Real estate investing information online - Where to find it and how to use it. (Tool Box #2)

At any given point, at any given time, real estate investors are inundated with sources for information about all sorts of real estate investments.
News, T.V. blogs, websites, newsletters, the list goes on and on and on…
It is up to you to figure out what are the best sources for you to use and how to use them. I will touch on some of the sources that I use.

News sources

Ok…I will admit…one of my biggest sources of news for economic news is Forbes.com. I use them for the simple fact that they have up to the minute updates from ALL over the place. Bloomberg, AP, CNN money, etc.
I don’t have to go all over for the simple fact they do most of the chasing of information for me.

Forbes Economy Pages

Now for a second source of news (specific for real estate in the areas I invest in) I am also fond of DQnews. I have found them to give good update information and tracking trends for the part of the country I invest in most.
DQ news

Reference resources

Ok now when you’re looking at resources it is important to get the best bang for your “free buck” that you can. So resource good resource sites are really hard to find…at least a good “all in one” site is.

First on my list is Investor411.org. This website has a bit of everything on it. I have developed a good relationship with the owners of the site and like the future plans they have for it.
Right now you can log on this site and find a very high volume of good information about many real estate investing topics. They have information from mortgages to legal contracts. You can find real estate agents to gardeners. They have recently expanded to include FOREX information…and as of this writing are updating all the foreclosure information on the website.

http://www.investor411.org/

Real estate inspection links
Real Estate inspection reports

Real estate information reports
Real Estate information services

Real Estate agents from across the nation

Agents and office across the U.S.

In closing on this website, I was recently informed that in an effort to keep the content as accurate as they can…the offer free advertising to those in the real estate profession and services areas. Log in and check it out. I highly recommend it.

Online tools.
A few years ago I had the pleasure of coming across a young man at a wealth building expo who had developed a great tool for real estate investors.
The tool is: eRealinvestor.com
This website offers the investor the ability to view all the financial information you need to use to evaluate a potential project at a single glance. I cannot say enough about this website. In my opinion this is a top notch resource.
erealinvestor.com

Real Estate Investing - What Is A Subprime Mortgage?

Real Estate investing is a investment choice that not only comes with strong returns...but also with its own lingo. (Not to diffrent from Stocks and Bonds...ok a bit diffrent.)

So Im always looking for good "bare bone" articles on terms and subjects to pass on...here is such an article.

Sub Prime Mortgage info

Real Estate investing- "Owner financing" explained

real Estate investors...I found a rather good link that explains "Owner financing" in basic terms...

Real Estate investing information

So the economic down turn is bleek huh???

Some intresting news during these "hard times" for investors.

Here are a few links to some intresting bits of info for my fellow investment geeks.

Warren Buffet Investor411 articles

And a little note about "Dot com's"


Investor411 Dot com Investments

Real Estate Investing During the Down Turn

by Doc Schmyz

OK let's establish a few ground rules for this article first.

1) The market has had a down turn before...and people still made money.

2) Not every deal will fall into a cookie cutter format...keep your eyes open...and your mind even more so.

3) Not every tactic or idea works in EVERY state/province. ALWAYS check local laws pertaining to real estate transactions.

The above being said...let's move on.

Just because a drop in the market has taken place doesn't mean that you, as a real estate investor/professional, are out of luck. It only means you need to add new tricks and tools to your tool box. (Be warned I use "tool box" a lot.)

Marketing/locating property

Besides the normal channels of RE agents and brokers (still the best way to find good investments in my opinion) you have a huge amount or resources at your fingertip with the internet.
You can join website communities for investors, follow blogs, get in on group discussion...etc. All of these things can lead to new and interesting deals.
Some of my best investments have come to me via a web community contact. I also have gotten countless tips from other investors on investments and financing issues. Do not over look the value of belonging to an "investor community website."
I honestly feel that in the upcoming years the majority of investing will shift to being web related. Not just in finding investment projects...but in doing the research for them as well as the funding process and the majority of the marketing/exit strategy as well.

Finance

Right now we are hearing everyday about how the current market and credit crunch is making getting loans harder for everyone. This is currently a fact. No way around it. The loan process has changed. So what options are left?? The answer is several.

Owner financing. Lease options. Assumable loans.

The above mentioned will become the big trends in the next couple of years. I am waiting to see the lenders change the loan guidelines in the next few months to "re introduce" the assumable loan. We are already seeing a HUGE trend in short sales. (This was a practice that was used only in limited capacity in the last 10 years by most lenders...now it seems like every other distressed listing is a short sale in some cities.)
Do not let the current market conditions scare you in to sitting this investment period out. To the contrary...use it to inspire you. Take the time to do the research on finance options...look into building a LLC perhaps. Find out about buying real estate with your IRA. Etc, etc.

Buy books. Read investment strategies of the big names in investing. Use the time to educate yourself and above all be creative.

When everyone is running for the hills it is your time to figure out how to by the valley they just left.

Doc Schmyz developed a free Real estate investing website that offers real estate investing resources by topic as well as real estate information by state.