Before joining North Shore Enterprises (NSE) in 2004, Bob Lachance was a 4-year-collegiate-scholarship athlete in ice hockey at Boston University where he won a National Championship in 1995. After leaving BU he enjoyed a successful 8 year career as a professional hockey player. Upon retirement from hockey, Bob completed several profitable real estate rehab projects for his own benefit. He then joined NSE as an associate responsible for property acquisitions and loss mitigation/lender negotiations. Bob brought the same determination and work ethic that lead to great success in his professional sports career and thus generated more acquisitions and short sale acceptance letters in a shorter time frame than any associate before or since. His outstanding performance led to a promotion to partner in 2005. Since that time, Bob has taken responsibility for all the day to day operations of NSE. As partner, he has overseen the acquisition of, the loss mitigation, and the disposition of over four hundred properties. Bob continues to be directly responsible for identifying good candidates for acquisition and for overseeing bank negotiations, and has been essential to the success and growth of NSE.
Archive for Investing
Be Smart And Start Real Estate Investing
Posted by: | CommentsMany are looking to real estate investing as a part or full time business. Many people think this is a good time to get into the game because there are many foreclosures on the market. Foreclosed homes are those that are owned by the bank or the lender.
The lender takes possession of the property when the borrower cannot make his monthly house payment. The banks then sell the property to those looking for a home to move into, or to real property investors. In most cases investors buy foreclosed properties because people who looking for a home to move into are looking for a house that does not need extensive renovation.
Most foreclosures are sold to investors because the property is usually in need of repair. The foreclosures are in disrepair because the people who were evicted from the home realized that they would have to move out so they allow the house to in essence, fall apart. Some even damage the house on purpose.
Property investors will rehab the home and then place it on the market for sale for a profit or they will rent the house for positive cash flow. People who buy homes that are repossessed by the bank, also called REO properties, or real estate owned, usually work with one or two qualified real estate professionals. Banks do not list their properties with just any agent.
They work with only a handful of agents who understand the REO market and sales procedure. The successful investor finds out the agents who work with REO properties and create business relationships with them so that they can find out of any new properties before they are listed on the MLS. The MLS is the multiple listing service, and is where all houses owned by the banks are listed for sale.
The MLS is the multiple listing service and once a house is placed on the MLS, it will draw a lot of attention and many bids. But an agent does not have to immediately place a home that he has been assigned by the bank, on the MLS. Before he places it on the MLS, he can call the investor he has a business relationship with and offer the investor the chance to bid on the house before anyone else is aware of the property
This is completely legal and within the rules of the real estate profession. The investor who has more friends in the real estate sales industry will be able to find out more good property deals.
If you need more information, you can visit Lisa Udy’s websites at Richmond UT Homes or Hyrum UT Homes.
Real Estate For The Beginner
Posted by: | CommentsHow many times have you turned on your television late at night and been bombarded with the latest real estate program that all but guaranteed you everything you ever wanted. Television, radio, and print alike are each swarming with advertisements created by these self-appointed masters who promise to guide you to wealth beyond your wildest dreams. And certainly it can be done in real estate, yet for the few who succeed there are so many more who fail, and still the late night guys manage to stay in business.
So how then to these men and women continue to pop up night after night? It is because people do succeed. They are the ones shown giving testimonials, but they are average people just like everyone else. They bought the program, implemented it, and made money, and they believe anyone can do it. Unfortunately you are more likely to fail than to succeed.
So what do they have that the rest of the population does not? That can be a difficult question to answer, however in many cases a lack of fear can sum it up. If you don’t have anything, you certainly don’t have anything to lose. If you are at rock-bottom and the only way to go is up you might be more open to taking risks, and in real estate, very little is accomplished without risk.
Sure, you could become a landlord. You could collect rent and make enough to live off of at the very least. Then again, You might only make enough to squeak by, spending most of your “profits” on things like maintenance, improvements, taxes, lawyers and legal documents, and even landscaping. The expenses are tremendous. If you can do most or all of the work for yourself, or even if you want to do it yourself, you have an advantage, but it does not come easy.
Foreclosures offer another real opportunity, however properties are sold on as “as is” basis, and this means there is quite often serious and sometimes expensive repairs that must be done before the property can be sold. Being a contractor or having those kids of skills can be a real money saver with REO properties, as well as a solid understanding of the market.
Still another way to get in to the game is by becoming a part of an investment group. This is a great way to make money, although you will make less due to the spreading of profits, however the risk is spread out as well. This might be a good way to go for the beginner who has a bit of spendable cash available.
So the late night guy or gal on television isn’t exactly misrepresenting the truth. Sill, they don’t usually focus on the risk and the hard work involved in making money through real estate. It can be done though, if you have the stomach for it.
Increase your knowledge from the expert Lisa Udy by checking out her website and visit Hyde Park UT Homes or Providence UT Homes
The 3 Biggest Misconceptions That Real Estate Agents Have About Short Sale Listings
Posted by: | CommentsSan Diego Foreclosures For Sale
First of all, “yes” some short sales take long to sell and “yes” some short sale listings can be frustrating. But let me tell you this; not all are created equal! With a little patience and a little creativity you can overcome some of the shortcomings of listing pre-foreclosure/short sale properties and make a lot of money by helping homeowners get out from underneath the huge burden of debt and stress they are under.
Let’s deconstruct three of the biggest short sale myths:
Yes, it’s true when it comes to a short sale; the lender is in the driver’s seat. And since they hate to lose money they tend to reduce the amount of commissions by an average of 1%, meaning that if your area pays out 6%, they will only approve 5%, which will be split by both the agents involved in the transaction.
You know what I say to that? Who cares! Be creative! Did you know that there are 7 additional profit centers that can offset your 1% cut in commission? Let’s take a look at what they are:
The “Loss Mitigation Fee” is a fee that we collect only when we successfully negotiate a short sale and have the foreclosing lender pay for all of the closing costs (the realtor commissions, attorney/title company fees, conveyance taxes, etc.).
The average loss mitigator receives an average of 30 NEW files a day. Not a week, not a month but a DAY! That is part of the reason that short sales can take a while, but it isn’t the main reason. The primary reason is because the majority of real estate agents submit short sale packages that are less than adequate and professional! Meaning;
Those and many more reasons cause short sales to get hung up. Once again, take what the defense gives you. If loss mitigators are overwhelmed, then the key is to put together a professional and presentable short sale package guaranteed to get your short sale offer reviewed and approved.
With the right system they are not hard! Let’s take a look at how to overcome the two biggest reasons why short sales blow up right before the closing.
The key is not to have only one buyer but to have a pool of qualified buyers that are pre-approved. The best buyers to keep an eye out for are those that are already pre-approved and that have funds in place to make an actual purchase.
The two easiest ways to do that are: Start networking with every real estate agent that specializes in buyer’s representation. They are easy to find because it is in all of their advertisements. Start working closely with every single mortgage broker or direct lender that you know, or that one of your fellow agents knows.
In conclusion, listing pre-foreclosure/short sale properties can take some time to close. However; in this market everyone needs to stick together and help one another out. By building the right network of real estate professionals, we can all ensure that our listings (short sales or not) do not sit out there without a buyer!
For more real estate industry news and loss mitigation blogs and videos visit www.RealEstateBusinessMentors.com or visit www.AskBobLachance.com for any short sale bank negotiating questions.
Real Estate Investing Tips For Profit
Posted by: | CommentsSan Diego Foreclosures For Sale
Investing in real estate has long been considered as a safe and high return investment. “Flipping” in real estate investing has become very popular over the last few years especially among the speculative real estate investors. Flipping refers to the buying and selling of real estate property within a short period for quick profits. Though the return on investment appears to be good, there is still a risk that your money could get locked-in in the absence of buyers.
Real estate prices have steadily increased since the beginning of this decade. However many signs point to the real estate boom coming to an end, so it may be wise to put real estate investing on hold. Investing in real estate, contrary to popular thinking, is a slow yielding investment. Hence real estate investors need to do proper planning and to conduct market analyses before investing.
Before investing in any property it is vital to study all the related documents of the property, to see the license of a broker if any, to check for liabilities etc. All contracts have to be in writing. All details such as the names of all parties, address of the property, area, purchase price, consideration etc. have to be entered in the contract along with all parties’ signatures. It is also prudent to hire a property lawyer to look into the intricacies of real estate contracts.
One good way of investing in real estate is to buy foreclosure properties. Foreclosure is the process in which a bank or a creditor sells the property of the homeowner to recover the loan, which the owner has not been able to pay back.
A lease to purchase contract is considered the best type of real estate investing. This type of contract basically allows the tenant to lease a particular property for some period, and at the end of the period he has the option of purchasing the property at an amount decided at the signing of the contract. The tenant pays an initial non-refundable deposit. If the value of the property goes up at the end of the leasing period, the he may want to buy the property at its original value. If the value has not increased he can opt not to buy it. During this period he can also rent the property to someone else. By this method, the investor takes a lot of the risk off himself as he does not have to commit a large sum of investment capital not apply for a big loan.
Currently, there are a few areas where the real estate market is just too overheated and investing in real estate is just too risky. They are Miami, Las Vegas, Northern Virginia, Phoenix, Sacramento, Boston, Washington DC, and San Diego. Other “hot” areas also include San Francisco, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle. The safer, less volatile areas for investing with good ROI are Dallas, Cleveland, Houston, Columbus, Omaha, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh.
Are Foreclosure Homes a Smart Buy?
Posted by: | CommentsSan Diego Foreclosures For Sale
The number of homes facing foreclosure continues to grow in many parts of the country. The consensus among ordinary citizens seems to be that a fortune can be made buying foreclosure homes. Is that true or false? The truth is – it’s some of both.
Three and a Half Ways To Buy Foreclosure Properties
Buying real estate foreclosures only produces profits for those who have the knowledge required to recognize and negotiate profitable deals. With foreclosures that’s not as easy as it might seem.
Preforeclosure
The preforeclosure period offers the greatest opportunity for the novice investor. Preforeclosure can be divided into two periods. The first is where a financially distressed home owner realizes he or she will soon be unable to stay current with their mortgage payments.
If you can reach the owner during this period you have a chance to buy the home in the normal way. That is, make your deal with the home owner, get a mortgage loan and go to the close.
Ah, but how do you reach that owner. You target a housing development that first began selling new homes about three years ago. You do that because many adjustable rate mortgages reset to a much high interest rate after three years. As that date approaches many home owners begin to realize they have a problem.
You blanket that development with flyers every 30 to 60 days advertising yourself as a home buyer . Once a week you spend a Saturday afternoon going door to door and asking “Are you the folks that are planning on selling your home? No? Let me leave my card in case you change your mind.”
The second part of the preforeclosure period is at some point after the homeowner has stopped making mortgage payments and the lender has filed a notice of foreclosure (sometime called a notice of default). Now the clock is running and you must move quickly to make your deal before the lender takes the home.
The owner could be as much as six months behind in mortgage payments. You’ll need cash to bring those payments current and stop the foreclosure.
The catch is that many of these homes were purchased as real estate values peaked. Now home values are falling and the home is worth less than the amount due on the mortgage loan. The owner is “up side down” and there is no equity and no profit for you.
If there is equity you have a chance to make a good buy. There is seldom enough time to apply for and qualify for a mortgage loan. You will either need cash or the ability to strike a deal using a lease-option or to buy “subject to” the existing financing. You will need a thorough understanding of those tactics to use them profitably.
Foreclosure Auction
Your next chance to buy is at the foreclosure auction sale. Auctions are cash-on-the-spot sales. Yes, you will need cash, but even more important is the ability to research the property being sold to determine if it would truly be a profitable buy.
Many foreclosure homes have been trashed and stripped. What will the cost of rehab be? How’s the neighborhood? Is it safe to go in unarmed? Are there zoning or building permit issues attached to the property. Foreclosure auctions are not a game for the inexperienced investor.
Now we have listed the first two opportunities to buy foreclosure homes:
1. During just before a foreclosure.
2. At the foreclosure auction.
Bank Owned Homes
Opportunity number three is homes owned by the bank. These are often called REOs for real estate owned.
If there are no successful bidders at the foreclosure auction the home becomes the property of the bank. When there are many foreclosures banks end up owning thousands of homes they do not want. If you have the cash they will listen to offers. If the bank is eager to get those homes off of their books they may consider financing your purchase if you have a decent credit history. Often they want cash.
You can put together a group of investor who pool their funds to bid at foreclosure auctions or buy REOs.
Redemption
I promised three and a half ways to buy foreclosure homes, so here’s the half. In some states the owner has redemption rights. That means during a certain number of months after they have lost their home at the foreclosure auction they can regain ownership.
To redeem they must pay all money that was owed on the mortgage, pay all the costs of the foreclosure and pay any interest that accrued during the redemption period. It is sometimes possible to buy the redemption rights from the displaced owner, cover all the costs and own the home.
What about the investor who bought the home at the auction? He or she has our most sincere sympathy.
That’s it, three and a half ways to buy foreclosure homes. There’s money to be made, but you will earn every nickel!