Posts by Justin Ford
Imitation: The Secret to Stronger Sales Copy
I had an old friend – no longer with us – who used to say, “If writers write, copywriters copy. Isn’t that how it works?” I wince to hear it put that way, given the many times I’ve sat there staring at a blinking cursor and trying to come up with something “new.” But yes,…
Read MoreBecome a Qualified Buyer During the Great Credit Crunch
One of my banks cut me a nice check the other day. It was a refinance loan for $412,500 on a property I had bought for $397,500 a little more than a year ago. This during the worst credit crisis in 75 years.
Read MoreIssue #2438 The Art & Science of Bear-Market Real Estate Investing
“Something is worth precisely what someone else is willing to pay for it.” So said a stock-market analyst to me one fine bull-market day many moons ago.
A statement like that can seem profound, but it’s useless. Yet it is the mantra of many investors in all fields. In bull markets, the sellers say it. In bear markets, the buyers say it. But it is about as helpful as saying, “Wherever the sun shines, there it is daytime.” So what?
Read MoreBuild Your Own Instant Financing Network
It’s ugly out there.
Properties aren’t moving; sales volume has plummeted. Foreclosures are up 48 percent from a year ago. Prices are down as much as 20 percent to 30 percent in markets ranging from Miami to Los Angeles.
Read MoreA Short, Real-Life Lesson on How to Bank 6 Figures in a Bear Market
A title company wired just over $97,000 into one of my bank accounts this afternoon. Once I get the insurance and escrow refunds, it will amount to a little more than $100,000.
Read MoreThe Flip Side of Falling Property Prices: Rising Income Opportunities
As real estate prices fall, the income you get per dollar invested rises. This means greater cash flow and the ability to deliver bigger dividends to your investors.
Read MoreThe Rental and Sales markets
I’ve advocated buying only cash-flow properties using fixed rate, amortizing loans. But now that you’re in this situation, here are a few things to consider:
Read MoreCreating Cash Flow Without Ownership
Using a master lease option to create cashflow is a great alternative to investing in real estate in a declining market.
Read MoreNot All Comps Are Created Equal
“I’m a great believer in luck and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” – Thomas Jefferson My property manager in another state called me the other day with an opportunity on a small house. “Justin,” he said, “it’s a 2-2, about 940 square feet, on a corner lot. It…
Read MoreGo From “Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda” to “Did It!”
“You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this.” – Henry David Thoreau From the mid-80s to early 90s, I’d take the Long Island Railroad…
Read MoreThe Un-Sexiest Word in Real Estate
“That some should be rich, shows that others may become rich, and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and enterprise.” – Abraham Lincoln There are a lot of high-energy terms in real estate: flip, leverage, cash out, cash in, boom, bubble, and bust. Then there’s the sensible sister: amortization. Very few investors talk about it.…
Read MoreHow to Spot Undervalued and Overvalued Real Estate Markets
The best value and growth markets tend to have the following characteristics, which can help you spot real estate markets best for investing in.
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