Episodes

  • Secrets of Overcoming Tenant Challenges

    Secrets of Overcoming Tenant Challenges
    Nov 1 2024

    Learn how to overcome tenant challenges in Minneapolis.

    This class is Module 7 of 46 in a series called Real Estate Investing Secrets.

    What do you do when you experience the inevitable tenant challenges like:

    • Tenant not paying rent
    • Tenant’s check returned for non-sufficient funds
    • Tenant makes late payment
    • Tenant breaks lease
    • Tenant provides partial payment
    • Roommates break lease
    • Roommate issues/conflicts
    • Tenant not maintaining property
    • Receive city ordinance violation
    • Tenant does not vacate property after lease expires (tenant holdover)
    • Bed bugs in property
    • Receive HOA violation notice
    • Receive noise violation notice
    • Tenant dispute with neighbor
    • Automobile violation
    • Pet violation
    • Occupancy violation
    • Maintenance request on property
    • Disputed damage deposit

    Plus much more...

    Check out the video and additional resources related to Secrets of Overcoming Tenant Challenges.


    Free Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet: Download a copy of the newest version of The World's Greatest Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet™ by going to:

    https://RealEstateFinancialPlanner.com/spreadsheet

    Improve Cash Flow: Book a consultation to improve cash flow using our proprietary 88 cash flow improving strategies.

    Real Estate Agent & Lender Collaborators: Interested in collaborating with us on the Minneapolis real estate investor podcast? Book a free consultation to discuss.
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    52 mins
  • Secrets of Buy and Hold Real Estate Investing

    Secrets of Buy and Hold Real Estate Investing
    Oct 25 2024

    Learn the secrets to buy and hold real estate investing in Minneapolis.

    This class is Module 6 of 46 in a series called Real Estate Investing Secrets.

    Topics covered in this module include:

    • What are the different variations of the buy and hold real estate investing strategy? Variations based on down payments? Variations based on property types purchased? Variations of rental duration and niche business models?
    • What are the most common ways to finance buy and hold real estate investments? And what are some of the more unusual ways?
    • Is buy and hold real estate investing typically an active or passive investment?
    • How long do you typically hold buy and hold real estate investments? And, why might you change that?
    • How do you typically exit a buy and hold real estate investment? How does your buyer typically finance the purchase when they buy from you?
    • Is buy and hold real estate investing typically for real estate investors or real estate entrepreneurs… and what’s the difference?
    • How much money is typically required to invest in buy and hold real estate? What are some of the less common money requirements?
    • What credit is required to utilize the buy and hold real estate investing strategy? And, what are some less common credit-related requirements?
    • What are the 4 primary skills required for buy and hold real estate investors? And, how does one of those skills vary depending which strategy you’re utilizing.
    • Is buy and hold real estate investing actively or passively stable? And, what does that means in terms of the entire business blowing up in your face?
    • How scalable—in terms of net worth—is the buy and hold real estate investing strategy? What level of net worth is it typically associated with?
    • What is your risk exposure with the buy and hold real estate investing strategy? What are some of your risks? How does that increase with certain sub-strategies?
    • How quickly do you make money with buy and hold? What amount of money do you make at that interval?
    • How does one typically find deals as a buy and hold real estate investor? What are some of the more unusual ways to find deals?
    • What do you use to analyze buy and hold real estate investments and where to get a copy of the spreadsheet you need… for free?
    • What are the ideal market conditions for the buy and hold real estate investing strategy and what is a challenging market to utilize this strategy in?
    • How accessible or available are viable buy and hold real estate deals?
    • Can you utilize your retirement money to invest in buy and hold real estate investments?
    • Plus much more...

    Check out the video and additional resources related to Secrets of Buy and Hold Real Estate Investing.


    Free Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet: Download a copy of the newest version of The World's Greatest Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet™ by going to:

    https://RealEstateFinancialPlanner.com/spreadsheet

    Improve Cash Flow: Book a consultation to improve cash flow using our proprietary 88 cash flow improving strategies.

    Real Estate Agent & Lender Collaborators: Interested in collaborating with us on the Minneapolis real estate investor podcast? Book a free consultation to discuss.
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Secrets of Property Management

    Secrets of Property Management
    Oct 18 2024

    Learning how to correctly manage properties is a critical skill for landlords.

    This class is Module 5 of 46 in a series called Real Estate Investing Secrets.

    Topics covered in this module include:

    • What should you be doing to document the condition of the property before the next tenant takes possession?
    • The one free thing that few landlords do that could save you thousands of dollars from an unscrupulous tenant.
    • What is the risk-reduction significance of having matching photos of before and after?
    • What reminders should you be sending the incoming tenant before they start renting your property?
    • What is the best practice for how do you deal with a tenant moving in mid-month?
    • What’s the one critically important thing we must do with the security deposit and first month’s rent we collect from the tenant?
    • What day should the new tenant’s utilities start?
    • What else do we give tenants prior to moving in that we expect them to have done prior to move-in?
    • A little management trick you can use that gives us a break the morning the tenant’s moving in.
    • What should you lease say about the move-in inspection form to significantly reduce your risk?
    • What does a move-in inspection form look like? And, what should it say?
    • What obligations does the tenant have to you… as the landlord the first week moving into the property? What do you do if they fail to provide it to you after 5 days?
    • How do we address pest control issues with a property a tenant has just moved into?
    • What’s one thing we insist tenants do in the lease and require they provide proof of when they move in?
    • What should you be doing for the tenant in the first month? And, why do some landlords prefer to do this every month?
    • What’s one little reminder for the tenant that can save you thousands in repair costs?
    • When should you inspect a property? How do you deal with lease violations if you discover them?
    • What should you be doing 90-120 days prior to the current lease expiration date?
    • How do you differentiate between renewal rent rates and fair market rents? And, how do you deal with this discrepancy?
    • What should you be doing 60-90 days prior to the current lease expiration date?
    • See an example of a lease extension, why I personally recommend not using one and what to do instead.
    • What do you do if the current tenant is not renewing their lease?
    • An example of a move-out checklist? What should you include in yours?
    • What should be the very first thing you do when taking possession of the property from a tenant at the end of their lease?
    • What must you do to avoid having to pay a tenant 3 times their security deposit?
    • What should you have in every tenant file?
    • Plus much more...

    Check out the video and additional resources related to Secrets of Property Management.


    Free Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet: Download a copy of the newest version of The World's Greatest Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet™ by going to:

    https://RealEstateFinancialPlanner.com/spreadsheet

    Improve Cash Flow: Book a consultation to improve cash flow using our proprietary 88 cash flow improving strategies.

    Real Estate Agent & Lender Collaborators: Interested in collaborating with us on the Minneapolis real estate investor podcast? Book a free consultation to discuss.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr
  • Secrets of Tenant Screening

    Secrets of Tenant Screening
    Oct 11 2024
    Tenant screeing... an important, but often overlooked skill. If you're going to manage properties yourself in Minneapolis, you're going to need to know how to screen tenants. This class is Module 4 of 46 in a series called Real Estate Investing Secrets. Topics covered in this module include: What are the 5 steps in the property management process?What 10 things should you always check—and why—when preparing a property to rent?The Tenant Screening Process... in 5 easy steps.How to think about renting your property to get in the right mindset.Why you should be deliberately charitable... if you choose to be charitable... outside your rental property business.How does the initial call with your prospective tenants set the tone for your entire relationship?How to define the landlord-tenant relationship.What is it important to answer your phone when marketing to find tenants and what this says about how your tenants are likely to respond to you as a landlord.Why is it critically important to screen tenants on the first call and to not meet unqualified prospective tenants at your property?The magic words for getting a tenant to open up to you on the phone with your questions.What are the 10 critical initial screening questions to ask tenants on the phone before scheduling a time to meet them at the property?What are the different ways to show tenants your property?How should you prepare for showing the property to prospective tenants and why the first thing is critically important if you want to be paid on-time from your tenants?How to show the property to your tenants... and the one thing at the showing that will clearly demonstrate to you how your tenants are likely to take care of your property.The counter-intuitive secret to following up with tenants after showings...How to collect an application from tenants... especially if you’re not going to pay for a web-based service.What must you require from your applicants to be able to process their application... and how to deal with a tenant not having everything.The critical things you need to double check as you accept the application to process... and what to do if the tenant comes up short.Who provides an application and application fee... and why?How to get tenants to only apply to your property when considering other properties.The critical things you must get from your tenant—beyond security deposits and first month’s rent—to help protect you and help ensure you get paid.How do you deal with a tenant that provides incorrect (false) information on an application?How do you get an application and paperwork to use for your rental business?The one thing you need to do to avoid hefty fines, lawsuits and possible jail time.A surprising perspective on something that affects over 65 million Americans, but could open you up to liability, lawsuits, and possible jail time... and how you should properly deal with it.Tips and best practices for working with disabled applicants, service animals, emotional support animals and more.A powerful, inexpensive strategy to uncover bad apple tenants before you rent to them.Example application evaluation criteria and why it is critically important to use written, objective criteria when approving an applicant.A sneaky little way to get an informal co-signor on your tenants voluntarily to increase the odds of you getting paid if your tenant is unable to pay.Examples of common application criteria overrides and how you might handle them... and one that I’d encourage you to make an automatic disqualification.An example reservation deposit agreement, how to use it and when to use it.How do you notify tenants when they’re approved? When they’re not approved? When MUST you—by law—send them a letter telling them they’re not approved?How do you deal with tenant screening on a property you’re buying with an existing tenant?Plus much more... Check out the video and additional resources related to Secrets of Tenant Screening. Free Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet: Download a copy of the newest version of The World's Greatest Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet™ by going to:https://RealEstateFinancialPlanner.com/spreadsheetImprove Cash Flow: Book a consultation to improve cash flow using our proprietary 88 cash flow improving strategies.Real Estate Agent & Lender Collaborators: Interested in collaborating with us on the Minneapolis real estate investor podcast? Book a free consultation to discuss.
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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • Secrets to Marketing to Find Tenants

    Secrets to Marketing to Find Tenants
    Oct 4 2024

    If you're going to manage properties yourself in Minneapolis, you're going to need to know how to do the marketing to find tenants.

    This class is Module 3 of 46 in a series called Real Estate Investing Secrets.

    Topics covered in this module include:

    • The 6 “Property Management Mastery” modules included with this course.
    • How to change your thinking about renting a property to a tenant that can improve your marketing and tenant screening.
    • How early should you start marketing your property for rent? Why start then? What are the advantages? And, what must you do if you cannot start then?
    • A Comprehensive Tenant Marketing Plan
    • How do you deal with marketing for a tenant when purchasing a property to rent immediately?
    • What are Fair Housing laws and why are they critically important for you to understand and follow them as a landlord?
    • Do you need to do all the marketing we suggest? What if you could only do 1 thing? 2 things? 3 things? Includes a discussion of the Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule).
    • The top marketing sites for marketing your property for rent.
    • To syndicate or not? A brief discussion.
    • The importance of spying on your competitors and what specifically to look for and how to utilize what you discover.
    • What to include in your ad? And, how to think about your marketing.
    • Why hiring a professional photographer… even if you have an amazing camera on your phone… is strongly encouraged and the unexpected reasons behind this suggestion. Examples of amateur versus professional photos.
    • How to increase the quantity of your tenant leads. How to increase the quality of your leads. When to use each strategy in your business.
    • What’s one thing you need to include in your ad and understand for each step in your tenant screening process?
    • How to utilize yard signs and directional signs to generate tenant leads.
    • What should you use YouTube for when marketing for tenants? And, how to do it.
    • What should you do with flyers for your rentals?
    • How to use postcards to neighbors and when do we typically use them when marketing properties?
    • How do we suggest using Facebook for marketing your properties?
    • A method to market your property that may or may not be available in your market, but why you should use it if it is available.
    • What are the rare circumstances where we’d utilize Open Houses to fill rental vacancies?
    • When should you create, maintain and use a Buyer’s List when marketing properties?
    • Plus much more...

    Check out the video and additional resources related to Secrets to Marketing to Find Tenants.


    Free Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet: Download a copy of the newest version of The World's Greatest Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet™ by going to:

    https://RealEstateFinancialPlanner.com/spreadsheet

    Improve Cash Flow: Book a consultation to improve cash flow using our proprietary 88 cash flow improving strategies.

    Real Estate Agent & Lender Collaborators: Interested in collaborating with us on the Minneapolis real estate investor podcast? Book a free consultation to discuss.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Secret Market Stats

    Secret Market Stats
    Sep 27 2024
    Having a solid understanding of historical market stats is important for investing in real estate in Minneapolis. This class is Module 2 of 46 in a series called Real Estate Investing Secrets. Topics covered in this module include: Should you try to “time the market” using data to increase profitability?How much are properties selling for? Do property values always go up? How much have properties gone up per year since 1965? What would your annual ROI be on a property using that appreciation rate if you put 20% down as an investor or 5% down as a Nomad™ or house hacker?If we adjust for inflation, how much have properties goes up in value per year? Why is this not a truly apples to apples comparison and what can we do about it?What would a typical owner-occupant primary residence rent for? How has that changed since 1975? What is the rent equivalent appreciation rate over that period? And, why is that not a fair and valid comparison?What’s one measure of housing affordability? And, does it prove houses are less affordable today than they were between now and 1980?What are new construction properties selling for? How has that changed since 1960?How many new single-family homes are for sale in the US now and going back to 1960? How many have sold? What can we determine from this?What’s a stat that combines both the supply of properties for sale and the demand for properties into one powerful single number? How do we interpret that stat? How has it changed between 1960 and now?How many properties are occupied by owner-occupants? How many by rents? How has this number changed between now and 2000?What percentage of properties are vacant and for sale? What percentage are vacant and for rent? How has this number changed between 1960 and today? How does this relate to your estimated vacancy rate on my personal rental properties?What have 30-year fixed rate mortgage interest rates done between 1960 and today? How does that impact you as investor today? Why is this a perfect example of desirably asymetric risk and how to utilize it as a real estate investor?What have typical mortgage origination fees and discount points been since 1960 through recent times? How does this directly impact you as a real estate investor today?What percentage of households in the US are homeowners? How has that changed since 1960 through today? What does that mean for us as real estate investor landlords?What is the median household income in the US—adjusted for inflation? And, how has that changed since 1980?What percentage of household disposable income is spent on debt service and, separately, how much is spent on mortgage debt? How to think about this? How does this strongly play into favor for real estate investors that hold properties and mortgages for long periods of time?How much equity do US households have? What percentage of property do they have as equity and how has that changed since the 1950s. Can we see as our nation’s philosophy on housing debt has changed over the last 70+ years? What is our current position on property equity?How have home prices changed (adjusting for inflation and not)? How often have property values declined year-over-year? How frequently—and by how much—have property values increased? What lessons can we—as real estate investors—take away from that to help us make better decisions?A discussion of a great chart by John Wake showing how the amount you can borrow while keeping a $1,000 per month mortgage payment changes with interest rates over time.How does the cash price, the inflation adjusted cash price and the monthly mortgage payment price of a property compare to a property in 1990 for all months through 2024? What lessons—as real estate investors—can we draw from this to make better investment decisions?How has per capita (per person) personal income in the US changed from 1990 through 2022?How many single family homes and apartments (5+ units) have we been completing each month since the mid 1960s through today? Why might this be a really good early signal depending on your desired real estate investing strategy?How many houses are completed by region of the US?What is a great way to measure how swiftly a real estate market is moving? What’s normal? What do we see every year? What do we see over time?How many times is a typical house marketed for sale shown? How has that changed over time? What are we seeing now?How have rents been changing? What is normal? What are we seeing lately? How does rent impact cash flow and why is this to our significant advantage as real estate investors?Plus much more... Check out the video and additional resources related to Secret Market Stats. Free Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet: Download a copy of the newest version of The World's Greatest Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet™ by going to:https://RealEstateFinancialPlanner.com/spreadsheetImprove Cash Flow: Book a consultation to improve cash flow using our proprietary...
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    1 hr and 26 mins
  • Secrets of the 7 Ways to Invest in Real Estate

    Secrets of the 7 Ways to Invest in Real Estate
    Sep 20 2024

    Having a deep understanding of the 7 key real estate investing strategies is critically important for your success as a real estate investor in Minneapolis.

    This class is Module 1 of 46 in a series called Real Estate Investing Secrets.

    Topics covered in this module include:

    • The 7 ways to invest in real estate… plus 2 more bonus strategies that we don’t cover
    • Which strategies are great for investing with little or no down payment?
    • Which strategies are great for generating immediate money in your pocket?
    • Which strategies require you to find less-than-common deals in many real estate markets?
    • Why real estate investing is usually get rich slow and what to do about it in the meantime?
    • A special technique—that can be applied to just about all the strategies—that will allow you to overcome just about any deficiency or weakness you’re currently experiencing in your current real estate business— deals, people to run the projects, down payments or financing ability
    • The 6 ways we primary categorize and group real estate investing strategies
    • Plus, the 12 additional—some would argue even more important—ways we categorize, group and organize real estate investing strategies
    • What are the 8 ways we finance real estate strategies when buying? And, how does that change when we sell properties?
    • How a story about an alligator in the sewers of NYC helps us understand where to find our most interesting real estate deals?
    • What are all the different channels (sources) of real estate deals for all of our strategies?
    • What’s the difference between actively and passively holding real estate?
    • What are the top channels for exiting real estate deals? Which do we hope to never use?
    • Plus much more...

    Check out the video and additional resources related to Secrets of the 7 Ways to Invest in Real Estate.


    Free Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet: Download a copy of the newest version of The World's Greatest Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet™ by going to:

    https://RealEstateFinancialPlanner.com/spreadsheet

    Improve Cash Flow: Book a consultation to improve cash flow using our proprietary 88 cash flow improving strategies.

    Real Estate Agent & Lender Collaborators: Interested in collaborating with us on the Minneapolis real estate investor podcast? Book a free consultation to discuss.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 21 mins
  • Warning - Risks of Missed Inspection Issues When Investing in Real Estate

    Warning - Risks of Missed Inspection Issues When Investing in Real Estate
    Sep 13 2024

    There's a risk to just about everything in life... including investing in real estate.

    One risk that some real estate investors fear is the risk of buying a property having missed important, expensive issues with the property during the inspection period.

    In this class, James will discuss the risk of investing in real estate and specficially the risks associated with missing things on inspection.

    Topics covered in this class include:

    • The 3 primary ways to limit your exposure during the inspection period when buying a property
    • How to hire a quality home inspector
    • What your typical recourse is on a home inspector missing something on an inspection
    • One little thing you can and should do on every property purchase—especially for new real estate investors
    • When a home inspector is not enough and what to do about it
    • The one thing most real estate investors—especially experienced investors forget to do—that could save them money and headaches later related to the inspection report
    • A special tip if you negotiate a seller to complete repairs based on what you find during your inspection that could prevent a catastrophe
    • A list of the most common inspection issues you’re likely to run into if you buy enough properties
    • A secret about seller property disclosures that few people—even real estate professionals—know about that could prevent you from making a very costly mistake
    • How to use your inspection and seller property disclosures to better plan for your capital expenses combined with the downloadable CapEx Estimator for Rental Property - Basic and the CapEx Estimator for Rental Property - Advanced
    • Why you should always walk the property right before closing
    • And what can you do if you missed something on inspection?
    • Plus much more...

    Free Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet: Download a copy of the newest version of The World's Greatest Real Estate Deal Analysis Spreadsheet™ by going to:

    https://RealEstateFinancialPlanner.com/spreadsheet

    Improve Cash Flow: Book a consultation to improve cash flow using our proprietary 88 cash flow improving strategies.

    Real Estate Agent & Lender Collaborators: Interested in collaborating with us on the Minneapolis real estate investor podcast? Book a free consultation to discuss.
    Show More Show Less
    35 mins