Status updates. Tweet and retweet. Like. Connections. Followers. Social media is a whole new language, and real estate leaders are letting their fingers do the speaking on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. But when it comes to getting down to business online, how do you logon to a successful social media presence?

Some real estate specialists and beginners maintain official pages on several social media platforms. Others use them exclusively for personal networking. We could comment — and comment on comments — about the uses for social media all day. But there are a few principles to keep in mind no matter what your purposes are for going online. Read on for some dos and don’ts to help you find your way around three popular social networking websites.

Facebook

If you’re going for pure exposure, Facebook is a pretty safe bet. As of July 2011, Facebook had more than 800 million active users. An estimated 41 percent of the U.S. population currently has a Facebook account, and that status update is increasing every year.

Facebook is the world’s most popular social networking website, but you should understand a few things before “friending” a full-on Facebook marketing campaign.

Facebook is, first and foremost, a social environment. People visit the site to see what their friends are up to. (This is where Facebook’s atmosphere differs most from the professionally driven LinkedIn.) Still, Facebook’s social setting has proved to be good for business if used right.

Do be personal and interesting. People will be turned off if your posts sound like commercials about real estate. You can post about deals and projects, but avoid too many posts that sound like advertising copy.

Do use Facebook’s strengths. The website caters to dialogue, so use that to your advantage. Communicate with business partners and clients. Respond to comments on your page and ask questions. Listening to others and engaging in conversation will improve your online image and give you a better idea of how you can improve your real estate profile.

Don’t get lazy. Facebook users generally visit the site at least once a day. You don’t have to spend hours online, but make sure you’re logging onto Facebook every day or two. Update your status, respond to comments and clean up spam that might collect on your page. If you’re lazy about your online image, it will reflect poorly on you.

Don’t get caught up in driving traffic to your Facebook page. It feels great to have people “Like” you, and Facebook is certainly an effective way to communicate with others in your industry. But it’s still best to drive people to your website (if you have one). There, you control the content and explain your approach to real estate. Driving traffic exclusively to a website you can’t control, such as Facebook, is not a good online practice, regardless of how credible or helpful it is.

Twitter

Most professional social media campaigns today have a Twitter element, although the “tweeting” crowd is substantially smaller than that of Facebook or LinkedIn. As of March 2011, Twitter had 200 million users with registered accounts.

Twitter — a micro-blogging site where users share short messages, or “tweets,” with followers — has some advantages Facebook doesn’t, including the ability to “follow” a person or company’s tweets without them following yours. This makes Twitter perhaps more conducive to one-way communication than Facebook, but you’re still not excused from interacting with others.

If you decide to take the Twitter route, here are a few tips.

Do make sure you need to be there before you tweet. Know the people with whom you’re trying to communicate. Are the people you’re talking to about real estate listening on Twitter? If your clients are an older demographic or seem to prefer being contacted in other ways, focus your efforts elsewhere. You should be aware of what people are saying about you on Twitter, but you may not need an active account to do so.

Do use Twitter as a conversation platform. If someone mentions you or passes along your tweet, thank them. Retweet positive things people say about you, adding a thanks. As on other websites, adding your voice to conversations reflects positively on you.

Don’t spread news no one cares about. Twitter is a quick and easy way to keep customers up-to-date, but remember you’re in a social environment. Apply the same rules you would at a party. Would you tell a stranger the long and detailed story of a real estate deal? Of course not. So why would you post details on the same topic to your Twitter feed? Stick to interesting topics.

Don’t use Twitter as a broadcast system. People want to feel like they’re engaging in a conversation, not watching a commercial. If you post pre-produced promotional chatter every hour, you’ll lose followers. Make your tweets timely, relevant and not too frequent. Your followers can tell if you’re genuine.

LinkedIn

While Facebook and Twitter exist primarily for social purposes, LinkedIn channels social interaction toward professional networking. LinkedIn has many of the same capabilities as Facebook and Twitter — you can update your status and send messages to connections — but as a primarily professional site, communications are used to connect users with other professionals.

Businesses use LinkedIn to share news, solicit potential job applicants and connect with professionals online, among other things. Individuals use it to find jobs, keep in touch with connections and share professional goals. LinkedIn pages also rank well on Google results pages, so a well-managed LinkedIn profile will build your online reputation.

In short, if you want to become a presence in your industry, find potential projects or stay in touch with colleagues, LinkedIn is the place. Here are things to keep in mind as you link.

Do use your LinkedIn profile to provide more information about you. Your LinkedIn profile is an ideal place for people to start learning about you as an industry professional. You might even link to your profile from your e-mail signature, blog or personal website. You should also link back to web pages that put you in a positive light so potential connections can get a clear, accurate idea of who you are and what you are looking to accomplish.

Do use LinkedIn as a means to an end. Don’t add connections just for the sake of having them. Add people who can give you good recommendations. Endorse people with whom you have had positive interactions, but don’t feel obligated to recommend everyone. LinkedIn is an excellent tool for networking, but it’s just that — a tool. Use it to stay in touch with people you know and to generate leads as you build your real estate business.

Don’t measure success the wrong way. Don’t count the number of connections or the number of endorsements you’ve managed to collect. Instead, count the number of opportunities you’ve generated through LinkedIn. Have you learned about a real estate investment? Have you made contact with people who you’ve partnered with on a project? Connections and opportunities are the true measures of LinkedIn success.

Don’t forget why you’re there. If you want to talk about Disneyland, then Facebook or Twitter may be a better outlet. Limit your communications on LinkedIn to professional matters. And don’t forget to check your spelling and grammar. Everything you do on LinkedIn reflects on you as a professional.

With the “Boots on the Ground” training program, application is the name of the game. This three-day workshop is taught by real, active real estate investors for eager learners in their local markets. Workshops are held every week in various locations from Alaska to the Virgin Islands and everywhere in between, including throughout Canada. “Boots on the Ground” takes a step-by-step approach to teaching everything new investors need to know — how to find an agent, how to place ads, how to create a buyers list, how to locate and secure bank-owned properties, and most importantly, how to use other people’s money effectively.

Everything is presented in small classes with excellent instructor-student ratios, and every workshop includes a field trip on the second day to actually walk through properties with the workshop’s gurus. It’s called “Boots on the Ground” for a reason.

Why now is the sweetest time to invest in real estate

In today’s market, it’s not hard to find a few lemons. The United States finished 2010 with a 9.4 percent national unemployment rate. Americans’ personal finances have turned sour as more people find themselves out of work. Companies are going out of business, and real estate prices are lower than they’ve been in decades.

But to make lemonade, all you need to add is a spoonful of sugar. In this case, the sweetness is the tasty opportunity that accompanies a struggling economy. People are reevaluating their careers. Companies that make it through the economic difficulties will be stronger in years to come. And rock-bottom real estate prices make now the perfect time to get involved in real estate investing

As a whole, investors haven’t been gulping down opportunities lately, but real estate is one investment worth drinking to. This economic climate is perfectly conducive to creating positive cash flow off properties selling for rock-bottom prices. Granted, the overall economy is looking sour, but conversely, real estate opportunities are looking sweet.

Lemonade, anyone?

Real Estate Is an Opportunity

In all types of market conditions, real estate investing offers a stellar opportunity to generate wealth. One reason is that it doesn’t have to take a lot of time — you can invest in real estate without making it a full-time job or spending a lot of money.

Lynn Alder, a real estate investing specialist with over 30 years of experience, says this is one reason real estate investing is such an ideal opportunity for many different people.

“Real estate investing is an opportunity you can get involved in without quitting your job and investing a bunch of money,” Alder says. “You can do this in your spare time, and you can be successful. It offers the opportunity to gain wealth without spending your whole life’s savings in order to have control of your own life.”

Another reason real estate investing is such a real opportunity is that it will always fill a basic human need: shelter. No matter how bad the market is, people will always need a place to live. Real estate provides just that.

“It’s a really simple thing,” says Keith Sperry, a real estate specialist who has been involved in the business for 14 years. “Everyone needs a place to live. So in any market, that’s a constant. God isn’t making any more dirt, and there are 312 million Americans who need a place to live.”

Although real estate investing is always a great opportunity, today’s struggling economy presents investors with unique opportunities to make perhaps even more money than they could in a thriving economy. If you know how to go about it, now is a perfect time to capitalize on the unique circumstances that exist today in what Alder calls a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity.

Now Is the Time to Get Involved

As anyone who has researched real estate investing knows, the housing market experiences natural highs and lows over time. It’s a natural course for home prices to rise, then fall, then rise again and fall again.

During the housing boom a few years ago, housing prices were at an all-time high. But when the market crashed, people suddenly owed more on their homes than they were worth. Many fell behind on mortgage payments, and banks suddenly found themselves with more foreclosed properties than they could handle.

Cue the Real Estate Investors

“People are not buying right now because they think prices are so low that they won’t ever go back up again,” Alder says. “If they really understood the real estate cycle and what’s happened in this country forever, they would know now is when you want to be buying because prices won’t stay like this forever.”

It’s commonly understood that the key to successful real estate investing (or any type of investing) is to buy low and sell high. That’s easier said than done — especially when the economy is strong and home prices are high to begin with. But today’s market makes buying low easy. The trick is to find a way to make money off of a property, which people usually do by “flipping” the property — that is, buying it and then selling it a short time later for more than they paid — or by renting it out and creating cash flow. As it turns out, it’s easier to make money with both of these strategies when you’re buying properties for rock-bottom prices. And that opportunity isn’t as easy to find as lemonade on a menu.

“I’ve been investing in real estate for over 30 years, and I’ve never seen anything that even comes close to this as far as an opportunity to do deals,” Alder says. “I think it’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing. You always think things are going to stay the same as they are now, but that’s not how it works in real estate. If you don’t know that, you get hurt.”

‘Buy Low, Rent High’

“Buy low, sell high” is the mantra of anyone looking to make money in real estate investing. Obviously, you can’t make money if you sell properties for less than you buy them. It’s simple math. But mortgages are more difficult to come by now than they were a few years ago, and many people are choosing to rent instead of buy. This presents a perfect opportunity for real estate investors to make money.

“‘Buy low and sell high’ is always good, but in this market, ‘buy low and rent high’ is even better,” Sperry says. “The banks are tougher than ever on lending money for mortgages, so people have to rent.”

Owning property builds equity for an investor, and collecting rent from tenants creates positive cash flow. In a strong housing market, people usually prefer to keep the equity to themselves and pay a mortgage every month rather than a rent check. But in today’s economy, real estate investors benefit when people who can’t qualify for mortgages are forced to rent.

“Rent prices don’t generally go down,” Sperry says. “They stabilize or they go up. They’re like taxes. Right now you can buy for so low that it’s a great time to get involved in cash flow properties. If you buy low enough, properties create cash flow really well.”

This housing market also creates opportunities to generate wealth in areas of the United States where it has historically been much more difficult to find renters.

“You can create positive cash flow now in areas of the country where you never could before,” Lynn says. “The price and the interest rate determine your monthly payment. Your payment has been reduced to a point where you can buy a property and rent it out for enough to pay your expenses. In some areas, that was impossible to do before. Now, it isn’t.”

Do Your Homework

Ideal market conditions don’t guarantee profitable real estate investing. While circumstances in the market make now an excellent time to get involved, you’ll need tools to take advantage of these opportunities. One of the best tools is the ability to research.

Before you buy a property, do your homework. Buying properties for investment purposes is not just house hunting. Buying a home for your family is a largely emotional decision, but a different approach is required when it comes to real estate investing.

Take into consideration the factors that will make your property easy to sell or rent. Is it in a good neighborhood? Is the property in good condition? Is the home within the boundaries of a reputable school district? Are there multiple potential buyers or renters for this type of property?

It might take time to learn the tricks of the trade, but specialists say making sure you’re buying quality properties is a key to success in investing.

“First things first — do your homework,” Sperry says. “Make sure you’re looking at all appraisals and comps, and buy right. That’s the key. But how to do it? That’s the hard part. You need to be able to run proper analysis of properties. Look into the property and make sure it will make you money for years to come.”

It might sound intimidating to do such in-depth research on every property you buy, especially if you’re new to real estate investing. But with the right people on your side, you will have all the tools you need to be successful.

Put Your Team Together

Like any other field, it’s difficult — if not impossible — to succeed in real estate investing if you don’t have people helping you along the way.

“Don’t try to do this on your own,” Alder says. “Don’t try to go out and learn how to invest in real estate using trial and error.”

It isn’t that most people couldn’t figure things out along the way, but Alder says it’s better if you can learn from someone else who has already experienced real estate investing first-hand.

“It’s not hard, but people usually need someone to help them,” Alder says. “If you have someone you can go to who can answer your questions, it’s a totally different deal.”

Even after you have two feet solidly on the ground, there are still people who can make your job easier. If you invest in properties that you plan to rent out, hiring someone else to manage renters can be a smart way to regulate your workload.

“If you’re not into management, find a management company and let someone else manage the headaches and renters,” Sperry says. “Paying 8 or 9 percent for managers is more than worth it for your sanity. It lets you go on vacation without getting phone calls from your tenants. ”

There are still other people you can get to help you along the way — good real estate agents can be great resources, and members of local real estate clubs can give you the motivation and help you need.

But in the end, the best way to learn real estate investing is simply to get started.

“Get educated and have someone help you, and then go do it,” Alder says. “You can get educated and have someone help you, but if you never do it, you’ll never make any money.”

Mention an opportunity with the word “taxes” in it and many people won’t even want to hear the rest of the pitch. But not everything that has to do with taxes is as complicated as the IRS code. Tax liens, for instance, are a safe investment guaranteed by state mandate and secured by the value of a property. And they are a great outlet for first-time investors and seasoned ones, too.

“I strongly encourage anyone to start out making tax liens a small part of their investment portfolio, then simply compare the returns from tax liens to the returns from your traditional investments,” says Wayne Gray, a real estate specialist who specializes in tax liens and tax lien training. “That will speak volumes.”

In fact, tax liens are such a sound investment that even people who aren’t interested in the real estate market are getting involved.

“This is not just something for real estate investors to take advantage of, since you don’t have to acquire the property, ” Gray says. “If you are looking for a great return, this is the investment for you.”

Check It Out

Here’s how it works: Counties need money to operate — to pay for schools, fire departments and police departments, and to keep public pools clean and grounds maintained, along with other necessary obligations. They raise this money from property taxes. When someone fails to pay property taxes, the county still needs that money to meet operation obligations. So the county puts a tax lien on that property for the amount of the unpaid taxes. Then, they invite investors to buy the tax lien.

“What investors are really doing is loaning money to the county that the county didn’t get from the property owner,” says Leland McKay, a tax lien specialist based in Utah. “Because it is a loan, the county is going to pay you back that money, and when they do they are going to include a nice rate of return mandated by the government.”

Property Perks

Every tax lien has a redemption period, or a window of time given to the property owner to repay their taxes. These timeframes vary depending on the state, as do the penalties for nonpayment, which range from as low as 8 percent to as high as 50 percent. For instance, in Atlanta, the penalty is 20 percent and the redemption period is one year. Both the redemption period and penalty are determined by state law.

“It’s not that the state guarantees the investment but that the state guarantees the interest rate that is paid back,” McKay says.

Ideally, the loan plus guaranteed interest rate are paid back within the redemption period. In cases where the homeowner does not repay the debt, the tax lien holder can exercise his or her legal right to foreclose on the property.

“You now own the deed to the property and you can move into it, you can sell it for quick cash, you can hold it or rent it out,” he says.

Tax deed states like California, North Carolina or Utah operate differently. Rather than placing a lien for unpaid taxes, the counties in tax deed states foreclose on a property then put it up for sale in an auction.

“All they really want is the property tax that wasn’t paid,” McKay says. “They aren’t in the business of making money on real estate. They’re in the business of getting taxes that weren’t paid.”

Missteps and Misconceptions

Because an investor could someday own the property, it makes sense to do research before bidding on a tax lien.

“There are a number of mistakes that you can and will make if you don’t have proper guidance,” Gray says. “You have to know exactly what you are investing in. Your lien is only as good as the property it is against.”

Investors who don’t perform due diligence could be the proud owner of a piece of sidewalk or worse.

Another mistake people make is to buy a tax lien associated with a property that already has IRS liens attached to it. Although a county tax lien will supersede a mortgage or other loan on the property, an IRS lien takes precedence.

Although there are a few potential complications, educated investors still look at tax liens as a great bang for their buck.

“I prefer tax liens for a very shallow reason — I enjoy money,” Gray says. “The security of tax lien investing is incredible. If you are making intelligent investments in tax liens, you know you will be receiving returns that no other investment can touch. And the beautiful thing is, the county is ensuring that you get paid!”

Cash In or Out

Tax lien investing doesn’t require a lot of cash. Liens can be had for hundreds or thousands of dollars. McKay says he has seen tax liens for as little as $12.35 and as high as $1.6 million dollars.

“It is perfect for the seasoned investor as well as the beginning investor,” he says.

A common misconception about investing in tax liens is that an investor is taking advantage of someone who is down on their luck. But that isn’t the case.

“That person has to pay their property taxes to the county to keep their home,” Gray says. “There is no way around that. He or she either has to pay the county the back taxes with interest or pay it to you since you made a short-term loan to the county on his or her behalf. If it has to be paid, it might as well be to you, the investor.”

It’s obvious that the real estate market is suffering. But whether it has hit rock bottom is a subject of debate. Is the worst behind us? Or is it yet to come?

According to real estate investment guru Dean Graziosi, debating whether the market is at its lowest right now could cost you the opportunity of a lifetime.

“Anything new in someone’s life always seems difficult and scary,” Graziosi says. “Right now fear is the No. 1 deterrent in real estate investing. What takes away the fear is proper education. Once you understand something, the fear is gone and you’re ready to take action.”

Graziosi’s actions speak louder than his words. During a 60-day period in August and September, he purchased more than 250 homes around the country – the most he’s ever bought in such a short period.

The Power of Stabilization

According to Graziosi, one of the best indicators of the market’s position is the stability of days on market (DOM) statistics.

“If the DOM, or how long a property takes to sell, is increasing, it means the market is dropping. If it’s decreasing, it means the market is growing,” he says. “The DOM has stabilized in pretty much every market across the country.”

Even if the market drops a few percent more, the education Graziosi offers about how to implement smart strategies allows people to buy significantly below the bottom – wherever the bottom is.

“That’s where people gain their confidence,” he says.

Team Work is Free Work

Another worry holding investors back from seizing the day is the worry of unforeseen start-up costs.

“Unlike any other profession, in real estate you can have a team of experts that will work for you for free,” Graziosi says.

Real estate agents looking for great deals, contractors and handymen giving free quotes, even title companies work for free until you close deals – they make money when you make money. All this allows investors to tap into expert knowledge without up-front costs.

Graziosi says one of the reasons he is actively investing more than ever is he’s partnering with his students more than ever.

“The real estate market changes month to month,” he says. “Working with other people who are out there on the ground helps you see things you couldn’t see on your own.”

Matt Larson, one of Graziosi’s students and a former machine shop worker, has now become one of the guru’s most trusted partners.

“More than 100 of the last 250 deals I bought were through Matt,” Graziosi says. “Developing a support team of other people helps you find out about what strategies are working out on the ground right now.”

The Greatest Time

in the History of Profit

While knowing the latest, greatest strategies is important, it isn’t necessarily required to be successful right now.

“This is truly the greatest time in the history of profit,” Graziosi says. “By accident you could make money in this market.”

Graziosi first got involved during the real estate market crash in the early 1980s and found unbelievable success.

“If I put my money in stocks and bonds, I have no control,” he says. “But if I put my money in real estate, I can have tenants paying down my debt or paying back my loss while the market grows.”

And attracting tenants is in your control, especially because you can choose to buy in smart locations and invest in properties in high demand. You can buy below their already rock-bottom market value.

And the best part? Graziosi teaches his students daily the details of how to make smart real estate decisions. He also educates people looking to make money as the middle man, matching cash investors who are wary of stock market investments with motivated sellers on the market.

“We teach them to sift, sort and screen to find deals among the motivated sellers,” he says. “When they match the two up, they find a fee in the middle.”

Middlemen like these can make between $2,500 to $10,000 per deal with no money down, further evidence that the versatile real estate market can make money for any set of needs and interests.

Moving Forward

To those thinking about entering the real estate market right now because they’re a little desperate, Graziosi says, “Stay desperate. People who are desperate take action.”

He’s careful to make sure his students know real estate investing isn’t easy — it requires focus and hard work. But a little hard work doesn’t scare most people. For most, it’s past mistakes that are paralyzing.

“When you fail, when things go wrong in your life, when you’re disappointed, how fast do you bounce back?” he says. “If it takes you a long time, success will also take a long time.”

   And in a market opportunity this good, there’s no time to waste.   

A home is more than a place to eat and sleep — it’s the backdrop to your life, a sanctuary from the world, a reflection of the things that matter most to you. So says celebrity designer and TV personality Ty Pennington in his new book, “Good Design Can Change your Life.”

According to Pennington, team leader of ABC’s hit show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” if you want to change your life, start by changing your home.

“If you want to inject light, energy and optimism into your life, making over your home — or even just a single room — is a good place to start,” he says.

Even though the homeowners on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” are often in dire straits, you don’t have to be desperate to benefit from changes on the home front. And the changes don’t need to be extreme — in fact, unless you have a network television crew at your disposal, they probably won’t be. Small tweaks to your living quarters can greatly improve your outlook on life.

“We all need change,” Pennington writes. “Change is good, and that’s especially true when it comes to the rooms where you’ve spent a good portion of your life. I’ll even go as far as to say that making changes to your home can completely change your life.”

But what’s all this got to do with real estate investing? In today’s economic climate, buy-and-hold is one of the top investing strategies. Home prices are lower than they’ve been in decades, making now the best time to purchase real estate at rock-bottom prices. Foreclosures and tight lending policies have led to an influx of renters, and as a result, rents are higher than they’ve been in the past, too.

The rental market is likely to get more competitive as investors snatch up houses while home values recover. A little finesse in the interior decorating department can make a big difference when it comes to finding and keeping renters for your properties. After all, renters, like property owners, want a place to call home — even if it’s not their own.

“It doesn’t matter if you own or rent where you live. It’s your nest, your habitat — it’s you,” Pennington says. “Make it an inviting, fun and relaxing place to come home to.”

Of course, it’s unwise to make a property purchase decision based on those warm and fuzzy feelings. Ask any real estate guru and he or she will tell you that investing is a numbers game. But after you’ve purchased a property, it’s reasonable (and may even be essential) to make improvements to the property.

In his book, Pennington outlines 12 steps to make over a room. He encourages readers to find their own personal style by taking cues from hobbies, interests and surroundings. At the same time, he incorporates stories and designs from families that have appeared on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”

“While I’d been crafting furniture, designing rooms and renovating homes for years, until I began my job as a team leader on EMHE, I don’t think I realized how much difference having a comfortable, well-designed, and beautiful place to live can make in someone’s life,” he writes.

Pennington is best known for his work on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” and a previous gig as a carpenter on HGTV’s “Trading Spaces.” But before he did that, he worked in construction and graphic design and even spent time working abroad as a model.

Although Pennington is known for designing imaginative and creative spaces, his foremost tips are methodical and focused on designing a practical and useable place. For instance, one of the steps he advises is to check out the state of the walls, floors and ceilings. No one wants to live in a home with walls that are nicked or ceilings that are discolored. Another tip focuses on adequate lighting. These fixes can make a huge difference in how a house shows and can also increase the value of a property long-term. The best part? It doesn’t have to be expensive.

“Changing your home makes you feel like you have a chance to start over,” he writes. “Change begets change. Change the look of your living room and maybe you’ll look at

the world differently. Change your bedroom and maybe you’ll begin to get a different idea of your future and what you want to accomplish.”

Dean Graziosi isn’t a control freak, but he likes being in control – a trait that stems from his lack of control in childhood. His mother worked rough jobs under disrespectful bosses to earn barely enough to get by. He moved around constantly after his parents split. Like many, he was a pawn of circumstance.

Today, that is far from the case. Graziosi, a renowned real estate investor and educator, has taken control of his life – starting with his attitude.

“I want to continue to always become a better investor and teacher,” he says. “I love the saying, ‘If you are not climbing you are sliding,’ so I will continue to get better and be the

best at what I do.”

Graziosi bought his first property before he was 20 years old and by the time he was 30, he was a millionaire. His desire to continually improve is the secret of his success.

Early Start, Big Finish

At age 16, Graziosi started making money by buying and selling cars. Applying what he learned in those endeavors to real estate investing, he purchased his first rental property at age 18 — a run-down apartment building. His renovations, which turned the building into a profitable investment, marked the beginning of his wealth and life satisfaction.

His infomercials, “Motor Millions” and “Think a Little Different,” have appeared on television since 1999. The educational program that spun out of Graziosi’s success helps people across the country make money in real estate.

Dealing With Complexity

Graziosi has a talent for boiling the complexities of his experiences in real estate investing down to simple, understandable concepts.

“I’m not the smartest guy on the block, so I had to learn to be a creative thinker while keeping it simple,” he says. “That is what has allowed me to help create so much success in others. I never assume people get it. I want to make it so simple that I know they get it.”

His two best-selling books – “Totally Fulfilled” and “Be a Real Estate Millionaire” – do just that.

Totally Fulfilled

When he’s not speaking, coaching or working on his own investments, Graziosi is trying to be the best father he can be.

“I have a 3-year-old and a 5-year-old, and they are growing up so fast. It’s my main priority to spend every spare minute possible with them,” he says. “Plus, I love it. They are sponges who absorb everything I can find the time to share.”

Other than spending hours with his family, he doesn’t really indulge in hobbies.

“A lot of people have hobbies because it is an escape from the work or job they hate,” Graziosi says. “I am blessed to love being a real estate investor and trainer so much that I don’t need an escape. My work is gratifying and fulfilling.”

Enjoying a “totally fulfilled” life is saying no to anything that doesn’t make money, speak to you personally or help the world.

“I feel confident in saying that as a company and personally we are affecting the world one new real estate investor at a time,” he says. “We have the absolutely best real estate strategies on the planet. We combine those real estate strategies with true action steps and motivation to do it. The result is we have more successful students than anyone in the world.”

For the Future

Graziosi wants to work less over the next 10 years while his kids are still at home and “think he’s Superman.”

“Then I plan on going back to working harder than ever until I fall over dead at 112 with a huge smile on my face,” he says.

His newest program, “The Automated Foreclosure Finder,” provides students of real estate with the know-how to start investing in foreclosures. It’s just the next phase of his plans to help people get control of their bank accounts and their lives.

“I never want to go backwards,” he says. “I hated being broke as a kid and not in control. Now I get to make any decision I want.”

Dean Graziosi travels around the world but enjoys spending time with his family.

Dean Graziosi says he wants to work less over the next 10 years to spend more time with his wife and kids.

“I never assume people get it. I want to make it so simple that I know they get it.”

— DEAN GRAZIOSI,

Dean Graziosi will admit he has no hobbies. He says he enjoys what he does so much that he doesn’t need an “escape” in the form of a hobby. The only hobby Dean claims is spending time with his young family.

Insider’s Cash is the funding solution many real estate investors have been looking for. They thrive on providing answers to investors’ needs and breaking down barriers between people and progress. Insider’s Cash works to fund investor’s short sales, REOs and residential and commercial flips in back-to-back closings. Accessing the funds of Insider’s Cash is easy and affordable.

The staff is efficient, approachable and up-to-date on the industry’s latest tips and trends. They are ready to guide investors through one of three lending processes designed for different scenarios.

One-Day Transaction

 Loan: Up to 100%

 Fee: 2%

Also called the “ABC Transaction,” the one-day transaction is a unique product. This lending option allows investors who have already found well-priced properties in their area, coupled with ready and willing buyers, to make sales happen and to keep their profits. For those ready to buy and sell in the same day, Insider’s Cash offers loans up to 100 percent of the property value with a fee of merely 2 percent, a significantly lower rate than what you would find at a bank. Rather than partnering with investors and taking a large cut of their profits, Insider’s Cash lets lenders keep what they earn. You do the work; you keep the money.

Three-Month Transaction

 Loan: Up to 75%

 Fee: 3%

Three-month transactions are a great option for investors with their eyes on cosmetic-fix properties, or those that need minor repairs or updates. For those with these types of investments in mind, Insider’s Cash will join you in the risk, giving you up to 75 percent of the property value with three months to pay it back — plenty of time to fix and sell. And like the one-day transaction, fees on this lending option are minimal — a mere 3 percent.

Two-Year Transaction

Loan: Up to 50%

Also referred to as “Bridge Financing,” the two-year loan is the perfect option for those looking to leverage the cash they have. Bridge loans, which Insider’s Cash offers for up to 50 percent of property values, offer investors three major benefits:

1. Bridge Financing negates the required one-year wait with banks.

When investors pay cash for properties, they enjoy having no interest payments, but without an interest payment, there’s no tax deduction for the purchase. After paying cash for a piece of real estate, investors have to wait for an entire year before banks will allow them to mortgage the property to pull their cash back out. Bridge loans create mortgages that allow investors to go to the banks on Day One to refinance. No one-year requirement, no waiting.

2. Bridge Financing limits the cash you’ll need to purchase an investment property.

With Insider’s Cash paying up to 50 percent of the property value, investors can spread out the cash they have on hand to more properties, expanding their investment portfolio by doing more deals on more real estate.

3. Bridge Financing can possibly double

your rental income opportunity.

   Less cash required up front means the ability to make more property investments, and more property investments means more rental income.

Insider’s Cash makes loans with no income or credit checks. These private money loans are based on the value potential of the properties. They do, however, require investors to be established as LLCs and have exit strategies for repayment of the loans. With Bridge Financing loans, for example, two years is more than enough time to change or establish a credit score to open doors for a way to pay back the loan.

While Insider’s Cash is not a coaching service, they do offer training materials to help investors get to the stage where they’re ready to use these lending services. They have great relationships with training and coaching companies and love helping investors find game-changing mentors through their partnering organizations.

The staff at Insider’s Cash is made up of real estate lending specialists. They bring a rich, diverse body of experience to the table and an enthusiasm for helping investors make the most of their cash.

Insider’s Cash Disclaimer: This material is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell securities.  This material is published for the assistance of recipients, but is not to be substituted for independent legal or tax advice.

What are real estate notes?

Real estate notes (also called mortgage notes or promissory notes) are agreements that make signatories personally liable for the repayment of a full loan amount. Notes always include specified terms, like the amount and duration of the loan, the applicable interest rate, etc.

So how are they used in practice? Well, if you hold a piece of property that you sold, but carried back a portion of the property value that you are currently receiving monthly payments on, you enjoy the profit of interest from your buyer. You also carry the burden of collecting if the buyer defaults. This risk can be offset with security against the property.

In such situations, an investor may contact you to offer a cash-out or one-time payment, which will give you a lump sum of cash in exchange for your remaining ownership of the property. The cash offering will be somewhat less than the value of your holding on the property, but will free you of the risk of foreclosure or loan default.

In other words, they will offer to buy a note for your equity in the property.

Note buyers look for properties with decent equity and reasonable chances of property value increase. Note sellers look for deals that offer them a good value for their equity relative to their concerns about the property’s risks. On both sides, there is potential for making a profit.

Why do people buy and sell notes?

Some note-buyers and sellers make impressive incomes, and others use it as a side business on their primary income from real estate investing.

“Just like real estate properties, you can get notes at really great deals right now,” Shemin says. “Some people do it for a great return. Some people buy notes to get the real estate that’s secured by the note.”

What about creating notes?

Another creative way to sell a house in today’s market is to create and sell a note. Many people, including experienced investors, find that the most challenging part of real estate is getting financing.

“If I’m having trouble getting financing for a property, I could call a note buyer and say, for example, ‘Bill and Jill, whose credit is OK but not perfect, have $10,000 to put down and will write a note for $190,000,’” Shemin says. “The note buyer will help me structure the term of the note and the interest rate. I could perhaps get a sale and get financing where usually I would not be able to do so.”

Insider’s Cash

One suggestion Shemin offers is to work with Insider’s Cash.

“Insider’s Cash owns and creates notes that you can buy. Their notes can be really good investments because there are no tenants and no repairs and they’re secured by real estate. Insider’s Cash also has money to help you buy investment properties. It’s good to be on the inside with Insider’s Cash.”

For real estate investors who are just starting out — or real estate investors with experience under their belts — being in the industry’s “inner circle” can make the difference between failed and fulfilled. Personalized coaching from real estate specialists can give unsure newbies a solid foundation, and it can give ever-improving oldies access to the latest insider’s tips and tricks for an ever-changing market.

Knocking the Hurdles Down

For many, recognizing that now is the best time to start investing in the real estate market is the first hurdle. Opportunities that have emerged as a result of the downturn are ripe — foreclosures, all-time low prices, all-time low interest rates.

“Interest rates have never been lower, and there are so many properties on the market. Your ability to effectively negotiate and get good deals is high,” says Joe Jackson, vice president of coaching at Insider’s Financial. “The market is going to go back up, it’s just a matter of when.”

There are also those who understand that the present is perfect for the savvy investor, but they don’t know how to get savvy.

“We help you shrink the gap between what you want and where you’re at today,” Jackson says.

Insider’s Financial offers training programs with everything you need to launch a new life in real estate — tools, resources, education, and most importantly, support.

Mentoring Momentum

Those who enroll in Insider’s Financial’s advanced real estate training program are assigned a real estate consultant who is their personal connection to the industry’s in-club. These consultant mentors work one-on-one with mentees, helping them set and achieve real estate goals that fit their wants, needs and lifestyles. The relationship-building nature of the training ensures that those who enroll get individualized attention and support.

How will you know if the advice your mentor gives you is credible?

“Our mentors can be characterized in one word,” Jackson says. “EXPERIENCED!”

Insider’s Financial consultants are the industry’s greatest success stories. Their iconic personal real estate ventures and combined experience of more than 100 years of real estate investing make them qualified, but their down-to-earth personalities make them approachable. They’re trained teachers. They understand how to turn the complexities of investing into simple strategies even beginners can put into action.

After an initial consultation, “the coach or real estate consultant will put together an investment plan that will be tailored to your interests, skill set and financial wherewithal,” Jackson says. “They will also prescribe a learning plan that suits your needs.”

And that’s where the momentum begins.

Constant Support

“Mentoring within the inner circle is constant,” Jackson says.

The training program is just the beginning. Personal consultants are available at any time to answer specific questions and offer personalized guidance through the process. Insider’s Financial also has an advisory line available for calls from anyone who is enrolled and needs extra advice, support and encouragement.

“Our advisory line is staffed by full-time consultants who buy and sell real estate,” Jackson says. “These folks have hands-on, real-world experience. They’re actively involved in the real estate community. They’re part of the industry’s inner circle, too.”

Having access to the brightest minds and richest experience in real estate is irreplaceable.

“Sometimes people attempt to learn the ropes on their own,” Jackson says. “They buy books or surf the Internet looking for guidance. They’re on the outside trying to get on the inside, but they’re going about it all the wrong way. What’s a better ‘in’ than having an insider as a personal coach?”

Even as investors gain experience and confidence and learn to stand on their own two feet, mentors can play an important role.

“Because the market and individuals’ goals are in a constant state of change, a mentor can remain the fundamental constant to our clients’ business,” Jackson says. “The most successful students are always asking questions, seeking knowledge and applying it.”

That inner circle access is always the most valuable investment of all.