THE RISKS INVOLVED WITH REAL ESTATE

THE RISKS INVOLVED WITH REAL ESTATE

Posted on January 18, 2015 by REDDOG Advertising & Marketing Strategies
My Property Coach
Author - Antonio Sawlwin  - Santolo

All things to do with making money carry with them some degree of risk.

The same holds true with real estate investing.

Despite the promise of high rewards you should be aware that plenty of people loose substantial amounts investing in Real Estate, just as people lose money investing in the share market or on the currency markets.

Unfortunately there are occasions when peoples ambitions do not match with the reality of the risks involved and the potential losses can even be just as high as the potential rewards.

For this reason you need to take every possible precaution in order to insure that you minimise your exposure to risk and whenever possible are prepared, financially for a worst case scenario. You need to also be in a position with your thoughts that mentally and for peace of mind you learn understand the risks involved and be in a position to manage the consequences of those risks if the time comes.

It Wont Happen To Me

Unfortunately, most people will have the “it won’t happen to me mentality” and often it is these people who make critical mistakes that can’t be recovered from. Whilst you may be a good money manager and budgeter you cannot control what other people do. What if your tenants are always late paying the rent, what if the areas suffers a natural disaster and property prices plummet. No matter how much you plan these things are generally out of your control.

What Are The Risks Involved

The most obvious risk when it comes to real estate investing is the immediate risk of losing money, your assets and your equity that you’ve built up in other assets.

A mistake for a couple in their 50’s can be a huge blow to their lifestyle, not only know but in their retirement as well.

Depending on on how large your investment was to begin with and how much other debt you carry but the worst thing that can happen during the course of a real estate investment gone wrong is finding yourself in a position of little control with banks and creditors deciding your fate.

While I’m certainly not trying to talk you out of investing in real estate all together it is a good idea to have a realistic view of the risks and the potential rewards.

Obviously the main risk you need to think about are your income and how secure this is, the possibility of tenants not paying rent or damaging the property and what if you cant find a tenant for an extended period?

Then there is the risk of making the wrong investment decisions, unfortunately this is a lot more common than people realise. Picture mum and dad living in the suburbs, over the past 10 -15 years they have been paying off their home and at the same time the property has grown in value providing equity to use for investment purposes.

They discuss investing and decide Real Estate is the safest and most common way to build wealth and therefore look at purchasing an investment property. They buy the paper and begin looking through the masses of real estate listings – this is where the trouble begins, very often people will choose an area close to their own home to invest in, after all they have done very well over the last 10 -15 years and they can also keep an eye on the property.
The problem is the area may have been a good buy 10 years ago but the growth may have already occurred. Remember there needs to be a growth driver ie, new jobs, new transport corridors, urban sprawl etc.

The second problem is that buying a property for investment purposes is a far different criteria than purchasing a home to live in. After all you are investing in an asset to make money, not to admire the gardens. As an example the tax benefits alone can be as much as $20,000 per annum different when comparing an old property with a new property.

The appliances you have can also have a large effect on the outcome ie, ducted air conditioning compared to a split system.

Another risk common to real estate investing is the fact that stuff happens. Market trends tumble, companies go out of business leaving towns and the local real estate market in shambles, accidents happen during the course of the work, natural disasters occur, and buyers change their minds and pull out at the last minute. Each of these things can have devastating consequences and are almost always events that are completely beyond your control as a real estate investor.

If that wasn't enough many investors fail to have a proper inspections conducted and find out when it is really too late that there are serious structural problems and other sorts of things wrong with the property.

These things cost money to repair and cut into profits, occasionally resulting in a loss. The thing is that once you find out something is wrong with the property you are honor bound to either reveal the problem to potential buyers or fix the problems before selling the house.

Do not allow the risks of real estate investing prevent you from taking the plunge.

They are spelled out here to remind you that prudence and caution are wise when investing in real estate not to talk you out of this potentially lucrative field of investing. If you are interested in real estate investing there is no reason on earth you shouldn’t take the time and make the effort to learn more about its potential.

Be A Little More Savvy

A savvy investor will look at property just as any other investment, first and foremost the figures need to stack up, do not ever purchase potential is a good rule of thumb – remember if the the current owner is asking a higher price as the property has potential and you agree to pay a premium on the potential you may be in fact giving away the benefit and return of that potential from day one if and when it eventuates.

Accept the fact you may have to purchase in an area that you do not know or may be purchasing a property that would not suit your requirements as a home. These are all emotional ties and just as you would not question the location of BHP’s smelters if you had shares you can not let your emotions or fear stop you from looking at the best investment option rather than what makes you feel more comfortable, sure you don’t want to be in a state of constant fear either.

Accept The Risk

There’s an old saying in business that if you are Going To Be In The Business- Then Be In The Business, as an example a shop owner who only half fills their store will soon realise that an empty store does not make a conducive buying environment. So saving money by only holding half a shop of stock is in fact a poor decision.
With Real Estate the business has risks, just like any other business, as mentioned previously some of these things may be out of your control.

So what is the answer?

You need to assume that the risks involved are going to happen and not might happen and therefore you need to have contingencies in place. You also need specialist help in setting up your finance structures to minimise your exposure and a professional adviser to work out the what if strategies.

Most people would consult advisors before spending over $300,000 on the sharemarket – property is no different

Exposing the risks of Real Estate investing and understanding how the majority of people make mistakes is not meant to put you off investing, in fact armed with the understanding that you are not an investment expert this will help you make that decision to obtain independent advice prior to investing.

Just like most things we undertake – Failing To Plan is Planning To Fail

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Will we see then end of waiters and people serving behind counters in convenience stores etc?

Substituting technology for real-life waiters is not as far-off and futuristic as one may think. For all the skeptics out there, read the cleverly-headlined and profusely-shared “Hi, I’m a Tablet. I’ll Be Your Waiter Tonight.” article published in The New York Times recently. The piece asserts that “restaurants have been late to the tech party, and many are now scrambling to incorporate tablets, apps, computerized kitchen equipment and data analysis capabilities.” In other words, restaurants are being transformed by technology, and not just when it comes to waiting tables.Diners are definitely on board with this. Granted, some bemoan the loss of the human connection—one Reddit user commented, “If a restaurant I go to got rid of waiters, I’d stop going.” However, a survey by the National Restaurant Association found that more than 50% of consumers said that “they would use tableside electronic payment options,” and 44% indicated they would use tablet menus.

The customer is always…happy?

Several platforms have sprung up to provide this new technology, including Revel, Ziosk, and Tanjarine, the last of which links tableside ordering, entertainment, and pay-at-the-table service with server handheld devices. Restaurants that use these platforms report increased profits, more inventory turnover, and heightened levels of customer satisfaction.

We suspect that this is just the beginning: Consumer demand for instant, friction-free service in all aspects of their lives is only increasing. And now that apps like Uber are already providing that kind of service the second diners step out of a restaurant, they’ll surely want it inside as well. Besides, restaurants will probably realize the value in forming an association between themselves and these popular new tech platforms.

It’s the restaurant revolution

With waitering service covered and taking off, the next logical step would be integrating technology into more aspects of the dining experience. As a mobile app-creation platform that currently enables thousands of restaurants to connect and engage with their customers via customized mobile apps, that next step is something we at Como have been thinking about a lot.

As things stand now, these customized apps let restaurants post daily updated menus to reflect daily specials. Users can make reservations through OpenTable and Urbanspoon. App users on both ends can integrate with GrubHub, Seamless, and Eat24. But with the anticipated development of technology in the restaurant realm, we expect a lot more things to improve for the customer before, during, and after the dining experience.

Before:
We expect that customers will soon be able to use a restaurant’s app on their phone to send their order to their table’s tablet before they even get to the restaurant. Diners may even be able to order their favorite dish to show up at their table precisely at 8:15 p.m.

During:
Alternatively, diners could change their order, confirm it, and send it to the kitchen once they sit down. Consider the efficiency this would bring to the restaurant, and more importantly, the high levels of satisfaction it would bring to customers. We all know how frustrating it can be to try and find a waiter when a restaurant gets really busy.

After:
Restaurant owners could track and monitor data such as individual customer behavior, menu choices, time spent at each table, and more. After the diners leave, a restaurant’s app could keep a record of what they enjoyed. That data would let restaurant owners offer them a discount on that dish the next time, recommend suggestions based on their culinary preferences, offer a coupon, or survey them on potential new menu items.

Puttanesca with a side of data

The development of customized apps has always meant that restaurants are as much in the data business as they are in the food business. Now more than ever before, restaurants need to think about the many ways they can “serve” this data that’s available to them back to their customers.

For example, those counting calories could be notified about the calories they consumed during their meals. In turn, this data can be integrated into fitness and wellness services within an app—like Nutrisystem’s recent Numi launch. Taking this a step further, users can be told how many calories they need to burn based on what they just ate, and how long different workouts will take to achieve that.

We’ve come a long way from the time when restaurant owners—and other small business owners—wondered why they would ever need a mobile app. Of course, there will always be skeptics. New technology always provokes that reaction; there’s probably still some people out there grumbling about the birth of the Internet. But—while there’s obviously no guarantees— this particular change looks like it could be beneficial for everyone involved.

How About 54% More Leads?

Fast fact:  Practicing inbound marketing results in 54% more leads than outbound marketing, according to HubSpot. But what exactly is inbound marketing, and how does it differ from the way most small businesses market themselves?

If you’ve ever been to one of those networking events where small business owners mingle and make contacts, you’ll probably know this guy: the “pusher.” The pusher shoves his business card in your hand, makes idle small talk that somehow revolves entirely about him, and disappears only when he detects a new victim he can push his card to.

Luckily, this type of event also happens to be the natural habitat of the “puller,” the one who earns your attention by taking an actual interest in your business. She offers tips and advice to overcome your challenges, and volunteers to send you some useful info if you give her your email address.

Those two characters, ladies and gentlemen, are the best examples of outbound marketing and inbound marketing. The first refers to traditional marketing that’s based on pushing and “interrupting” consumers via cold calling, flyers, and emails (as well as billboards and TV/radio spots for big companies). Problem is, studies show that consumers are becoming more and more resilient to that type of marketing: They throw away flyers, ignore mails, and even worse, don’t even see banners anymore, let alone click them.

So what does affect consumers these days? Well, according to a study published last year, 81% of customers go online and read before they make purchases. That’s where inbound marketing comes into play.

Inbound is all about pulling (instead of pushing) current and prospective customers with valuable online content they are already on the lookout for. This content could be text-based like a blog post, or visual like a video or infographic. The basic goals you’ll want to keep in mind are providing quality info to the consumer and finding the right way to connect to your product through that content.

For example, when you think about marketing ideas for restaurants, coupons and print ads usually come to mind. But why not use the best types of content these businesses can offer? For instance, recipes are some of the most popular online attractions, so it’s only natural for a restaurant owner to open a blog with unique recipes—and then use that blog to encourage readers to visit their restaurant. A beauty salon owner, on the other hand, can easily create helpful videos that teach viewers how to create certain hairstyles. That way, when a potential customer searches online for a specific look, they are more likely to discover the video star’s beauty salon—especially if the video is particularly popular.

Of course, if you have a mobile app, inbound marketing is a great way to get people to download it. When consumers read your useful content and then want to stay in touch, it can help to suggest that they download your app to access even more quality content. You can also add content channels like a newsfeed, Facebook, and Instagram to practice inbound marketing within your app.

Now that you understand the value and meaning of inbound marketing, here are eight simple steps you can take to start off on the right foot:

  DEFINE 
As many successful entrepreneurs will tell you, the key to success in life starts with defining what you want to achieve. Answer the following questions:

• “What is my goal? Do I want to raise sales, get more app downloads, or get more reviews?”
• “Who is my target audience? What are their age, gender, and hobbies?”
• “What types of content are they looking for online? What content will bring them actual value?”
• “What sort of content can I provide to offer that information to them? Should I write a guide, shoot a short video, or publish a blog post?”

Have a pen handy? Go ahead and write your answers to all those questions now!

  CREATEOnce you’ve defined your goals, your audience, and the topics they’ll be interested in, you can start producing valuable content! A great way to start is by creating your own blog, as blogs are often considered to be at the heart of inbound marketing. You may want to use WordPress, a free do-it-yourself tool that allows you to create a blog, embed it in your existing website, and even get stats and data about your blog readers. If you don’t feel you have the skills to pull off strong written content, consider alternatives that show your expertise, such as instructional videos and product reviews.

  SHOWIf you choose blogging as a core part of your inbound strategy, keep in mind that too much text could become tiresome for the average consumer. Use interesting and relevant images to spice up your post and make it much more attractive. If you’re a good photographer, you can use images you took yourself, but you can also use free images from sites like Wikimedia Commons (just remember to give credit where needed).

  CONNECTOne of the biggest challenges businesses face is not creating the inbound content itself, but figuring out how to convert readers into paying customers. The key is offering an effective call to action (CTA)—that short sentence that directs your readers to click, sign up, purchase, or otherwise act on the content they’ve just read. To make your CTA successful, keep these two factors in mind:

• Style: Your CTA should be actionable and answer the consumer’s eternal question: “What’s in it for me?” For instance, if you’re writing a product review and your goal is to increase your app downloads, you could end with a message like, “For more professional product reviews that save you time and money, click and download our app,” followed by a hyperlink.

• Position: Your CTA should be placed in a logical place within your content. For example, let’s take a health food shop owner who set out to increase orders through his website. He decides to write a post about the best types of food for energy throughout the day, including relevant products from his shop. At the end of the post, after reviewing the products, it’s only natural for him to close with, “For all the products listed here and many more that’ll give you an energy boost, click here.”

  SPREAD
Now that you’ve created your content, your major mission is to spread it to your customers.Remember your social media channels? Now is the perfect time to post your content on Facebook and Twitter. Not only will you reach your fans directly, but you’ll also supply them with valuable information they long for, the stuff social media marketing gold is made off. Make sure to ask your fans to share the content posted in your updates and tweets.

Got a newsletter or a mailing list? Take this opportunity to grab your customers’ interest by offering them useful content in their inboxes!

  NURTUREInbound marketing is a lot like parenting: It takes time, care, and learning from mistakes to make the best of it. Just like a parent wouldn’t expect their child to start running in their first month, you shouldn’t expect to see significant results immediately. Sure, some of the customers will click your CTA, but most customers will come, read, and go—and that’s OK. Inbound marketing is about creating long-term relationships. Even if they haven’t bought your product on their first visit, if they now know you supply quality content, ultimately they will be more inclined to read your next piece. Provide useful content, and you are bound to see the results on your platform’s statistics page.

  PERSISTInstead of getting discouraged if the statistics say certain types of content do not click with your customers, take it as a learning experience and continue to experiment. Choose a different topic, place the images in another location, or make subtle changes in the CTA. In the end, you’ll find the perfect formula that suits your clients.

  COMBINEInbound marketing is an amazing tool, but that doesn’t mean you should rely solely on it. Instead, combine outbound and inbound techniques to create a killer strategy that customers won’t be able to resist. For instance, send an email with a free how-to blog post and a promotional discount to help drive sales. The key is to always offer actual value and then top it off with a tempting promotion.

If the past couple of years are any indication (and I think they are), inbound is only going to become a more powerful force in online marketing—increasing profits, boosting app downloads, and creating customer relationships. For those businesses still living in the outbound-dominated past, now is the time to start using inbound techniques to better reach customers.

What are your inbound marketing tips? Share them—or any questions—in the comments below

Small Business Failure Post GFC

Ever notice how some small businesses seem to thrive under just about any economic conditions, while others constantly struggle and miss opportunities that come their way?

 In part, in might be the type of business, the location, or financial backing.

 But the most successful business owners display some clear patterns and habits.

When struggling entreprenauers were analyzed there were some findings that occurred regularly , there was a period or point in time when a decision was made or not made early enough that started a rapid spiral down in both motivation and more importantly resouces. Trying to make money in business is hard enough, never mind havng to take a large portion of profit out to pay off previous liabilities.

You see profit is the blood flow over every business, not enough and certain areas start starving for resources and ultimately hinder future performance.

Now most people would consider a business failure to be the cause of a misguided enthusiasm coupled with a poorly researched and planned idea. Interstingly, the data does not confirm this, in fact quite the opposite.
Yes, there are many people who have a dream to buy or own a business. Now who wouldn't want that, you're your own person, no one to answer to, you are top dog in the workplace and you'll need a wheelbarrow every Saturday to get all that moolah into the sagging boot of your car.

However, whilst it is correct that the majority of new start up ventures will never gain traction and will swindle down to nothing or the business owner just accepts his fate and takes his medicine, usually a bankruptcy, and a fight to keep hold of that family property you assured everyone would be fine.

No business failure is nice and no real entrepreneur will go through life without there fair share of failure and most who make it the top of the hill can tell the war stories they encountered on the way, as we all know it is tough, emotionally you are up and down like a yoyo and i'm yet to meet a small business owner who hasn't spent at least the occasional evening laying in bed with tired eyes but a head running around like a dog in the butchers shop. Things like "how can i pay that supplier tomorrow, I hope he comes after lunch etc.

Of course for every 8-9 failures , these are usually an result of 1 or  combination of 3 things.

1) WOW Factor - Geez, we thought it would popular but wow. Right time, right product, right place.

2) Deep Pockets,  Now if you can afford to pay the shop rent for a year or so even if no one walked in the door well that turns the tables, it becomes not so much as struggling to get a business to a critical mass point it is more on making sure you do not do anything to harm what is coming or will come in time.

3) The Grafter, these are the people who personally I really admire, not so much as they're the hardest workers, infact that flies in face ove basic management principle, My admiration is based on their tenacity to not give up and if that means working 20 hours a day to break even then so be it, to these people failure is not an option.

The area I want to discuss, is those small businesses that found growth, albeit at a steady consist level, they had operated for for between 2-3 years and began to become a brand rather than just a restaurant or shop.. This could be the couple who took over a restaurant, built it to a sustainable level and even started to leverage by expansion.

This is the point where I think that a lot of potential gold mines die a unfulfilled death, now lets go back to the start, the couple obviously had some skills and obviously people wanted what they were offering. So whst goes wrong.

Well with leverage, every up side has a down side so and just like the sharemarket, the more leveraged you with debt to asset ratios then the more vulnerable to market fluctuations. Cashfow id king in business so if you're not paying bills on time, never mind bein profitable your on a long hising to nothing.

1) Firtstly, without enoogh cash flow the only survival mode is contraction. If a business cant pay for the things it uses to operate on time, then how can you increase that risk by doubling order volumes. and attempt to increase revenue, improve margins and focus on eliminating areas that could e detrimental


other business owners make many of the same mistakes that are often avoidable, especially when it comes to growing a business. Part of the problem is short-term thinking – chasing the latest shiny advertising object that happens to pass by, for example. Or spending too much time seeking new customers and not enough taking care of the ones you have.
Solid, long-term growth starts with what I call “inside-out” thinking – doing the things inside your business that you can control, and paying less attention to the outside things you can’t control.
Here are 10 such “inside out” secrets for successful growth.
 1. Change how you think about growth
Consider growth a constant – not something you switch on or off depending on conditions. For example, many business owners reduce offerings at the first sign of an economic storm, or overspend when the outlook seems rosy. But a steady-as-she-goes approach makes for long term success.
2. Check your ego; seek out sound advice
You know your business inside and out, but that doesn’t make you an expert at running every part of it. Smart business owners know what they don’t know. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice and then take it.
3. Remember your first fans
Many entrepreneurs seem to forget who helped them get started. If you have investors, keep them apprised of what’s going on. Good communication is critical.  A good investor group can provide mentoring and other resources, so keep them involved.
4. Share your knowledge
In today’s social media driven world, success and influence are in the hands of those who share ideas and information. So when you’ve found a great tool or solution, or gained insight, tweet it, blog about it, author an article, post it to Facebook.
5. Hire help to watch your money
Lack of strong accounting and finance can be the only thing keeping you from reaching your financial goals. Find well qualified people who share your vision and then step back and take their advice.
6. Know when to persevere
Stick to your mission. Many would-be success stories end prematurely because they give up when challenges mount. Don’t let hurdles stop you. Arm yourself with market knowledge and an expert team and push through.
7. But recognize when to change direction
Still, there are times you may need to change direction or call it day, and having the courage to do so can be liberating. You may end up with a clearer picture of what will or won’t work.
8. Keep cash on hand
One of the biggest mistakes growing businesses make is to run out of cash. While the sun is still shining on your business or before your financial picture has a chance to turn sour, meet with lenders and/or landlords proactively to see if there are opportunities to restructure debt, payment terms, etc. Having cash on hand is critical for staying afloat and continuing to grow.
9. Get more when you have more
Don’t wait until cash balances get low to secure more funding. The best time to get more is when you don’t need it. Securing a line of credit while you still have money in the bank gives you the ability to negotiate a larger line and better terms. It also gives you the ability to make payroll during slow times and to have access to cash as needed. In addition, it gives you an opportunity to develop a business relationship with a bank.
10. Sell when you get the chance
Many business owners miss, or worse – pass up – incredible chances to sell their company because they are not prepared to adequately evaluate the opportunity. Know where you stand in the marketplace at all times. That includes what your potential is, and what it will take to reach your potential.  That way, when opportunity knocks, you’ll know

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Buyers looking for other finance options

Rent to own agreements have been given a bad reputation.

 A few bad landlords who got desperate people to agree to shady transactions made rent to own agreements look like dodgy real estate transactions.

 Today, however, with a shift in the lending market, and the challenging financial climate, rent to own agreements, also called lease options or lease purchase agreements, are returning as a mainstream home buying option.

Rent to own got a bad name for a variety of reasons.

Perhaps first and foremost, these agreements were only entered into by those with extremely poor credit. As a result, they generally ended poorly, with the transfer of property from one owner to another not being completed, but instead with an enormous amount of hassle for everyone involved. Today however, demographics with fair credit have looked to owner financing as a feasible alternative credit option. Both buyers and sellers have experienced significant benefits from these agreements.

The global economy and changes in lending policy in Australia, the United States, and Europe have forever altered many families' ability to get a mortgage. Those who have even small blemishes on their credit history, who have other large loans, or who are self employed may find it especially hard to acquire traditional home financing.

People are transferring from city to city searching for gainful employment, and lower cost of living. Those who wish to accrue interest in a property, who are not interested in renting, but are also not prepared to take out a mortgage with a traditional lender, are increasingly looking at homes with a rent to own option.

With housing prices near their all time high, one of the greatest struggles for those interested in home ownership is saving up a down payment. Banks require a minimum of five or ten percent, and as much as 20 percent down at the time of purchase. Saving this large a sum can limit most families' ability to buy for years.

With rent to buy options, there is no down payment required. Instead, renters agree to a rental period of one to two years, with the option to purchase the home at the agreed upon price at the end of the lease period. Then, each month, a portion of the rent is deducted from the agreed upon purchase price.

With Rent to Buy you basically agree to rent the property for an agreed period, usually 1 -2 years with an option to purchase the property for a price agreed upon today. Usually the seller will ask for an option fee that is taken off the purchase price if you proceed to purchase the property. Further a portion of the rent is usually also credited off the price of the property. These credits can then take the place of a traditional down payment when the buyer is in a position to take out a traditional mortgage on the property.

Generally, those who engage in a lease to purchase agreement get all the benefits of home ownership from the day they sign the lease, but understand that they will not truly own the property, or that the title will not transfer into their name, until they get a traditional mortgage for the purchase balance from a bank, or pay off the agreed purchase price in full.

Rent to own purchase options are a serious transaction, and should be entered into with sincerity. Talk to a lawyer when setting up a lease option to ensure that it is legally binding and written in a manner that is fair to both parties