In the U. S. today, there is a growing segment of the homebuying population that has outpaced any other.  Know what that is?  It is single women.  That’s right.  For several years, now, this trend has been on the rise.

For about 15 years the number of unmarried women owning homes has risen dramatically.  In fact, the latest NAR profile of homebuyers and sellers now has the figure at twenty-two percent.

There are, of course, several factors that have lead to this increase.  Certain demographic trends are responsible.  For example, improved education has enabled more women to pursue careers and seek financial independence.  As a result many young women have delayed marriage.  The increase in purchasing power has not gone unnoticed either.

Women own and operate 38% of all businesses in America and comprise 40% of the business school graduates.  Now add to that, interest rates at history-making lows along with home prices that are making their own history.  What do you have?  It’s a perfect storm.

As if that’s not enough reason, there are others factors, too.  The supply of housing is incredibly high and continued government attempts at stimulating the economy further fuel the increase of single women homebuyers.

Women by nature tend to do more research, spending a longer period of time in their home searches.  Interestingly, they will more likely make needed home repairs.  You might be surprised to know that nearly half of all the  purchases made in the “big box” home-improvement stores are made by women.   In the last 5 years, ninety-four percent of women who own homes claim to have completed a home improvement project during this period.

So, if you want to tap into this growing market you may wish to consider the following:

·         Try condos as women find a sense of security in this type of community

·         Deal with homes that lend to a home office

·         Aim for low maintenance yards

·         Allow for ample storage

·         Natural light is important, especially in the master suite

Finally, if you are a female real estate investor you may do better with these buyers/sellers.  Women traditionally trust other women a little more.  Don’t feel bad, men.  They just feel better understood by another woman.  Go get ‘em, ladies!

You might find it interesting to know that it’s not only local investors who are buying properties in your community. Did you know that foreign investors still prefer U.S. real estate as their opportunity of choice? Recently a survey conducted by The Association of Foreign Investors in Real Estate (AFIRE) in the fourth quarter of 2009 revealed some interesting statistics:

· Fifty one percent of the 200 members holding more than $842 billion in real estate globally, identified the U.S. as best for capital appreciation.

· This is up dramatically from the previous 3 years

· It was way back in 2003 that a majority of respondents’ perceptions were this high

· Finally 2/3 of respondents plan to increase their investments in the U.S. in 2010

From all this what can we conclude? Optimism about the real estate market in our homeland remains strong and this will help move our market along. Of course, these represent some big players so much of their holdings will be multi-family housing and commercial. Nonetheless, this is a good indicator of things to come. The simple fact is that our stable history is still showing we are the best place to do real estate investing.

Western Europe markets have been hit hard during this global recession. Foreign and domestic REI activity nationally will likely mitigate the length of our own recession stateside.

As a real estate wholesaler I am encouraged to Euros, GB Pound, Yen, Rubles and the like come into our market as it strengthens our position. We have a clear advantage. We are here! We should also have some insight into our local markets and this will help us to “bird dog” deals to wholesale to foreign cash buyers. And once the market starts a solid climb, local cash home buyers will “come out of the woodwork.”

That is why I have put so much stock into my website and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) so I am able to market to some of these cash buyers from “across the drink.” It would be incredibly difficult for a small-time REI business to accomplish this without the costly process of building and maintaining a real, effective website. The sad truth is that a very small fraction of websites out there really actually draw traffic to their respective businesses. With that said I suggest you see mine @ invesdoor.com for an example of an REI site that will draw international buyers. Till next time, remember that nothing lasts forever….not even this blasted recession

The mere sound of paralysis sounds so ominous that we would naturally avoid such a thing – right? Well, yes, but one of the first mistakes we learn in “real estate investing for beginners” is to avoid over-analyzing investment properties.

You heard the old adage about the guy who had to feel for the floor before getting out of bed? lol. Well, there are some distinct disadvantages to waiting before striking, weighing every possible scenario and crunching the numbers endlessly. To begin with: “The early bird gets the worm.” If we delay our decision to buy we may lose the real estate investment altogether.

Secondly, every real estate investment expert knows that you never exactly know what your margin will be until you have sold the property. That’s just the nature of this business…especially when there is rehab involved. One of the great advantages of real estate investment mentoring is learning to identify issues and attach an approximate cost to each before you write your offer. Nevertheless, since the principle is to “buy low & sell high,” just make sure that you buy low enough so the margin will cover you from any minor errors in judgement.

Also, don’t ever feel that you must narrow your searches down to the very one you want. There is absolutely no harm in writing multiple offers when you are seeking just one investment property. Remember that there are always contingencies for on-site inspections and a list of other “escape routes.” Just write offers. You’ve nothing to lose but a little time.

Finally, identify your fears. In fact, it is fear that holds us back from moving ahead with what we desire. Find a way to get over your fears and your real estate home business will take a large step forward. Once you have pulled down your first deal you will feel completely different about making decisions that will catapult your real estate investing to another level.

We have heard a lot about the part Wall St. has played in the downturn of the housing market. And we cannot ignore the fact that certain government policies have allowed the banks free reign with the nation’s money without substantial accountability. Before we put the “black hat” of sole responsibility on these institutions, let’s examine another essential factor.

There is a storm of epic proportions brewing as we speak. While the government is in crises, the largest market of the century is passing their peak spending years and a record number of these are heading into retirement. America is traditionally driven by consumer spending. Over 70% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is represented by consumer spending. So, how people as consumers spend their money is the largest influence on our economic report card.

Spending patterns are very predictable, at very predictable times in one’s life. Thus, at ages 46-50 we usually see families earning the most and putting their kids through college. They will likely spend the most during these years. Whereas, during their 50s, couples become “empty nesters” and significantly reduce their expenditures. Once they reach age 60 they are moving into retirement, which for all intents and purposes, is when people traditionally spend the least. Hence, the boom in consumer spending from the “Baby-Boomer” is coming to an end.

The point is that trends can accurately be predicted years in advance based purely on demographics. The age and stage of life determine spending patterns. As financial expert, Keith Springer of Capital Financial Services states: “As we move through stages of life which correspond with different ages, we change our spending in very predictable ways. What we buy at each stage is predictable and consistent.”

Now, consider something we call the “adjusted birth index.” Fewer babies were born during the great depression than either before or afterward. Thus, we would expect that 48 years later (the stagnant 1970s) there would be less middle age people. Alternately, “Generation X” represents the children of the “Baby-Boomer” (born 1946-1964). Alarmingly, “Generation X” cannot physically keep up the pace of spending set by the “Baby-Boomers.”

We must acknowledge that great busts generally follow great booms and the bubbles they create. The most likely situation would be with a decline in the real estate sector. We have already seen the effect on real estate, which likely will not rebound for quite a while when the “Echo Boomers” begin to buy their first homes. There simply are not enough people to absorb the homes of the current generation, coupled with the ridiculous pace of building during the first seven years of the new millennium. Clearly, there is just too much housing “inventory” on hand and not enough people to occupy these homes (consult my recent article on Supply and Demand).

In conclusion, it pays to be well-informed before launching out into real estate investment. If you buy for cash flow, it can work to your advantage as values have finally come down to favorable level. If you wish to “fix & flip,” this too can prove profitable provided you do not plan on holding onto the property for an extended period. Avoid involved remodeling projects and stick with simple rehabs when you buy houses and you should do quite well under these prevailing stormy economic conditions.

In 1970 young people across America were burning their draft cards. Today, there is a new revolution brewing that millions of families from all stations in life. I call it the “borrower’s revolt.” Like the Boston Tea Party of 200 years ago, sincere, hard-working folks are fed up with being held to rigid rules that the banks won’t follow themselves.

During the last decade especially, lenders had no scruples about lending more than many families could afford or, for that matter, more than the property was worth. The illustrative “loan committee” with all its superior “wisdom” consistently allowed this kind of abuse so that we are now faced with a nationwide mortgage crisis of huge proportions. Interestingly, a fast growing facet of the legal industry is that which goes after lenders for predatory practices.

With millions of American families “under water” with a heavy negative equity, lenders have tried to “solve” the problem by promising mortgage loan modifications. The idea conveyed has been that they will magnanimously reduce interest, stretch terms and even chop off some of the principle. In theory, it would be nice to help families stay in their homes as owners. In reality, most loan modifications don’t solve anything but prolong the agony. Assuming that a loan modification was successfully achieved, it still wouldn’t erase the fact that the huge debt against the home will probably take more than a decade before breaking even. Thus, the unfortunate homeowner still may be forced to short sell his home or suffer foreclosure.

The solution: Mortgage strike! That’s right. The homeowner in this position is better off short selling his home now and moving on with life. This is what I like to call strategic defaulting. With this strategy one’s credit score can conceivably be repaired in 24 months. It simply makes more sense, especially when folks are spending much more on a bad mortgage than on rent of a comparable home.

Jumping on the “bandwagon,” too, is real estate agents who see a way to revive their ailing businesses. If they can get more people to list their home as a short sale they can earn more commissions. Please remember, though, that not all real estate agents are cut from the same cloth. I have seen many be more a part of a problem than a solution. Choose wisely!

Greetings from 37,000 feet!  I am on the plane to meet up with one of my new Territory Managers in Mentor for Life™, a real estate mentor program for serious entrepreneurs.

Anyway, I was thinking about how much of a challenge it is for those who have no one with prior experience and a willingness to share it.  From the beginning of time the traditional (functional) family unit provided all the mentorship a child needed to equip him/her for the world.  If one was raised in a farming community, the training would focus on farming and if it was fishing, that was the career the youth could expect to be mentored in.  Often, with the loving supervision of two caring parents, one could pursue that path with confidence.

However, with the advent of the industrial revolution things began to change.  Life became more complicated and choices abounded.  This spawned an awareness and further advancement and just one hundred years later we beheld the personal computer and all the complexities it brought with it.  Now, the advances we use to read about in comic books as kids are a reality…even for kids!

What this is all leading to is the blatant reality that the world of real estate investment has become a complex and varied proposition.  You want to venture into real estate investing?  Fine…but you need a mentor.  And chances are that your parents, no matter how well meaning, are/were not qualified to give you what you’re going to need as you explore the ominous world of 21^st century investment.

At first, this may be a huge step for many.  Those enrolled in my Mentor for Life™ know they can always contact their mentor because they qualified to be a part of my team.  I was thinking, though, that those who aren’t may have some simple, general questions about mentorship.  Since this is probably the case with sincere folks across the U.S., I have decided to open the door to anyone with genuine queries about real estate mentorship.  For a time, I will personally answer anyone’s questions about mentorship free of charge.  I can be reached at cjlauria@invesdoor.com anytime.  Due to our nationwide scope of influence I suggest you allow 48 hours for a reply as I haven’t found a way to clone myself.

In the meantime, I recommend you consider this:  The greatest hindrance we encounter is our own fears. When starting a business for the first time, fear of the unknown can be paralyzing.  A qualified mentor has been down that road and can validate certain feelings that you’re experiencing as well as identify erroneous perspectives you may manifest.  In today’s business climate, “supply and demand” is still the key issue.  This time the demand for true, qualified mentors has never been greater, but the supply is limited.  I look forward to hearing from you soon.

The American housing market may have officially crossed the line from correction to stabilization. Historically, after stabilization the phases are recovery and revival. All entrepreneurs should take a close look at real estate investment opportunities over the next few years, since this is when the money is really made.

As you can imagine, timing the real estate cycle is critical to achieving big returns on investment. Of course, there are other strategic objectives like picking winning markets, purchasing investment properties, increasing value by rehabbing the property, maximizing cash flow in any market and more. This article, though, is dedicated to the market cycle, how it works and where we are in it.

Visualizing the cycle in its entirety is the easiest way to grasp its predictability. But in order to see the pattern you have to zoom way out and see the forest through the trees, as it were, because one pulse in investment properties takes 12 to 15 years.

Now, consider the following two cycles of median home prices. The first, from 1983 to 1996, started with the economy in rough shape. Then an economic boom pulled real estate and the Dow index way up. It was a big party, everyone was making money, and then banks got a little crazy with their lending standards and the whole thing went off the rails — stock market crash, massive bank failure, real estate market correction and a serious recession. You know the rest of the story.

In summer of 2009 I predicted values to hit bottom in summer 2010 and stay flat for five years, only to go back up significantly when tax-cutting becomes the policy and the economy booms again.  Note that price point will play a crucial role in recovery.  Entry level housing will see recovery long before the luxury home market sees the light of day.  Some markets across the country will emerge much sooner than others.

The good news is that it’s pre-boom all over again. The better news is that now you are aware of it at a very early point, so it’s the perfect storm.  And the best news is you have plenty of time to get your assets in gear and take a position.

You don’t have any liquid assets at present?  Your credit score is shot due to the impact of the recession?  You fear taking that leap back into the REI market because of the unknown?  Then you probably need to speak to a real estate mentor.  I suggest you check out the Mentor for Life business plan that I put together with my awesome team.  It may just be your answer to the foregoing questions.

Nobody knows exactly when the real estate market will finally hit bottom.  There is a lot of speculation out there, but nobody actually knows for sure.  Since we want to follow the principle of buy low, sell high, isn’t it prudent to buy only when the market is at its’ absolute lowest?

Frankly, to optimize the return on our money we should buy as low as possible in order to ride the inflationary wave of a growing real estate market.  However, we don’t live in a perfect world and that’s why we won’t engage in a conversation about whether or not we’ve hit absolute bottom.  The fact is, it’s not necessary to buy at the very bottom just to make insane profits in real estate investment.  Furthermore, if we wait for that exact day, we aren’t doing anything productive in the meantime and that’s called “stagnation.”….not good.

Even in the stock market, savvy investors won’t wait around till the perfect bottom suddenly appears.  They will often enjoy smaller, shorter-term gains while keeping an eye on the bigger picture.  When the market appears to be transitioning from the “bear” to the “bull” they will purchase stocks that are already on the way up a solid trend.

In my company, I teach my students to stay active in the market, honing their skills of acquisition and flipping the property for quick cash.  This can be done in 2 ways.  They can either, 1) take title to a property, perform all needed repairs and sell it on the retail market or, 2) get a property into contract well below value and assign the contract to another real estate investor.  The latter is known as “wholesaling” and is a low risk way of providing quick cash without lots of money or credit.

As a nationally renowned real estate mentor, I advocate real estate as the preferred means of investing primarily because of the ability to leverage ones’ assets.  This carries a distinct advantage over paper assets like stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc. and if the real estate investing professional invests locally, he/she has much more control over that asset.

There are, of course, many great reasons for exploring real estate investment.  If you would like to know more details about how to make money now, in this uncertain market, visit my websites at www.invesdoor.com or www.realestatementor4life.com .  These sites specifically address making money right now during this national recession that has the country in a veritable strangle-hold.  There is no need to fear missing the “right” time to jump in.  If you’re intent on having your own real estate investing business, get a mentor and get started!  You’ll be glad you did.