then stop dead in your tracks. You worry about the decision, and never do anything. In my first six months of investing, I looked at hundreds of great deals and froze.

How did I know if it was a good deal? How did I know I could make money? If I actually made an offer, I was scared I might get the deal. And then what? In order to overcome analysis paralysis,

1. Get lots of information, and

2. Make sure you have a really good deal (because even if it's not as good as you thought, you still have a margin of error to work with.)

If I told you the exact cards that will come out on a Blackjack table, without a doubt, you would play them because you have information about what will happen. When you gather lots of meaningful information, this is also true in real estate investing. Ask the following questions first. They will help you decide if you should make an offer:

1. What is the property worth today?

To develop a successful real estate investing career, your job is to find deals and put them together. Your job is not to become an appraiser, or a closing attorney, or a management expert, or a repair person. Use professionals!

How do Realtors, appraisers, and banks determine what a property is worth? They look at comparable sales, usually three to five sales of similar property close by. Realize that the properties have to be similar for a true comparison.

Get a list of comparable sales and see the sales price of every property bought or sold (and when it sold) for the street you want information about. Ask active professionals what the market is like. Whenever possible, get information in writing via fax, email, or letter. Put comparable sales lists and information in a folder for future reference.

2. What repairs does the property need?

You can find the cost of the repairs from two different sources: from the seller (most are truthful; a few are not) and from a good licensed, bonded contractor. Make sure the contractor is "referred" and that you get bids from more than one contractor recommended by respected Realtors or other investors.

3. What can you get it for?

When sellers are motivated to move a property worth $100,000, and it does not need any repairs, they may say, "We'll let you have it for $70,000." (This is about 30% below market value.) Rule of thumb: A good deal should be at least 20% below market. Would that be a good deal? Yes.

Now you can negotiate an even better deal and get a signed contract. That's where you make money in real estate. If you don't negotiate, you may potentially leave a lot of money on the table.

Every property's value is in the eyes of its beholder. If you own a lot of real estate and you are being sued, you might make a case that your property is not worth much and needs repairs. On the other hand, if you go to the bank to borrow money against the property, you'll want it appraised as high as possible using the highest comparable sales

And when the tax assessor calls to figure out your new taxes for next year, you'll say the rents are low, the buildings need work, and so on. Since property has different value depending on who is looking at it, make sure you talk to professionals active in the market who tell you honestly what people are paying for properties today.

You can also determine market value by attracting an offer by running a newspaper ad that includes details of the property. If the phone rings, people want what you have to offer. Likewise, if you want to see how much rent should be, run a "For Rent" ad and see if anybody calls. If no one calls, you don't have much of a market.

Now do your analysis

Now that you have negotiated a good price and put it under contract with a contingency clause, then do your analysis. Beginners tend to analyze for six weeks, but by the time they find out the age of the water heater, the condition of the roof shingles, and the opinions of neighbors, their opportunity has disappeared.

Instead, do a quick survey to see if it is a good deal, document everything, put your offer in with a contingency, then do your compete analysis. If you experience analysis paralysis, you'll lose a lot of deals. That's why it's important to gather your information well and act boldly.

About the Author:

Robert Shemin, JD, MBA is one of themost successful real estate investors in country. He has flipped over 100 properties, renovated more than 200 houses and duplexes, and owned and managed more than 150 rental properties--many of which he still owns and manages today.His first two real estate books, Secrets of a Millionaire Real Estate Investor and Secrets of a Millionaire Landlord, are national best sellers. And his newest book, Unlimited Riches, Making Your Fortune in Real Estate Investing, has been ranked one of the top Real Estate books on Amazon. You may have seen Robert on Montel Williams and HG-TV, in Business Week magazine, or heard him on National Public Radio