Blog

27 Feb

Posted at 05:00h in Blog

Everyone wants to know how to find perfect buyers for terms deals. And it makes sense! Anyone getting into the terms niche wants to know 1) that they'll be able to find a buyer, and 2) that the buyer will be well-qualified and capable of closing out the deal at the end of the term. In our experience, finding a well-qualified tenant-buyer is easier than most people think (actually the easiest part of the process) — for a few key reasons. The House That Wouldn't Sell! In this deal, the house itself had been on the market for a while and never received...

23 Feb

Posted at 05:00h in Blog

We understand that getting started in a new industry, especially if you have no prior experience, can be daunting and discouraging. But making the switch into the TERMS industry, whether you have prior real estate experience or not, can be a truly life-changing moment. It was for Mike Makredes, who is now one of our certified coaches, and it can be for you too.  Mike joined us while he was still working a full-time sales job and managed to quickly master the TERMS niche. Here's his advice on how to get started in this industry. I'll start by saying that I never...

20 Feb

Posted at 05:00h in Blog

One of the best things about the real estate industry is that you are ultimately in control of how much money you make. The more work you put into it, the more you'll get out of it. And the more you learn, the more profit you can create for yourself. So when someone comes to us with a very specific goal in mind, we get excited because we know that with our help and their drive, they'll be able to accomplish it. One of our recent Associates did exactly this—they enrolled in our program with the goal of using terms deals to...

16 Feb

Posted at 10:00h in Blog

When I first moved to DC for graduate school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, so I ended up meeting somebody, getting married, and having two kids. Fast-forward 50 years. I’ve been here in the DC area pretty much all that time except for a year back in New York, where I was born and raised to be a Brooklyn Dodgers fan. I also spent three years in San Francisco and a year in Dallas. But aside from that, I spent a good 50 years here in the DC area. I spent most of that time in commercial real...

09 Feb

Posted at 09:17h in Blog

What is your commitment to learning?  Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to spend time with entrepreneurs and highly successful people. That’s by choice. Dan Kennedy’s conference in the early 2000s, a Peter Lowe event—if you’re old enough to remember those—a Tony Robbins seminar. Those were in-person events, but if I go back further, I remember listening to cassette tapes non-stop in my car, especially commuting to and from college. Yes, cassette tapes were “in” back then. Back then (and even now), I would be constantly challenged to think about my personal and business plans going forward. And looking back, I’ve spent...

06 Feb

Posted at 10:56h in Blog

Timing is key when you're buying and selling homes as a real estate investor. But with terms deals, it's even more important. We often deal with people who need to sell their house quickly because of some type of life event, and the traditional avenues just aren't working for them. This is perfect for us because we can market their home to an entirely different group of people—and often a much larger group of people—who would otherwise be unable to purchase it with conventional financing. And we can often get it sold very quickly. When we take on a house that needs...

02 Feb

Posted at 09:10h in Blog

Sometimes I think people get too caught up in how they're going to accomplish their goals. They set a lofty goal, get overwhelmed, don't know how they'll ever achieve it, and they give up. But is it really all that complicated? If you look at any goal, regardless of how big or small it is, it just comes down to a series of steps that you need to complete. We all know this. We know that if we do steps 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, we'll see a certain result. So why not break down your goals just like that? Breaking Down Big...

30 Jan

Posted at 11:27h in Blog

We often talk about how our average deal size is around $75,000 for All 3 Paydays® in our family business and between $45,000 and $250,000 and higher for our Associates around the country. When we mention these Paydays®, we're talking about: The initial non-refundable deposit The monthly spread The markup on the home plus the principal paydown over the length of the term Unlike traditional real estate deals where you'd get one lump sum, these Paydays® create sustainable and consistent cash flow month over month. With just a few deals, you can set yourself up for years to come. Many of...

26 Jan

Posted at 09:47h in Blog

Over the years, I've noticed that many entrepreneurs focus exclusively on improving their business through fancy marketing techniques, software, advertising—all the conventional stuff that you'd think would be helpful in growing a business. And while that stuff is certainly helpful, it's not the end all be all. There are some fundamental things you need to get right to be successful in any business, and it's especially true in real estate. Being a well-rounded person will help in so many aspects of your business. It's the foundation you need for continual improvement and growth. If you're only focusing on your business, you're missing...

19 Jan

Posted at 07:00h in Blog

I once wrote a piece called “Is Your Tree Dying?” and I began by relating a story about a property that Kim and I owned. We planted a small tree and over time it started to die. Naturally, this bummed us out! We loved the landscaping, the yard, and this particular tree—so we called in a tree specialist. They fertilized it, pruned it, did whatever it is they do to keep trees healthy, but it kept dying. Finally, I said enough is enough. I took the garden hose out twice a week and soaked the roots for over a month. Before we...