Boomer’s Blog

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!

I’ve heard a lot of talk from self-proclaimed real estate gurus out there that homeowners are willing so sell their properties at 30 percent to 60 percent below value to real estate investors on the very first call. This is a pervasive myth that needs to be shattered. Right here. Right now.

The truth is that sometimes, if they do enough marketing, an investor will get lucky and a stray seller will discount their property on that first phone call. However, statistics show that effective sales negotiations take a lot more effort to pass that mustard.

The Facts About Sellers and Effective Negotiations
National research shows the following data regarding investor contact with sellers and how real-life deals actually transpire:

• Eighty percent of real estate deals take place between the 5th and 12th conversation investors have with sellers.
• Only two percent of real estate deals take place after only one conversation with the seller.
• In reality, only 10 percent of real estate investors bother to talk to sellers more than three times. And that’s your competition as a real estate investor!

Evidently, the playing field is wide open for real estate entrepreneurs who apply some tenacity and sound strategies in negotiating with sellers. Successful investors, those who are thriving while others settle for “surviving,” know that that it takes more than one conversation with sellers to pull off the deals that make a difference in their real estate businesses.

Go Deep for the Best Prices!

If you’re looking for deep discounts on your transactions, you have to maintain your focus on establishing a great rapport with sellers. Doing this successfully could take several conversations over the course of up to six months. Smart investors are willing to put in the time because they know that their patience and persistence pays off.

People who are talking to sellers multiple times using SalesTeamLive’s Follow-up Campaigns are getting discounts of $30,000 to $70,000 below the opening offer they made to the seller on their first call. They’re succeeding where others fail because they make multiple contacts with warm leads and their strategy is sound; they know that negotiating can be the highest paying job in the world.

How the Big Players Do It
Dan Doran has created the best sales course on the planet. It’s called Sales Mastery for Real Estate Entrepreneurs. Here, he teaches investors that if there’s equity in a property, then get in the car and go meet with the seller! You’ll get an immediate 10 to 20 percent discount just for taking time out to establish a great rapport with the seller. ANd you’ll do this through initiating multiple conversations with them.

Six Steps to Negotiating with the Masters
Making your dream deals not only requires persistence, it also takes some finesse. Nobody in this business can better instruct you on adding the “magic touch” to your deal negotiations than Dan Doran. Here are some cues you can take from his Sales Mastery for Real Estate Entrepreneurs course with Richard Roop and Willie Hicks.

1. Get on Top of Your Game: A useful trick for anti-stress and instant mood elevation is to recollect your last great transaction or happy moment. Use this memory to infuse your negotiations with passion and confidence. Tap into the resources you’ve got to make an instant change. Go into the negotiation with a fresh attitude and a clear vision of the goals you want to reach and the steps it’ll take to get there. If you spread enough enthusiasm, even your prospective client eventually will catch it.
2. Deliver a Great Presentation: Always use a simple, prepared presentation: this strategy is scientifically proven to boost your sales. Most investors don’t even realize they need one because they’re in a rut of thinking that real estate is just a numbers game. They’re wrong. Don’t be jaded. Remember, you’re selling a service. Show clients the magic you can work for them. Embrace your purpose as a problem solver. When you’re dealing with prospective clients, address them by name, agree with them whenever possible, avoid using technical jargon and always follow a script.
3. Uncover the Hot Button Issues: Beyond the obvious financial problems that are likely to burden your prospective clients, figure out what other factors may play a role in their distress. Chances are, the hot-button items are emotional rather than financial in nature. To get a handle on your clients’ hot buttons, you have to spend time with people, and be sincere in your motivation to help solve their problems. By spending quality time with clients, you’re able to use the hot-button issues you’ve identified to gage their agitation levels. Once you’ve done this, you can draw them into the solution posed by your proposal and hopefully, give them some peace.
4. Nail the Close: A good closer is a great presenter in this business. Many real estate investors don’t realize that the sale is actually created during the presentation, not during the close. A good way to engage with your clients is to apply yourself in conducting a great value-building presentation. Even if you’re not completely convinced that the client is into the deal, you must always mentally proceed with the sale. Here again, attitude is everything. To instantly improve your sales results, commit yourself to performing a great presentation. If you can do that, all that’ll be left in the close is the paperwork.
5. Follow up Like a Master: Do what others won’t, or just don’t bother to do: follow up after the close. The more distressed the client is, the more important it is to follow through after the close is complete. This important step lets people that they’re important: It crowns the transaction. It’s also how you’ll get your greatest testimonials.
6. Elevate Your Self Esteem: Develop a great self image relative to selling. Richard and Dan say they battle this challenge constantly in their personal coaching endeavors. A positive self-image is the most powerful sales tool in your kit. If you believe in yourself, you can do anything. Get negative sales experiences out of your head. In coaching, Boost your self-image and you’ll make better deals and get phenomenal sales.

You can read more about it in my Sales Mastery for Real Estate Entrepreneurs course review in the Resources section of GaryBoomershine.com.

Don’t Be a Sucker: Get the Facts Before you Invest
To get the rundown on more lies and hidden truths in real estate investing, join GaryBoomershine.com using the yellow fields on the right side of this page or on the main page of GaryBoomershine.com.

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!

You don’t need any cash or credit to buy in today’s down-turning markets. There are some especially hot, moneymaking strategies right now, depending on where you are and how you like to approach your deals. One of my personal favorites for making tons of cash is high-equity of free-and-clear real estate investing.

Why? Because by definition, properties that are owned “free-and-clear” have no mortgage debt and, as a consequence, fewer complications that can complicate or slow a deal down. Another reason I like this strategy is that the bulk of these homes are held by the most rapidly growing segment of the U.S. population: Retirees and Baby Boomers.

Experts Say Even Free-and-Clear Homeowners are Feeling the Crunch
“In the world of household balance sheets there are two Americas. Roughly two-thirds of homeowners have mortgage payments to worry about and are, to a large degree, tapped out. The other third own their homes free and clear and a lot of them have money in the bank. But they are hesitant to spend it on either a new fridge or shares of General Electric,” Forbes reported earlier this month. That’s about 24 million homeowners, many of whom are feeling the pressure of tightening credit markets — and options for when the going gets tough.

Credit Shortage Ups the Ante on Seller Motivation
Even among the 24 million free-and-clear homeowners, one-third of them are soon likely to find themselves underwater in these properties and, due to the credit crunch, they’re also facing new challenges in obtaining the easy credit to help them through the rough spots as the uncertain economy struggles for a lifeline to recovery, predicts A. Gary Shilling in an editorial slated to Appear in Forbes’ November issue.

Follow the Snowbirds to Real Estate Bargains
In a post-hot, down-turning market, such as what we’re seeing now in Florida for example, prices are dropping and properties are staying on the market for a long time. In such areas, high-equity, free-and-clear properties are a no-brainer investment bargain.

Free and Clear Market Research & Strategy
The real estate markets with the highest concentration of free and clear properties often are in areas with especially high senior citizen populations because so many of them have reached a point in their lives where their homes are completely paid off. More often than not, desire or need to downsize comes with this phase of life. These factors stimulate seller motivation to make a great deal.

In terms of geography, investors usually can find the best selections of hot free and clear properties in coastal areas. Some great current examples include:

• California,
• Florida,
• Oregon,
• Washington and
• Boston.

Free-and-Clear Markets Are Springing Up
Although they’re not  coastal areas, it’s definitely worth noting that we’ve been finding that Arizona and Utah have strong emerging — and virtually untapped free-and-clear markets just waiting for investors to come along and reap the profits.

The trick with free and clear is to go into the deal and pay 100 percent of the seller’s asking price, but do it on your own terms.  For example, the owners want $200,000 for their home and I’ll agree to that price, but pay maybe $500 per month on a zero-interest loan over the next 10 - 15 years, and I can cash flow that deal.

High-Equity Real Estate Investment Tools of the Trade
SalesTeamLive’ Free-and-Clear Done-for-You Marketing Campaigns are perfect tools for investing in high equity, free and clear properties because we’ve got the best lists for virtually any market segment and we’re constantly working on adding new technologies and refinements to ensure we’ve got the best lists out there. We’ve also got  legendary real estate genius Richard Roop writing the marketing copy that’ll make prospective clients putty in your hands.

Hedge Your Bets with Free-and-Clear Investing
Investing in properties that have no mortgage burden also a great inflation hedge, an attraction that’s growing in appeal for a growing number of Americans who’ve been watching the markets –and been feeling the gravity of our economic roller coaster ride this year.

Think about it. If we’re hitting huge amounts of inflation, milk isn’t going to be $4 per gallon; it’s going to be $10 per gallon. At that point, there are only a couple of places lefts where you can safely hedge your bets. Generally, when you have inflation, gold, silver, platinum and those types of things go up in value, but you can’t generate any income off of them.  With real estate investments, not only do you have a great hedge, you’ve got cash flow. Especially if you BUY RIGHT.

Join Us @ GaryBoomershine.com
Signing up for my monthly newsletter and special reports always is the best way to ensure you’re first to learn about the hottest real estate investment strategies, techniques and tools. When you join, you’ll also benefit from special promotions and deals I’ve brokered for the exclusive benefit of my community members.

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!

Remember the TV show “Get Smart!“about the bumbling spy who always got his man (and sometimes his woman) from the 1960s? There’s a remake slated for summer release as I type this. I read a great article in Wired magazine recently about what the CIA learned from the TV show. I was stunned to learn that the U.S. government drew inspiration from the show to create their own “cones of silence.”

After reading this article, I realized that I drew inspiration, at a very young age, from Smart’s reliance on Agent 13 (the spy who always seemed to be staked out in a U.S. Mail box) for stellar job performance. This may be what got me started in the business of targeted real estate marketing via direct U.S. mail with SalesTeamLive.

Soon, I started thinking about what real estate investors could learn from Maxwell Smart and what some of my friends might say if I asked them.

I imagine that:

• Sales Masters Richard Roop and Dan Doran might tout the spy’s expert negotiations skills and convince the evil enemy Kaos to lighten up, change sides and make a fortune doing it.
• Virtual Wholesaling Pro Cris Chico might say that he, like Maxwell Smart found his niche and is sticking to it.
• Total Market Master Ken Wade likely would likely give Smart kudos for always doing his research and never underestimating the cyclical nature of his enemies.
• I suspect that EasyHUD’s Chris Daigle could singlehandedly conquer the entire Kaos network using his Twitter-enabled shoe phone.
• Teamwork Lead System’s Andy Proper learned to take out a Craigslist ad for assasin bird dogs to handle his super spy assignments, then head for his pristine Hawaiian beach hide-out until the mission is complete.

Action-Packed Feature Stories This Week
What do you think? Or more importantly, what have you learned from Agent 86 that’s helped you to build your real estate business? For more details about what some of my friends have learned from Maxwell Smart, visit my Resources page. Look action-packed new features on Dan Doran, Richard Roop and more in store for you coming soon!

Please Join Us Now for“What’s Working and What’s New”
If you haven’t yet signed up for my “What’s Working and What’s New” free monthly REI report, please sign up ASAP to receive the latest issue this week. It’s easy and we promise to keep your data confidential, Just use the yellow field on the sight side of this page or on my GaryBoomershine.com home page. I think you’ll love the story on how the major lenders are streamlining the short sale process for stealth real estate investors. And as always, I promise to never share your info with anyone. Ever!

How can relatively small improvements in your sales skills spark quantum leaps in your income? If anybody can tell you, it’s Dan Doran and Richard Roop. Today I found some notes I scribbled in my journal from a recent conversation I had with Dan and Richard about Sales Mastery for Real Estate Entrepreneurs, their audio training course we offer at SalesTeamLive. We’ll explore more about that here next week.

But since so many of us have selling on our minds these days, I wanted to take some time right now to highlight some insights I’ve gained from the dynamic duo on the mission-critical importance of negotiations in our business. According to Dan and Richard, negotiating is the world’s highest paying skill, and until now, it’s an issue that hasn’t gotten enough attention in our business

Seven Habits of Highly Successful SalesNegotiators:

• Continuously Practice and Improve: Mastering sales negotiations is both a science and an art. It’s a science in that it necessitates taking specific, measured steps that can be learned; it is an art because it requires an understanding that success can only come with dedication, practice and incremental improvement. When real estate investors commit to making perennial enhancements to their sales skills, the most lofty personal and financial goals are suddenly within reach.
• Master your Approach: Pursue deals with clarity in your purpose. Don’t look for deals with people who are motivated, find people who are qualified and use your sales skills to inspire motivation — even if they’re not encouraging over the phone. By simply shifting your perception and your approach, you can create exciting new opportunities in your business and advance the refinement of your negotiations skills. Approach every deal at your full potential. For meetings and presentations, do your homework and arrive early. Make sure you’re centered and not stressed out.
• Always Be at your Best: A useful trick for anti-stress and instant mood elevation is to recollect your last great transaction or happy moment. Use this memory to infuse your negotiations with passion and confidence. Tap into the resources you’ve got to make an instant change. Affirmations build confidence and self esteem are an awesome way to get into the “sales zone.” Review them before meetings and presentations. Muhammad Ali’s famous self affirmation: “I Am the greatest” became synonymous with his success as a champion. Use your affirmations to create a clear vision of the goals you want to reach and the steps it’ll take to get there. If you follow these tips, your enthusiasm may be so contagious that even your prospective client will catch it.
• Master the Presentation: Use a prepared presentation: this strategy is scientifically proven to boost your sales. Most investors don’t even realize they need one because they’re in a rut of thinking that real estate is just a numbers game. Don’t be jaded. Many of us often forget that we’re also selling a service. Keep your presentations simple, and avoid using technical terms and jargon with clients. Most of them will clam up if you’re using words that they don’t understand. Anticipate your clients’ objections and address them in advance by covering those issues in your presentation. Show clients the magic you can work for them. Embrace your purpose as a problem solver. Address people by name, agree with them whenever possible and follow a script.
• Find the Hot Buttons: Other than the obvious financial problems that are likely to plague your prospective clients, determine what other factors may play a role in their distress. Chances are, the hot-button items are emotional rather than financial in nature. It is not enough to identify the hot buttons, you have to use them to meet your client’s needs. To get a handle on your clients’ hot buttons, you have to spend time with people — 60 to 90 minutes — and be sincere in your motivation to help solve their problems. By spending quality time with clients, you’re able to use the hot-button issues you’ve identified to gage their agitation level. Once you’ve done this, you can draw them into the pleasure zone with your proposal and hopefully, offer some solid solutions.
• Master the Close: A good closer is a great presenter in this business. Many real estate investors don’t realize that the sale is actually created during the presentation, not during the close. A good way to engage with your clients is to apply yourself in conducting a great value-building presentation. Even if you’re not completely convinced that the client is into the deal, you must always mentally proceed with the sale. Here again, attitude is everything. To instantly improve your sales results, commit yourself to performing a great presentation. If you can do that, all that’ll be left in the close is the paperwork.
• Master the Followup: Do what others won’t, or just don’t bother to do: follow up after the close. The more distressed the client is, the more important it is to follow through after the close is complete. This important step lets people that they’re important: It crowns the transaction. It’s also how you’ll get your greatest testimonials.
• Boost your Self Image: Develop a great self image relative to selling. Richard and Dan say they battle this challenge constantly in their personal coaching endeavors. A positive self image is the most powerful sales tool in your kit. If you believe in yourself, you can do anything. Get negative sales experiences out of your head. In coaching, Dan and Richard ask folks to envision what their world would look like without their problems. The techniques and strategies we’ve discussed in this article, repeated over time, will boost your self image and provide you with phenomenal sales. Like Richard says, “In sales, you have to perfect your inner game before you can master your outer game.” Words for any real estate entrepreneur to live by.

Several times each year, Drill Sergeants Richard Roop and Dan Doran enlist hundreds of entrepreneurs to become lean, mean real estate investing machines by hosting Marketing Mastery for Real Estate Entrepreneurs Boot Camps.

These accelerated training opportunities are legendary in the real estate investor community for whipping businesses into shape in just four short days. The next Marketing Mastery for Real Estate Entrepreneurs Boot Camp is slated for May 20-23, in Long Beach, Calif. So far, almost 200 have signed up and, though the early enrollment deadline has passed, overall enlistment appears to be growing.

Get in Shape Fast
Roop and Doran’s boot camps are effective because they take a multi-faceted, immersion approach to quickly providing you with the armor you need to creatively meet your most pressing real estate marketing, sales and negotiations challenges. Your carefully designed, interactive training experience begins immediately upon enlistment, starting with an array of free training materials geared to prepare you for active participation in your Boot Camp experience.

Build Lean Marketing Muscle
At Boot Camp, be prepared to learn how SalesTeamLive’s robust and automated direct mail marketing services seamlessly integrate with and deploy from Roop and Doran’s flagship platform for generating real estate wealth. This is but one of the proven strategies you’ll learn from the live Boot Camp experience that simply cannot be captured in training and preparation materials alone.

Overall, the knowledge to be gained at Roop and Doran’s Marketing Mastery Boot Camp is priceless to investors seeking real-world strategies for building their real estate investment businesses. These events transcend the potential of the ordinary real estate investment seminar by offering more than training and networking opportunities: they build a holistic support system for those who take the training and implement what they’ve learned. The entire experience is artfully orchestrated to minimize the learning curve and maximize your potential to make real money in real estate.

Here are the Top 9 reasons why you should enlist for the Marketing Mastery for Real Estate Entrepreneurs Boot Camp:

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