Boomer’s Blog

In your mind’s eye, pile up all the money you made last year on your dining room table. Take a long, hard look at it and think of all the hard work you put into building that pile. Just enjoy the vision of your accomplishments, and try not to not think about the chunk that’s going out for taxes.

Now ask yourself, and answer honestly: Are you following up on your warm leads?

Whatever amount of money you made last year, if you’re not following up on your warm leads, you might as well take half of it out to the BBQ and set it on fire. Sound crazy? Consider the facts.

Only 2 percent of deals take place after your first conversation with a prospect. The remaining 98 percent of real estate sales transactions take place after a dozen or so contacts with once warm and even some cool conversations with prospects.

More than ever before, this detail is critical to meeting the challenges of today’s rapidly changing real estate markets. Why? There are nearly as many reasons as there are absurd corporate bonuses being doled out on Wall Street. But for many real estate investors, the reasons are glaring in the recent headlines.

Real estate research and analysis firm HousingPredictor.com predicts that U.S.  housing prices will slip as much as 12.5 percent this year, compared to last year’s estimated 11 percent nosedive.

Even homeowners with equity are starting to feel the pain amid unemployment surges and credit market constrictions. For many, cost of living hikes are their only regular source of cardiac exercise.

And as we know, folks looking to downsize and rebuild their nest eggs after Wall Street’s collapse last year are finding that their homes are staying on the market like so many jars of tainted peanut butter.

Given these crushing variables, once-optimistic sellers who scoffed at your presentation even as recently as few months ago may be ready to roll out the red carpet if you can get them out of the red.

If you’re not following up on warm leads, you’re missing out on 80 percent of your deal potential. Think about it, if you’re just focusing on the 20 percent that your business’ front end brings to your plate, you’re throwing away $4 for every $1 you make.

The writing’s on the wall and by now, the song should be playing in your head: The real estate times they are a changin’.

Not too long ago, it seems that a real estate investor worth his or her weight in bandit signs couldn’t jiggle a lock box without finding a killer deal. The deals are still out there, but nailing them down may require a change in perspective, some new best practices and an action plan that meets current market demands.

Your solution could  be as simple as  a little yellow real estate marketing postcard — and you don’t even have to lick a stamp!

Ponder that. And if you’re interested in all the details that  easily can add $100,000 to your table in 2009, join us here at GaryBoomershine.

Just sign in using the yellow fields on the right side of this page or on the main page at GaryBoomershine.com and you’ll get access to the information you need to refine your approach and maximize your resources on the road to extreme real estate investing profits. Act soon and you’ll get your copy of my monthly report exclusively for real estate investors.

Yale graduate, NFL Veteran, A&E TV network host of “Flip this House” and superstar real estate entrepreneur Than Merrill is adding “REI Spy” to his impressive resume in his “Mission Impossible” video series. All the intrigue is leading up to an exciting launch we’ll talk more about next week.

The Spy Who Loved REI
All you have to do to make your real estate business Mission Possible in 2009 is grab some popcorn and sign in with Than. Beyond the spoofs and goofs for the camera in the intro videos for this series is some awesome, pitch-free content.

In the first video, Than and his real estate investment business partner Paul (who you also may recognize from their hit TV show) delve into the nuts and bolts of investing in probate properties for wholesale. Their innovative approach to tapping probate markets blew me away.

This training is incredibly comprehensive and robust. Because Than’s training is geared for wholesalers, he’s sharing a fresh perspective that puts an entirely new spin on probate real estate investing as we know it.

Got Leads?
In the second video, Than guides us through a simple 15-minute process using Google’s local business listings to pull the trigger on rapid, high-volume REI lead generation online.

This training is useful because it simplifies a process for scoring leads online that for too many of us, remains a highly technical mystery that can be downright intimidating.

If you think there are a lot of gurus in REI . . . just type:

search+engine+optimization

In any search engine on the planet, and you’ll instantly find more experts than cockroaches in a section 8 rehab. You’ll also quickly discover that the price of their advice is nearly as attractive and reach for the aspirin.

The information you’ll likely find while trying to get a handle on an affordable, scalable and effective Internet marketing solution can be confusing, conflicting, and incredibly expensive.

Web 2.0 marketing is here to stay, folks. And you don’t have to sell a kidney to make it affordable for your business.

In this video, Than clearly demonstrates that if you use some common sense, it won’t cost you any vital organs — or your life’s savings to start scoring leads and raise your real estate investing business profile online.

Got Tips? You Could Win Free Bootcamp Excursion with Than!
Share your single best real estate marketing strategy to find buyers on Than’s blog when you sign in to watch his videos and Win! Than will choose the most creative entry and announce his pick. Than says the winner will receive two tickets to his next four-day real estate marketing and wholesaling Bootcamp.

The most surprising entry I’ve seen so far calls for investors to scan the news for homes that police have been determined to be meth labs. Apparently, those owners are incredibly flexible and eager to make a deal. Though very creative, this business model may have some flaws ….

Do yourself a favor this weekend. Visit Than Here, get some useful free training and let your creative juices flow!

I wanted to share with you this funny and inspirational video to help you kick off your New Year with a real bang! And what better way to do that than with wholesale real estate genius Mike Collins, his giant hammer and a pair of safety glasses?

It’s going VIRAL!

This video looks like Mike has lost his mind - - but clearly not his sense of humor. You’ve got to see how he rang in the New Year. It’s hilarious- -especially if you’ve got kids and pay a monthly cable bill! Even if you’re not active in RE right now, you’ve got to see this video. You’ll never look at your TV the same way again!

Not only does Mike handle a hammer like a pro, he makes a great point . . . one that hits close to home for anyone who ever has wondered where to start to affect positive changes in their lives without spending a dime! In fact, many of us could save over $1,000 per year by following Mike’s comedic lead. (Though in my case, it would bea mightly long year with the kids - -and possibly my wife not talking to me.)

If you like what Mike’s got to say, sign up for the two hours of strong content videos in Mike’s free Internet video series: “Insider’s Guide to Quick-Start 2009.” His 24 years of experience as a wholesale real estate entrepreneur and straight-shooter approach really make this training as interesting as it is educational.

I just watched another awesome hour-long video, and I was so riveted by Mike’s presentation, I totally forgot to eat lunch! With this video series, Mike is really delivering a stimulus package you can count on! Before I head off to NOT eat that burger and fries I’m craving, I wanted to give you a taste of Mike’s real estate investor’s food for thought. I pulled this info from my own personal notes.

The future of this industry belongs to the wholesaler, Mike says. And in this game, the person who finds the inventory, finds the best deals. Here, a 30-to-50 percent slice of each transaction goes to the wholesaler, only with less work than is required with other approaches.

Five Tips for Creating your Own Economic Stimulus Package

Here are five tips from Mike to whet your appetite for What’s Working in 2009. There’s plenty more where this came from. All you have to do is Sign Up Here to get access to this rich content.

1. Know Your Market: Develop an in-depth knowledge of the players in your local marketplace. Shop for qualified buyer leads at auctions, for example. But perhaps most importantly, learn how to use direct mail marketing to save while you fill your pipeline with premium leads.
2. Stop Elephant Hunting: Shift your perspective and business model so you see houses as commodities rather than as homes you might want to inhabit. Three bedroom houses in blue-collar neighborhoods tend to be winners, Mike says.
3. Learn About Values: Both wholesale values and retail values are important for you to know in your local markets. Look at previous transaction data and comps for an overview. Mike’s got lots of innovative tips to help you get a professional real estate marketing handle on these data. Developing this knowledge is absolutely mandatory to prime your business for success in this and every year..
4. Explore Direct Real Estate Marketing: In this arena, it’s essential that you develop the ability to quantify and calculate your ROI & maintain your creativity. Early on in his career, Mike says that postings in laundromats and even flyers he sent through a local pizza delivery operation helped give him a boost in this business. It also made him realize the true value that a constant flow of leads could bring to his business.
5. Find your Niche: Both in your local markets and in your overall investment strategy.. To find success, you’ve got to first get a grasp on what’s working in your local target areas.(Realtors call these niches “farms.”) With some persistence and diligence, the opportunities will become increasingly more apparent with ongoing focus on your market.

Now that we all know about Mike’s plans and strategy for the New Year, what about you? What have you decided to do differently in 2009? Whatever it is, aim high and stay strong. Remember: This is your year!

Since government-sponsored financial services giants Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac announced a foreclosure moratorium through the holidays in November, government efforts to stem the foreclosure tide have heated up in hard-hit states such as California, Connecticut and Florida.

It is likely that state and federal lawmakers — and other officials convening in the New Year also are gearing up to take action to slow the foreclosure process. New and emerging policies in this trend are likely to give beleaguered homeowners some space to breathe — and RE investors a vast open field of profit opportunity.

Join the Revolution: Short Sale Manifesto 2.0
Ohio-based Strategic Real Estate Coaches Josh Cantwell and Greg Clement see green pastures ahead for pre-foreclosure and short sale investors who are keen on building stronger real estate businesses and cashing  in on recent market changes. Moving into the holiday season, they’re offering investors a steady stream of absolutely free, timely information, tools and resources you need to adapt to changing market conditions in this motivated seller market.

Timing Isn’t Everything
More than 10 million homes currently are over-leveraged with mortgage debt and have no equity, Josh says: If we can take advantage of these opportunities as real estate agents or investors, we can capitalize on these market conditions — big time.

Update Your Strategies, Tap Warming Markets
There are some common-sense tactics you can use which are incredibly cost-effective to deploy in your business, such as ramping up your personal and real estate marketing efforts that can have a dramatic impact on your bottom line. Some require more effort than others, but the focus should stay fixed on preparing your business to thrive in pre-foreclosure or whatever markets you choose.

It’s clearly no secret that property values have dropped significantly in the past two years. Today’s market conditions for short sale and pre-foreclosures are evolving, Josh says. And changing times call for different strategies.

Refine and Define your Strategies
Earlier this year, Josh updated several elements of his original “Short Sale Manifesto” to reflect what real estate investors need to succeed in today’s challenging and increasingly more competitive pre-foreclosure and short sale markets.

Josh updated this book because he is serious about helping his students to deploy only the most cutting-edge strategies and techniques in tapping these markets and the “Short Sale Manifesto 2.0” leaves no stone unturned in its  pages,

Josh breaks all the mission critical aspects of short saling down into small, manageable tasks that emphasizs networking and skill-building.  Central to his Manifesto are key techniques that, when implemented properly, will strengthen your professional support system and build your business.

Like Candy for Short Sale Investors
While Josh gives great guidance on the steps you need to take to make the short sale deals happen — and keep a constant flow of new deals in your pipeline, he also tells you all about the pitfalls you need to avoid.

If you only have 10 minutes to spend reading this ebook, check out the details Josh provides regarding the Top 9 Mistakes even the best real estate investors make and how you can avoid them. These investment blunders include:

1. Paying too much for a property,
2. Underestimating the cost of repairs,
3. Neglecting to stage property,
4. Failure to build a workable buyers list,
5. Failure to secure private money,
6. Failure to plan multiple exit strategies,
7. Failure to focus on revenue producing activities,
8. Lack of a coherent system to organize your business, and my favorite,
9. Failure to implement an effective and consistent marketing strategy.

Some of these errors may be all too familiar, while some may be new to you, but in all cases, Josh offers clear strategies to protect your business and build wealth by keeping your wits — and your money — about you while you’re investing in short sale real estate.

Free Videos and Info Clarify your Short Sale Mission
Visit Josh at his Strategic Real Estate Coach Web site and prepare yourself to be amazed by the high-quality information he is willing to show you this month absolutely free of charge, all in celebration of the season. While you’re there, be sure to catch the free videos. They make great companion pieces to the “Short Sale Manifesto 2.0.”

Stay tuned to this blog for the latest on SREC’s Special Giveaway Bonanza slated to kick off Tuesday, Dec. 9.

The trend heading into the holidays seems to be one of growing unemployment and a rising tide of homeowners drowning in mortgage debt.

An Ironic Twist on a Familiar Story
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ October report finds that unemployment last month soared to a 14-year high of 6.5 percent, as 240,000 jobs were slashed. Yet the Orange County Register’s Mortgage Insider, Matthew Padilla has made an interesting observation. He sifted through the data to report that in September,  352,200 workers were making a living in the mortgage business — that’s up from 349,300 in August.

Negative Equity Plagues Homeowners
But the recent real estate statistics that really capture the real estate investor’s eye come from  First American CoreLogic: 2.1 million mortgages are within 5 percentage points of being in a negative-equity position and 7.5 million mortgaged properties are carrying more mortgage debt than they’re worth. That means that nearly 20 percent of properties with mortgages have plunged into the powerful waves the economic undertow.

Rising Percentage of Underwater Mortgages in the States
See how the mortgages currently in negative equity break down among the states listed below (Note: percentages have been rounded off and the states are listed in descending order starting with the highest reported rate of negative equity.):

1. Nevada: 48%
2. Michigan: 39%
3. Arizona: 29%
4. Florida: 29%
5. California:  27%
6. Georgia: 23%
7. Ohio: 22%
8. Colorado: 18%
9. Arkansas: 16%
10. New Hampshire: 17%
11. Texas: 17%
12. Virginia: 16%
13. Tennessee: 15%
14. Kansas: 15%
15. Iowa: 15%
16. Alaska: 14%
17. Wisconsin: 14%
18. Nebraska: 13%
19. Kentucky: 13%
20. Missouri: 13%
21. Minnesota: 12%
22. Maryland: 12%
23. Rhode Island: 12%
24. Louisiana: 11%
25. Idaho: 11%
26. Utah: 11%
27. Oklahoma: 10%
28. South Carolina: 10%
29. Indiana: 10%
30. North Carolina: 10%
31. Illinois: 10%
32. Delaware: 10%
33. Washington D.C.: 10%
34. Massachusetts: 10%
35. New Jersey: 9%
36. New Mexico: 8%
37. Washington: 8 %
38. Oregon: 8%
39. Alabama: 7%
40. Connecticut: 7%
41. Montana: 7%
42. Pennsylvania: 6%
43. Hawaii:  6%
44. New York:  4%

Source: First American CoreLogic

Notes: Data were unavailable for Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming. These data are based on 42 million properties that had a first or second mortgage, accounting for at least  80 percent of U.S. mortgages.

Claim Your VIP Pass to Moneymaking Real Estate News, Marketing, Strategies & Tips
At GaryBoomershine.com, our focus is on delivering the the most timely real estate news, resources, tools and systems that build stronger real estate investment decisions and boost your bottom line.

Sign up either here or on the main page at GaryBoomershine.com and you’ll get the best this industry has to offer in real estate news, real estate marketing, real estate training systems, and all the creative real estate ideas that drive success in this business. Members also get exclusive access to compelling multimedia content and jaw-dropping discounts!

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to Make Tons of Cash in Real Estate! Join us today and get ahead of the pack!

I just read a brilliant article in Forbes. I say that of course, because it echoes what I’ve been saying about investing in real estate, but also because of the insightful comments that reporter Stephane Fitch gathered from some of the richest and most talented men to ever make their fortunes in this business.

Don’t Just Take it From Me!
The consensus is almost deafening. This is the time to invest in real estate, there’s no doubt about that. But there are three questions that you must be able to answer before choosing your strategy and plunging into the icy waters of today’s real estate markets, I want you to keep these in mind as you read this post:

• What to buy?
• Where to buy?
• What strategies are working best in today’s markets?

Here are some of my favorite quotes from the article. I encourage you to check it out for yourself. It’s one of the best mainstream media accounts of the current state of real estate I’ve seen since Lehman Brothers executives had expense accounts.

Investors Need Expert Strategies
Spencer Rascoff, Zillow.com: “Yes I do think this is a great time to be buying residential real estate, with two caveats. First, you need financing, which is much more difficult than in the past. Second, you need to be smart about it. The good old days when anyone could make millions flipping homes in their spare time are over…. Back then, it was a good time for anyone to buy. In 2008-2009, it’s only a good time for sophisticated real estate investors. The market is too turbulent for novices to succeed as real estate investors right now.”

Metro Market Fire Sale Burns into the Future
Michael Feder, Radar Logic: From the height of the bubble our data indicate that prices per square foot have declined between 5 percent and 45 percent in the 25 MSA’s we track. As our data have shown, the housing markets are being affected by various forces in different ways in different regions. In California, Nevada and Florida, increased foreclosures and the presumably resulting motivated prices are putting considerable pressure on markets.

Know a Great Deal when You See It
Donald Trump Jr.:  “Some of the biggest mistakes made over the past few years were because individuals looked at a market as a whole: i.e., ‘is now a good time to buy?’ The whole country’s real estate market is up, ergo all real estate must be a good buy–real estate never goes down, right? People looked at it too generally and forgot about the underlying asset: the real bricks and mortar. That is the way to look at real estate.

“For me I go with real estate all the time. I am not satisfied with 12 percent historic returns, especially when I look at my long-term portfolio these days. Besides, I play with real estate every day, so I am more comfortable knowing the asset I am buying is a good bet, regardless of the world around me, and I have access to or know how to find the most favorable borrowing options, etc. … I just do not have the same comfort level in the stock market, so I would always recommend to someone to stick with what they know.

“Also, it totally depends on the deal. There are deals out there now. There will definitely be a lot more coming in the near future, but people have to come to terms with the fact that the “equity” that they think they have in their homes is not even close to reality. Buyers know this and are waiting; when that gap narrows deals will be made. In many instances it may take a while because people may still feel they can carry their unit and wait for a better market. For many of them it will be a long wait, and they will eventually have to stop the hemorrhage of cash flow. That is especially when you will see deals of more commercial assets, but the underlying principals will hold true for [residential] as well.”

In Search of … The Ultimate Strategy
If you want to see the real estate truth behind the wizard’s curtain, I urge you to check out Richard Roop and Dan Doran’s Ultimate Strategy. Not only do the dynamic duo address and clarify all the most pressing questions you might have about how to approach the best deals today, their approach delivers only the highest equity deals that are guaranteed to maximize your real estate return on investment (ROI) because they target free and clear properties, or those that carry no mortgage burden.

Firm and Tone Your RE Body of Knowledge
Get the scoop on how the Ultimate Strategy’s potential to help you meet all the most pressing challenges and make you a real estate insider.  Check out my review in the resources section of GaryBoomershine.com, and you’ll catch a glimpse of your best bet to learn: What to buy, Where to buy it and What strategies are Working Best to Buy Real Estate in Today’s Markets.

Stay tuned for some free, killer audio content from Richard and Dan that’ll help you get your cardio conditioning, whether you’re in the gym or not!

Claim Your VIP Pass to Moneymaking Real Estate News, Marketing, Strategies & Tips
At GaryBoomershine.com, our focus is on delivering the the most timely real estate news, resources, tools and systems that build stronger real estate investment decisions and boost your bottom line.

Sign up either here or on the main page at GaryBoomershine.com and you’ll get the best this industry has to offer in real estate news, real estate marketing, real estate training systems, and all the creative real estate ideas that drive success in this business. Members also get exclusive access to compelling multimedia content and jaw-dropping discounts!

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to Make Tons of Cash in Real Estate! Join GaryBoomershine.com today and get ahead of the pack!

Did you know that you can easily get great properties  for below .50 cents on the dollar in any market conditions? With probate investing, the sky — and your imagination– are the only limitations to unleashing your true  potential to build massive profits in your real estate business.

Probate Investing Gives You Multiple Options & Exits from Your Deals

Simply put, probate is the legal process of liquidating an estate’s assets after debts and creditors have been satisfied. With probate property investing, you’re easily getting properties for $.50 - $.60 on the dollar. And there are many viable options for maximizing your profits in the transactions that follow. With probate properties, you can flip, do lease options or rent your investment property to secure your cash flow until the inevitable market correction ups the prices — and profits for your business.

The Trick is Getting a Great Probate Property List & Getting the Work Done-for-You

One of the things we’ve found at SalesTeamLive, and that I’ve heard again and again on the real estate investing circuit, is that Probate Investing is one of the hottest strategies out there, and one that is especially well-suited  for finding a path to profits in down markets. We’ve found that about 60 percent of all of the houses that are in probate have lots of equity in them.  And when it comes to tapping those markets, we’ve got you covered.

Since there is no national data provider for probate investing lists, I decided to create one for members of SalesTeamLive to use in their Done-for-You marketing campaigns. The response has been tremendous, especially in recent weeks. (For more information about this awesome way to make your probate deals happen without study or work, visit SalesTeamLive’s Probate Campaign page.)

Probate’s Nuts & Bolts: Meet the Guy Who Wrote the Book

If you want to take the time to study up on this real estate investment strategy that’s rock-solid and steadier than a world-class surgeon’s hand, you should also look to legendary straight-shooting probate investing legend Ron Mead. He has all the training you need to get started for less than it costs to check a  bag and have a beer and some peanuts when you fly the not so friendly skies.

Ron’s book on probate property investing, “31 Days to Profits in Probate Real Estate,” conveys his wealth of experience and knowledge in concise, plain English. Ron will be the first to tell you that he’s no professional author, but his experience with the U.S. military, where “there is a manual for everything,” Ron says, prompted him to write some manuals of his own.

Ron is no stranger to the world of real estate investing. He has been an active real estate investor and entrepreneur for 29 years, and has specialized in probate for more than a decade. Ron got his real estate license in 1979, and became a licensed real estate broker in 1993.

Building on his degree in Business Finance and his reputation as a no-nonsense, wealth-building real estate investor and teacher, Ron has written books on personal finance, probate property investing and creative real estate financing. He’s also gotten considerable buzz in the industry through the real estate investing seminars he’s been conducting for the past decade. He’s accomplished all this, in addition to actively running his own probate property investment business.

Implementing Ron’s techniques may require a bit of up-front time to ramp-up, but when the deals start to hit, your momentum and lack of competition likely will leave you wondering why you didn’t try it sooner. As Ron says, ”There’s just enough work involved here to weed out the tire kickers.” By putting in the effort, Ron assures that you’ll be “handsomely rewarded.” And isn’t that what this business is all about?

Folks, I’ve spent more than $100,000 on real estate training in the course of my career, and I’ve got to tell you that Ron’s entrepreneurial epic “31 Days to Profits in Probate Real Estate,” is better than many of the systems I’ve paid for, and available at a tiny fraction of the price.

Check out my review of Ron’s book in the Resources section of GaryBoomershine.com, and Enjoy!

Claim Your VIP Pass to Moneymaking Real Estate News, Marketing, Strategies & Tips
At GaryBoomershine.com, our focus is on delivering the the most timely real estate news, resources, tools and systems that build stronger real estate investment decisions and boost your bottom line.

Sign up either here or on the main page at GaryBoomershine.com and you’ll get the best this industry has to offer in real estate news, real estate marketing, real estate training systems, and all the creative real estate ideas that drive success in this business. Members also get exclusive access to compelling multimedia content and jaw-dropping discounts!

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to Make Tons of Cash in Real Estate! Join GaryBoomershine.com today and get ahead of the pack!

I confess that I’ve never really gotten into computer games. In college, I lost friends to games like Quake and Doom. I was occasionally frightened by the way they became glassy-eyed, pale hermits in their darkened rooms, playing these games for hours on end.

Even then, slaying dragons and gunning down masked enemies just never seemed relevant to my life or my business. But with the current array of free on-line real estate investment-themed games available online, I may be at risk of developing my own secret addiction. Here are some of the best I’ve seen. If you know of more, please don’t hesitate to share them with the rest of us.

• One of my favorite REI-themed games, Price Me Now, is available through Zip Realty. The game is all about demonstrating your PropertyIQ, or knowledge of prevailing market home prices in various selected areas. By accurately guessing sales prices, players build their PropertyIQ points and can see how their scores compare to those of others.
• If flipping properties is more your style, Domania hosts Mansion: Impossible. This goal of this deceptively simple game is to buy and sell houses in a cartoon property market to buy a posh $10 million estate. It looks easier than it is, and is a fun exercise for testing your strategy and market timing.
• Flip That House! is a much more complex game that requires registration. Its developers call it: “The real estate cash flow trainer.” Success in this game starts with buying your first time home and doesn’t get any easier. Here, you have to build your real estate empire starting at the bottom and work your way up by dealing with hideous rentals, saving money, negotiating with mortgage brokers, rehabbing your flips, etc. Bad electrical, ruined carpets, leaking roofs, and faulty plumbing may make this game too realistic for many of us to enjoy recreationally, but as you persist, as in life, you’ll see hour portfolio improve.
• Though not available for Mac, Flip or Flop is a game download where you renovate homes, trying to eke out enough capital to save your Grandma’s home from the clutches of foreclosure at the hands of evil mortgage lenders.

I hope that these little amusements offer you a way enjoy your downtime while still keeping your eye on the real estate prize.

If you haven’t yet joined our community here at GaryBoomershine.com, please register now here, or using the yellow fields at the right side of my GaryBoomershine.com home page. Like always, I pledge to never share your contact info with anyone or inundate you with useless messages.

If you’re looking for a real estate investment strategy that’s rock-solid and steadier than a world-class surgeon’s hand, you should take a look at investing in probate properties. And especially if you’re sticking to a tight budget (and who isn’t these days?) legendary straight-shooting probate investing legend Ron Mead has all the training you need to get started, for the price of a tank of gas for your car.

Simply put, probate is the legal process of liquidating an estate’s assets after debts and creditors have been satisfied. With probate property investing, Ron says, you’re easily getting properties for $.50 - $.60 on the dollar. And there are many viable options for maximizing your profits in the flip transactions that follow.

Ron’s book on probate property investing, “31 Days to Profits in Probate Real Estate,” conveys his wealth of experience and knowledge in concise, plain English. Ron will be the first to tell you that he’s no professional author, but his experience with the U.S. military, where “there is a manual for everything,” Ron says, prompted him to write some manuals of his own.

Ron is no stranger to the world of real estate investing. He has been an active real estate investor and entrepreneur for 29 years, and has specialized in probate for more than a decade. Ron got his real estate license in 1979, and became a licensed real estate broker in 1993.

Building on his degree in Business Finance and his reputation as a no-nonsense, wealth-building real estate investor and teacher, Ron has written books on personal finance, probate property investing and creative real estate financing. He’s also gotten considerable buzz in the industry through the real estate investing seminars he’s been conducting for the past decade. He’s accomplished all this, in addition to actively running his own probate property investment business.

Implementing Ron’s techniques may require a bit of up-front time to ramp-up, but when the deals start to hit, your momentum and lack of competition likely will leave you wondering why you didn’t try it sooner. As Ron says, ”There’s just enough work involved here to weed out the tire kickers.” By putting in the effort, Ron assures that you’ll be “handsomely rewarded.” And isn’t that what this business is all about?

Folks, I’ve spent more than $100,000 on real estate training, and I’ve got to tell you that Ron’s entrepreneurial epic “31 Days to Profits in Probate Real Estate,” is better than many of the systems I’ve paid for, and available at a fraction of the price. Read my review of Ron’s book in the Resources section of GaryBoomershine.com.

Sign up my “What’s Working & What’s New” monthly and special reports and you’ll be among the first to learn about a Webinar I’m planning to hold with Ron in the near future for members of the GaryBoomershine.com community.

NBA star Shaquille O’Neal is shopping a reality TV show based on his plans to invest in Orlando’s burgeoning foreclosure market and “make small profits” by selling the homes back to distressed homeowners with more affordable terms. In some state however, “foreclosure rescue” operations have been scrutinized by lawmakers or banned outright.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that the NBA legend cum real estate investor wants to build his legacy by televising his efforts to help homeowners facing foreclosure in Orlando’s troubled real estate markets in a show to be called “Shaq’s Big Save.” O’Neal’s Attorney, Mark NeJame and Realtor Curtis Cooper arranged for the star center to meet with members of Orlando City Hall this week to float the plans, which may also include an affordable-housing project.

Lawmakers Tackle Foreclosure Rescue Regulation
Florida is not yet among the ranks of states seeking to regulate the activity of real estate investors who profit as foreclosure consultants to distressed homeowners. Last year, the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) reported that a dozen states had taken steps to actively regulate foreclosure transactions. These states include California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island.

This year, lawmakers in Oregon and Washington have expanded their regulatory scopes by passing comprehensive laws that regulate lending practices and place restrictions on property transactions as well as contracts between real estate investors and the distressed sellers. Analysts have predicted that regulation trend is likely to accelerate as foreclosure rates continue to rise. This week, the Associated Press reports that foreclosures were up 23 percent in Q1, over Q4 2007.

Shaq Points, Shoots at REI Basket
O’Neal has been dabbling in real estate investment with the fortune he’s amassed through his NBA contracts and product endorsements for some time. In 2006, he created the O’Neal Group, which specializes in commercial and residential development, and housing the $50 million real estate portfolio the athlete has been building throughout his lucrative professional basketball career.

The majority of his development interests to-date have been in Atlanta and New Jersey. In Florida, O’Neal’s holdings include car washes, strip malls, a slice of metro Miami, and a luxury high rise residential tower currently under construction in downtown Miami.

Although O’Neil started his NBA career with the Orlando Magic, he currently plays for the Phoenix Suns. The Orlando Sentinel reports that the star NBA center with a penchant for investing in real estate plans to someday retire to his Florida estate and possibly run for Sheriff of Orange County.