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Last night I played coed softball and we were beaten badly.  The coed league is a lower level league and the emphasis is on fun and having a good time which certainly was true for me.I’m naturally competitive and when I take an objective look at the team the reason we lost is clear.  Almost every player on the team is out of shape and not prepared to play.  I mean no disrespect to the other players but looking at their physical condition the problem is evident. They are out of shape and their performance is a direct reflection.  At 38 I’m one of the older players and in the best condition of anyone on our team.  Because I am physically prepared to play I’m able to excel.

Some people might see that as a harsh or egotistical statement but it is simply a statement of fact.  Those who are prepared thoroughly do better than those who are not.

The same holds true for real estate investing.  Those that are prepared with knowledge and systems will excel as a real estate investor while others fail. The question becomes how prepared are you for investing in real estate?

If you are unprepared and buy houses without having an understanding of the market, conditions, and sound investing principles it only makes sense that your success is based more on chance than making a sound investing decision. You’re failure is expected!

This is critically important in today’s real estate investing world.  If you look at the investors that are making money you will see that they have a system in place and are doing the same successful things over and over.

Why.

Because in real estate investing the math is critical. If you are buying a rental property what is your return on investment? If you are flipping properties what are your buy and sell ratios? In other words what are wholesale buyers paying for a property and if something goes wrong are you certain you can move the property for less and still make a profit?

My ULTIMATE Real Estate Investing System will go a long way in helping you become a great investor that makes sound financial investments. It will analyze your deals, prepare all of the paperwork, and open you up to a world where real estate investing is easy and systematic.

If you are serious about investing be sure you have and use this system.
www.kickassrealestatesoftware.com

Author: Gerald Romine

It is Monday and I’m back from a wild business adventure in Aspen Colorado!

Imagine hanging out with some of the best businessman in the world to talk business then taking off for some White Water Rafting, Rock Climbing, Rappelling, Extreme 4 Wheeling and some pretty wild mountain biking. My body is beat up. (Later I‘ll tell you about the wasp attack I experienced when I stuck my hand in their nest while rock climbing)

Talking Real Estate With Frank McKinney (Gerald Romine - Black Hat)

Later this week I‘ll post some pics from the trip including my “Double Heisman” with a two time Superbowl winner!

I’m part of several mastermind groups that come together with one purpose in mind. Business! And while we may partake in some fun activities we take our meetings and education very seriously! Not only do we share ideas amongst ourselves, we bring in some of the finest businessmen in the world to help us with their experience and knowledge. All done in a small and intimate setting.

Frank McKinney – The Maverick Daredevil Artist

Graduating high school with a 1.8 GPA and digging sand traps by hand Frank is not the guy you would have picked as most likely to succeed.  After teaching tennis in Florida(Frank and I have teaching tennis in common) Frank realized the money was in real estate and became a RE investor back in 1986 and made $7,000 of his first fixer.

After playing in the fixer business for years he moved into the spec house business and has gone on to sell a 50 million dollar spec houses and currently has a 130 million dollar spec house for sale.  Talk about brass balls… they guy‘s got them because when you build a 130 million dollar spec house that means you don‘t have ANY buyer in mind.

The best part about our mastermind groups is the intimacy that can be found with 30 people. An informal setting. The ability to speak one on one with everybody. And sharing dinner, drinks, and conversations with like minded individuals and superstars like Frank McKinney.

The Key Points I Took From Frank McKinney:

1. Read the book: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
2. Frank controls the marketing of his properties.  He does not and will not delegate the marketing of his houses to anybody else. While his time is valuable on of the most important things he does is write the copy to sell his houses!
3. Be A Market Maker.  If Frank would not of believed in himself and believe what others said he would have never made it.
4. Don’t Live Between The Railroad Tracks.  You have to get out of your comfort zone. Things happen when you make them happen.
5. Be Overhead Adverse.  Funny coming from a guy that builds a 135 million dollar house be Frank is absolutely overhead adverse and constantly monitors expenses to make sure things stay in check.

My head is still buzzing from the last week! Luckily I survived the wasp attack and I’ll be sure to fill you in on what’s happening in the real estate investing world and why Frank McKinney and I are excited about the market and what’s coming.

Author: Gerald Romine

PS – Frank and I agree that the news media is full of BS and does not accurately reflect the market and what is really happening.  Frank hasn’t slowed down and you shouldn’t either!

A question I’m commonly asked is what effect does a short sale, deed in lieu of foreclosure, or foreclosure have on my credit and when can I buy another house?

Believe it or not a short sale, deed in lieu of foreclosure, and foreclosure all have roughly the same impact on your credit score. In other words your credit score is going to be hammered.

Most new loans are resold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and beginning August 1 Fannie Mae generally will not buy loans to borrowers involved in a short sale in the last two years. A deed in lieu of foreclosure is 4 years. A foreclosure is 5 years.

Although your credit score will be treated the same your ability to buy a house will vary greatly since most lenders sell their loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Why Do Short Sales Get The Best Treatment

Short sales are the preferential loss to lenders because it saves them the trouble of having to sell the house!

This is POWERFUL information because it gives owners an incentive to work with you for completing a short sale because they have a better chance of buying a home in two years instead of 5 years if the home is foreclosed on! And when you can complete short sale packages in minutes negotiating short sales because easy and routine.

Author: Gerald Romine

The news is filled with doom and gloom about real estate, real estate investing, and the economy.  Home values dropping. Foreclosures at record highs. Mortgage rate is up, etc.

If you read the news don’t believe the hype because contrary to popular belief we are in transition to a new economy, and you must choose whether to make the transition or to stand still. People are making money, big money right now.

Just last week a good friend of mine made over 30K on one little house deal. Here are his steps. 1) Bought REO. 2) Blow and Go (quick rehab normally 10K or less spent). 3) sell best property a little lower than comps(about 10-15K).  It’s quick and easy and the biggest catch is you might have to hold the property 90 days to meet lender’s seasoning requirements.

How To Make Money With Bad News In The Media

When you see a short article that serves your purpose (like the one below) send it to the lender with your short sale or REO offer.  Simply highlight the most important parts and let the article speak volumes for you.

In this case one paragraph talks about houses losing 25% of their value and that goes a long way to justify a low offer!

Author: Gerald Romine

Could you handle a 53 lb pack in the desert sun and hiking over 40 miles in 5 days? Now that’s what I call a vacation!

For those of you that don’t know me personally I’m going to give you an inside look at my personal life and my most recent vacation. There won’t be much on real estate investing but there will be plenty on having a winning attitude and living life to it’s fullest.

Ok, I’ll admit it… I’m an adrenalin junkie. I like pushing my body, have a huge sense of adventure, love the outdoors, and am still a big kid at heart. While others around me grow old it just takes somebody to say “I dare you” and my ears perk up. I refuse to stop having fun and am thankful that real estate gives me opportunities to see and experience the world.

It had been three years since I last hiked into Havasupai and I was really looking forward to having a family vacation. My Mother, brother(a throwback hippie but darn good contractor), Tiffany, and six year old son were all game for the trip. My 10 year old daughter was suppose to make the trip but let’s just say an ex-wife threw a wrench into those plans and it did not happen.

Havasupai is one of the most beautiful places in the world but admittedly it is in the middle of nowhere. You have to park at a dead end road then hike in 11 miles to a campground that has no amenities or even electricity.

How remote is Havasupai? Two miles from the campground is the town of Supai and even the mail comes in on a Mule Train. No kidding… it’s that remote. And I’m thankful because the remoteness makes it a truly special place visit and get away from the world. No electricity, no phones, no amenities unless you packed them in.

For those not as adventurous you can ride a mule or hitch a ride on a helicopter but our group was the tough and adventurous type. The cast included my Mom who’s 64 and she’s a tough old German. She started me in real estate many years ago and we’ve logged countless hours on projects when I used to be a rehabber. I’ve watched her work many men into the ground trying to keep up and I owe my work ethic and determination to Mom. My Mom and I have logged quite a few hikes together including Mt. Whitney which is the highest mountain in the continental United States(it’s 25.2 miles and we did it in one day with a full pack – she’s tough).

Then there’s my brother Mike. We could not be more different! He’s a throwback hippie and a lot more conservative. He works out of necessity and I work out of drive. As different as we are personally we get along great and he taught me more about the construction trade then I care to admit. In his younger days he cycled(10 speed with saddlebags) across the US as well as Europe so he’s pretty tough in his own right.

My son Adrio is 6 and the little guy was impressive. As a parent I teach real world practicality and I don’t believe in babying kids. Adrio had to haul in his own pack and it was 25% of his bodyweight. He had the vacation of his life and never complained even though I hike at a fast pace and rarely slow down. I was so proud as a Father of what he accomplished and the best gift was the self confidence he gained from the hiking and doing everything himself.

And last but not least was Tiffany making her first backpacking trip. She’s a trooper and her pack was 33% of her bodyweight which is A LOT. In her normal life she’s a girly girl who likes to look pretty and takes an hour to get ready for everything but being raised in Texas she’s used to hard work and loved backpacking even if she didn’t get to do her hair.

Hiking In

Wanting to beat the heat we started hiking in at Midnight which is the earliest we could start based on our permit. Most people will start the hike in the early morning or at daybreak but the desert heat is not something anyone should take lightly and having made this hike before I was confident this was the easiest way to get everyone in safely. And for a six year old nothing could be cooler than hiking in with a headlamp.

We made great time and reached the town of Supai in under 4 hours. Mom was a little dehydrated and not used to the heat but overall we were in good shape.

Once in the town of Supai you have to pick up and pay for your permits. At four in the morning I ran into the sister of the manager of the tourist office and she said they normally open around 5:00 AM so we decided to wait so I would not have to hike two more miles into the campground then come back for the permits.

At 8:00 AM the office was still not open and we were informed it would open in about an hour. Reservation time I guess. Tiffany and I decided to stay back and get the permits and the rest of the group hiked in ahead of us.

To Be Continued…

I would love to hear your comments on the article and feedback from the pictures!

A Few Pictures From the trip.

Author: Gerald Romine

Three weeks ago to the day my house was robbed in the middle of the day and I had to clean up the mess, deal with the insurance paperwork nightmare, and then deal with identity theft. I would have told you sooner but since I was going on vacation I didn’t mention anything because I did not want to advertise that my house was going to be vacant for a week. But I’m back and ready to rock and roll!

The Vacation:

I just came back from the vacation of a lifetime! My Mother, brother, son, girlfriend and I spent 4 nights and 5 days in Havasupai which is the scenic part of the Grand Canyon. We hiked over 40 miles in 6 days and my son, Adrio, was phenomenal because at 6 years old he was able to kick butt on the hikes, have a great time, and enjoy a once in a lifetime experience. I’ll share stories and pictures in the coming weeks.

For now I just wanted to let you know I’m back and there is so much happening in real estate and for real estate investors that I can’t wait to get you caught up with the market and tell you how to create massive profits from the opportunities being presented daily.

More to come…

Gerald Romine

FYI: But first I have to tackle getting a nasty virus off my main computer. I’m pretty tech savy but none of the normal software and tricks can shake this one. If you would like me to post some great freeware programs for AntiVirus and Anti Adware let me know by commenting in my blog.

- Mooney Falls in the Grand Canyon by Gerald Romine

Mooney Falls on the Havasu River -
Gerald Romine and Son Having Fun Showing The Big Guns

Beaver Falls on the Havasu River - By Gerald Romine

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

Opportunities abound and if you watch and believe the news you should go out and buy your cemetery plot and check in early.

Statistically the hardest hit areas are California, Florida, Nevada and Arizona where prices shot up during the housing boom and are now returning to reality. In these markets foreclosures, REOs, vacant new homes and other distressed properties lead the charge for great deals and falling values. Living in Arizona I know the reality of the markets very well!

A relatively new trend for REO properties offers huge opportunities for investors and homeowners; Many banks are setting the property prices extremely low to generate interest and create a multiple offer bidding wars. Houses that sold for $350,000 two and three years ago are going to market for $175,000.

“It’s not uncommon to have 10 to 20 offers on one house, and for the house to end up selling for more than its market price,” said Erin Attardi, a Sacramento Realtor. The strategy, she said, allows the bank to be selective, picking buyers with solid financing or those able to pay in cash.

Same goes for short sales. Many lenders are encouraging extremely low listing prices and in some areas buyers are getting frustrated because the low price attracts multiple buyers and a bidding war. Imagine wanting to buy a house in today’s market and being beat out by a higher offer in a bidding war. It’s happening every day!

For those who follow my writings you know I’ve long said we do not have a housing slump, the problem has been artificially created by making it very difficult for buyers to get loans. Once the financing is made available to the masses the markets will “bounce back” very quickly.

Note: Imagine being the new President and taking over the presidency then putting a program in place that returns financing to the masses where 95-100% loans were easy to obtain. The housing market would recover overnight and the President would be the hero for saving the economy. The housing market leads the American economy and when money is pumped into houses everyone benefits financially.

If you want to buy bargain properties the time is now! In a report by Fitch Ratings last month they stated lenders lose an average of 56% of a property’s value through auctions and 40% for ordinary sales. Huge losses for the lenders represent tremendous gains for real estate investors.

What You Should Do Right Now!

Take action. Find a realtor or resource so you can pull up the lowest cost 3 bedroom 2 bath homes in your area with over $1,000 square feet. Determine the market rent (easy for most realtors). Now compare the PITI payment of a 30 year fixed loan to the market rent. This will tell you two very important facts about the market and what you should do.

Can you tell name the two important facts? Why is this important? COMMENT BELOW.

Author: Gerald Romine

If you are already actively buying and selling houses in the current market consider this message an update of what you are already experiencing in the market.

If you are NOT currently an active real estate investor you will find this message helpful to move you from thinking about taking action to improve your income and life…to actually taking action to do so.

**********************************************

First, I want to start off with a WARNING:

This is a warning that you could easily be locked out of possibly the biggest real estate buying opportunity ever due to sheer ignorance. The truth hurts and before you discredit those harsh words realize I am not trying to sell you anything.

Have the markets changed? Definitely.

Is it harder to get financing on properties? Absolutely.

Are investors making money? Yes… and lots of it. Are you???

Between my involvement in the market and the feedback I get from successful investors using the Ultimate Real Estate Investing System I have an understanding of what’s really happening in the markets like no other.

Now, I want to tell you about what’s really working in the real estate markets.

1) Short Sales: With record foreclosures and REO properties backing up the lenders are seeing the need to play ball and move short sales whenever possible. Make no mistake that short sales are a REAL opportunity and unbelievable deals are being done. Understand that some lenders are easy to work with and other lenders are nearly impossible. UREI users have a distinct advantage because it takes less than 5 minutes to prepare complete short sale packages and if you are in the short sale game be sure to have an efficient system.

Note: UREI users are even getting short sales accepted on properties that are current on the payments.

2) Subject To: A VERY successful strategy in today’s market is to find a price range of a properties that will cash flow as rental property then go after that range with offers to take over the existing financing.

Example: A 3/2 in Phoenix may rent for $1000 per month. Searching the MLS I found 67 homes in the city of Phoenix that are 3 bedrooms and 2 baths and have 1000 square feet or more with a price that is under $90,000. The lowest priced property is $37,500! The second home is $45,500 and is an REO offering a $1000 bonus to the buyer’s agent.

Let’s look at the possible numbers for a house with a $90,000 loan. If the loan was a 30 year fixed at 6.5% the monthly principle and interest payment would be $569. Add another $200 for taxes and insurance and the PITI would be $769. If the property rents for $1000 per month the cash flow after reasonable expenses would be positive and let’s assume $100 per month. Not bad for a nothing down deal and taking over the payments.

Huge opportunities abound and subject to’s do not require you to get new loans or qualify for financing.

3) REOs: I can’t say enough about the opportunities to buy REO properties. Banks are leading the pack with price reductions and the opportunities to make once in a lifetime deals are everywhere.

WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?

For many, for a growing number of would be real estate investors, the news about a bad economy is keeping them out of the market and stopping them from what may prove to be the biggest opportunity and fastest way to wealth ever presented through real estate!

The three types of investing outlined above can be the solution to negative developments and news in the real estate industry that we are constantly bombarded with by American TV and media.

It can permit profitable focus on small niches or sub-niches of the real estate market.

I’ve put hundreds of real estate investors on this fast track, one way or another, and I’m on top of the markets daily and aware of the latest developments.

You may think real estate success is beyond you in the current market but you may change your mind if you learn to focus on what’s really working and ignore all of the media noise. And if you have any thoughts of actually building a thriving real estate investing business that can secure your financial future now is the time to tune in and get involved.

Author: Gerald Romine

Note: Your comments are encouraged.

I just came back from a Mastermind Meeting in Washington DC and my head is still spinning. It’s a small close knit group with people coming from as far as Great Britain and businesses varying from buying and selling domain names to real estate investing.

It’s a great opportunity to see other businesses and have exposure to viewpoints outside of what we normally see. I’ll be sharing some great insights and techniques we can use in our real estate investing business in the coming weeks.

While in DC I was roped into entering a fitness transformation contest that one of the mastermind attendees in the physical fitness industry is running. I keep myself in pretty good shape and I’ve never entered any type of a contest like this so now the pressure is on. I had to take the shirt off and get some before photos and at the end of the contest I’ll be showing the before and after results.

FYI: I just turned 38 this weekend keep myself in pretty good shape - I work out several times a week andI focus on free weights but neglect cardio workouts.

Measurable goals motivate me and in my health and fitness I’m constantly bulking up for a cycle then leaning out and my weight varies from 190 lbs to 210 lbs. I’m currently in the middle of a bulking cycle and weigh 206.5… but with the bulk comes extra fat!

This contest is really going to push me because once I finish the bulk cycle I have to lean out fast to be in shape for the contest photos at 12 weeks. Now that I’m in the contest and have shared my goal publically the pressure is on!

On big benefit of a contest and public announcement is the pressure it puts on a person to succeed. As a real estate investor you should look to surround yourself with like minded investors and challenge yourself amongst friends that could include side wagers.

I have a few friends that are part of a private real estate mastermind group that meets every 3-4 months and their last challenge between themselves was to purchase 3 million dollars worth of real estate before the next meeting.

Buying three million dollars worth of real estate in the next three months may sound like an unreachable goal for many and it should be known all of these guys are quite capable of reaching the goal but it will require work to find the right properties to purchase.

For many a more realistic goal would be to buy X number of houses in the next three months or to make $25,000(or 50K or 100K) in the next three months. There is power in writing down your goals and going public with the goal because it creates accountability.

Right now would be the right time to post your goal! Is now or now the right time for you to post that goal?

Author: Gerald Romine

As my mentor, Dan Kennedy, used to say, “It’s the small hinges that swing the big doors.”

He was referring to little tweaks, habits or little things that make a profound difference. Quite frankly, having a system in place to quickly analyze and prepare all of the paperwork for real estate deals is one of those ’small hinges’.

It’s a little crazy how much time most of us WASTE every day.
(Trust me, I’m guilty of it sometimes too!)

Listen, it’s no secret we’re distracted, interrupted, and basically NOT focused most of the time.

How many times are working on something and then you jump around like a grasshopper on crack when you get a text message, IM or even a ‘ding’ in your email box? Or maybe there are 18 different items on your desk or on your ‘to-do’ list pulling you in 18 different directions?

If any of that sounds even a little familiar and you want to discover how to totally manage your real estate investing, time, productivity, energy and financial future - check out the Ultimate Real Estate Investing System. The special Test My Software For 10 Days - Then Decide! is quickly coming to a close

I have to say that most real estate investing software is junk because it does not focus on quick and easy deal analysis and getting offers made and accepted.  Charts and graphs are often used to make you fell good about a bad decision.  When you’re an investor it’s all about buying deals that make money today so you can get paid right away.

Anyway - check it out. I know that before I had a system it took me forever to put ONE deal together and now I can do a deal in literally 5 minutes.

Test My Software For 10 Days - Then Decide!

Now Go Buy A House,

Author: Gerald Romine

P.S. I have to tell you this story from Ronkonkoma, New York.

I was recently on a training call and John Pierro joined me and told me about his first deal using my software.  He bought a 2 family REO property that was worth $380,000 and the lender accepted his FIRST offer for $204,343. That’s $175,657 less than the current value!

That’s an insane discount!  But these are crazy times we live in and when you can justify an offer the way we do with UREI things like this happen.  These numbers blow me away!

I love seeing and hearing about real-world success stories of regular, everyday people. If you have a successful story please share it with me.