2/5/12: Ask The Guys – Super Bowl Edition
Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest media event of the year – even bigger than The Real Estate Guys™ radio show (hard to believe, we know). For perspective, consider that the projected 110 million Super Bowl viewing audience is 5 times bigger than American Idol’s nearly 20 million person audience!
And what does that have to do with you and your real estate investing? Well, pretty much nothing. Because unless you’re somehow connected to the business of football or lucky enough to place a winning bet (how ’bout those Giants?), the Super Bowl doesn’t really have any positive impact on your financial life.
So, being the ever faithful hosts that we are, for those who are more interested in how to score points on their financial statements, we’re in the studio for another educational edition of Ask The Guys!
Sitting all alone behind the silver microphones in The Real Estate Guys™ studio:
- The quarterback of the show, your host Robert Helms
- Running back (and forth to fetch Robert’s coffee), your co-host Russell Gray
As always, our Ask The Guys playbook has more questions than we can get to in one episode. But keep ‘em coming! We love reading them, and when we see things that come up over and over, we know it’s something we should take time to address. To submit your question, use our Ask The Guys page.
When we reached into the Ask The Guys e-mail grab bag for this episode, here’s what we pulled out:
- How can a young person, saddled with student debt and just starting out, get their dream of real estate financial independence started?
- What can you do with a credit score of 800 (besides brag about it to your friends)?
- Are low down payment deals still out there? Where and how to find them?
- Help! I’m a brand new landlord and my tenant just went Chapter 13! What can I expect?
- I’m under 30 and have saved up $100,000. Now what?
- I just got out of college and noticed you can get a lot more money each month by renting out 1 room at a time. What do you think?
- How do I get cash out of a property in an LLC to pay off a property I bought with my 0% interest credit card?
- MORE!
Sometimes we know the answers because, after all, we are brilliant (and humble!). Sometimes we need to use our powerful positioning as big time radio talk show hosts to call up subject matter experts for help. In any case, we LOVE answering your questions because we always learn something, and it reminds us that there really are people out there in radio-land (and now podcast-lands) listening to us week in and week out.
So THANKS for keeping us company during the Super Bowl and keep your questions coming!
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1/29/12: Where in the World to Invest? Tracking Trends in Global Real Estate
Emerging economies, free(er) trade, high speed communication and the troubled financial systems of the U.S. and Europe all add up to people, money and opportunities moving around the globe in unprecedented fashion.
It’s a lot to keep up on! But have no fear, The Real Estate Guys™ are here!
In the studio, behind the shiny silver microphones for another scintillating soiree into broadcast excellence:
- Your emerging, high speed host, Robert Helms
- Your troubled co-host, Russell Gray
In this episode, we flip the mirror around and look at the world from a different angle. Now that we’re big shot international podcasters (being downloaded in over 160 countries!), we can’t just look at the world exclusively through our U.S. centric eyeballs.
Besides, we’ve discovered through our recent trips to South Florida and Phoenix, that non-U.S. citizens are actively buying U.S. real estate that they view as being on sale. So even if you’re a U.S. citizen with no interest in off-shore investing, your domestic real estate is being affected by foreign activity.
Plus as the Chinese economy continues to climb up the food chain (nipping at the heels of Uncle Sam at last check), wealth being created overseas is affecting markets all over the world. One of our fastest growing audiences is in Australia. What’s the connection? Australia is a big exporter of commodities to…drum roll please…China! And how’s Aussie real estate been doing? Pretty hot for quite some time.
And just so you don’t think it’s just all about China, Brazil is starting to light up the economic scoreboard also. Our sources tell us the Brazilians make up a significant chunk of the buyers gobbling up South Florida real estate.
And don’t forget the Canadian dollar, eh? It’s been strong against the U.S. greenback, making U.S. dollar denominated assets more attractive. It’s too bad old guys like us don’t get more attractive when our dollars gets weak…but we digress.
Our point is, as we all learned as children at Disneyland, it’s a small world after all. And what happens in the big economies of the world, can affect you – pretty much wherever you are.
So, listen in as The Real Estate Guys™ talk trends in global real estate – and consider how those trends might create opportunities or challenges you should be aware of. Hey! It it was easy, everyone would do it. But if it can’t be easy, you can count on us to make it fun!
And speaking of fun (warning: incoming shameless plug), we’re getting close to last call for our fabulous annual Investor Summit at Sea™. As of this post, we have investors coming from at least 13 different countries. It’s a great opportunity to build you global network and gain direct personal insights into real estate markets and mindsets from around the world. To get in on the fun, click here now!
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1/22/12: Transcending Financing – Doing Deals in a Changing Climate
Today’s successful real estate investors don’t waste time waiting for “the good old days” of easy conventional money to return to the marketplace.
For some, it’s déjà vu all over again because this isn’t the first time fast and furious financing has faded from the funding landscape.
For others, it’s their first foray into the fabulous world of creative deal making.
For us, it’s time to take a trip to visit one of the most creative deal makers we know!
Behind the microphones for this episode of The Real Estate Guys™ radio show:
- Your good old host, Robert Helms
- Your old dazed co-host, Russell Gray
- Special guest, the one and only Wayne Palmer
When you’ve been a real estate developer, note broker, investor, gold mint owner, author, teacher; and are active in creative real estate exchange networks, PLUS you were around (and survived) the Savings & Loan crisis of the late ’80s, you have a broad and unique range of experiences from which to form opinions. But where can you find such a person?
Salt Lake City! So off we went to sit down face to face with the amazing Wayne Palmer.
We’ve gotten to know Wayne on our last two Summits, where he’s enlightened the audience with his teaching on both notes and equity exchanging. In this interview, we are interested in what he sees for 2012 – both challenges and opportunities.
To no surprise, Wayne describes the U.S. mortgage system as “broken” -therefore creating liquidity issues for homeowner, investors and even equity exchangers. However, this “problem” has an off-setting opportunity: private money.
With central banks pumping liquidity into the system, all that cash is looking for a home. An astute real estate investor has a great opportunity to help cash rich investors find assets that provide better yields than savings institutions, and better long term growth potential than the stock market.
Wayne explains that the decrease in property values has made it a real challenge to find quality notes to trade, but the corresponding opportunity is the bargains available in the short sale market. Are you seeing a theme? Challenges always bring opportunities!
One of our big takeaways from this interview is that when you think currency and institutions are a prerequisite to commerce, you’re crippled when currencies and banks fail. The problem is that you have no control over if or when these events happen. Many people are very concerned about both as we move forward into 2012.
However, when you know how to conduct business outside of currencies and institutions, you’re more insulated from fluctuations in both – and in a great position to grab bargains in a chaotic and confused market.
So if you haven’t already brushed up on your creative deal making skills, this interview reminds us that now is the time to do so. Wayne says these market conditions are more conducive to deal making than any in recent memory. As we’re often reminded, the wort of times often result in the best of times.
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1/15/12: Getting to the Next Level – Are You Ready for a Coach?
It’s the most wonderful time of the year…the NFL playoffs!
There’s so much you can learn about life and business through football! As we considered how to kick off (get it?) the New Year, we thought it would be fun to look into the notion of coaching for real estate investors. After all, what professional football team heads into a season without a coach?
So we put on our thermals and headed to chilly (but VERY pretty) Salt Lake City Utah to pay a visit on the folks at Rich Dad Coaching.
It’s no secret we’re fans of Robert Kiyosaki and the Rich Dad message. And on one of our recent field trips we got to know some people who had good things to say about their experience in the Rich Dad Coaching program. So who better to talk with about this subject than the Rich Dad team?
Behind the microphones for this episode of The Real Estate Guys™ radio show:
- Your frosty breathed host, head coach Robert Helms
- Your frost-bitten co-host, head case Russell Gray
- Special guest, Director of Rich Dad Coaching, Eric Lloyd
Elite achievers in every profession (not just athletics!) use coaches to provide training, accountability, motivation and encouragement. It only makes sense that someone pursuing excellence in real estate investing would at least entertain the idea of having a coach.
So once the microphones thawed out, we asked Eric to help us understand who needs a coach, how coaching works, what to expect and how to work effectively with a coach once you decide to take the plunge.
Eric tells us that you don’t need a coach if you’re satisfied with your current level of accomplishment. But we’re guessing most people want to improve. And even though the Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl last year, they still entered the 2011 season with a coach. So even when you’re just trying to stay at the top of your game, it probably makes sense to have a coach – and certainly if you want to get to the next level.
And speaking of getting to the next level…how about those 49ers? Look at what an amazing difference coaching makes! A team made of essentially the same players as last year’s team is one game away from going to the Super Bowl! Though they wouldn’t think so, anyone looking at the 49ers would have to say that even if they lose to the New York Giants, they’ve had an epic year.
When you look at the 49ers turnaround, it makes you wonder what’s possible in your own life with the right coaching!
Eric explains to us that a good coach is a great listener. And after learning about who are and what you have to work with, the coach helps you develop a game plan that fits YOU. Just like in football, a good coach will help you play to your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses.
Eric also points out that a good coach brings a team of coaches to effort. Just like a head football coach has specialty coaches, so Eric says a good investing coach will have associated “resource” coaches to provide technical training and additional perspectives. We like it. We know it’s always good to get a lot of brains working on a challenge.
There’s lot more that Eric shares with us, so be sure to listen to the entire episode – and at the end, Eric offers a free resource to reward you for your perseverance.
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1/8/12: Show Me the Money! Financing Outlook for 2012
In the classic musical movie, Cabaret, Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli sang, “Money makes the world go ’round…”
A couple of decades later, Cuba Gooding Jr., playing an ambitious football player, screamed at his agent, Jerry McGuire (Tom Cruise), “Show me the money!”
The point is that money is the lubricant that keeps the machinery of commerce humming – and nowhere is that more true than in real estate investing.
But it’s no secret that a few years ago the world of real estate financing imploded, wreaking havoc on balance sheets from Wall Street to Main Street. Now that the dust is starting to settle, what’s the state of the union when it comes to real estate financing? To find out, we called up our old friend, The Investment Mortgage Guy.
Making mortgage music together in the studio:
- Your host and leader of the band, Robert Helms
- Your co-host and cleaner of the instruments, Russell Gray
- Expert guest, The Investment Mortgage Guy, Rob Bonahoom
In an industry where lots of businesses and people have quit, Rob Bonahoom has managed to persevere through massive change and market adversity to remain active in the business of helping investors find funding for their real estate acquisitions. So we thought he’d be the perfect guy to bring us up to speed on both residential and commercial lending in the new reality of mortgage underwriting.
Rob reveals what lenders are looking for from today’s borrowers and why newbies have a significant advantage. Even more fun, he shares specific strategies for how investors with little cash or credit can still get into the apartment game. So if you got whacked in the downturn, you’re not out of the game yet!
Rob also gets into detail on how government backed mortgages are working for real estate investors today. As we’ve always said, because real estate is such an important part of the economy and serves an essential human need – so politicians have a huge motivation (in spite of their disagreements about methods!) to help make money available…especially for residential property.
We go on to talk local banks (flush with cash!), FHA 203k, SBA loans and more!
So listen and learn as Rob Bonahoom shows us the money!
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12/25/11: Ask The Guys – From Bangalore to Botswana
Happy Holidays from The Real Estate Guys™!
On this week’s Christmas edition of the show, we are giving our answers to a collection of your questions that are all over the map.
No, really. We mean it. These questions are from ALL over the map!
The Real Estate Guys™ podcast is now being downloaded in over 150 countries. So we get Ask The Guys questions from EVERYWHERE. It’s very cool.
In studio this lovely Christmas Day:
- Your holly jolly host, Robert Helms
- Your ho-ho co-host, Russell Gray
- Our Santa Claus understudy, the Godfather of Real Estate, Bob Helms
After landing the sleigh on the roof of the radio station, we stopped by the breakroom and loaded up on some egg nog. We thought getting a little red-nosed might help us see our way through the holiday fog so we could deliver our answers to all of your very interesting questions.
But Botswana? Really? Do you even know where Botswana is?
We didn’t either. But here’s what we’re discovering: No matter where you live or invest, as long as you have the basic right to own private property, you have opportunities to make money with real estate. Even Botswana.
And what’s awesome is that while many of the technical details are different from country to country, the basic principles and strategies of real estate investing are very similar. So no matter where you’re from or where you’re investing, the answers to the questions your fellow listeners have can have relevance to you. It also tells you how important it is to have experienced local technical advisors and service providers in every jurisdiction in which you invest. But that’s a topic for another episode.
For now, listen in and learn how much you have in common with real estate investors half a world away. It really is a small world after all! Maybe that’s how Santa’s able to get all those gifts delivered in just one night. Of course, digital downloads make things a little easier too. 
Listen:
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12/18/11: Regional Roundup – Taking The Pulse of the U.S. Real Estate Market
So many markets, so little time!
Let’s face it. When you get the hots for real estate investing, there are lots of tempting opportunities out there!
But before you go out on a market field trip date or get hot and heavy with just one market, why not get a quick sampling of what’s out there? And as great as the internet is, sometimes you just need the warmth of a real human voice.
So we decided to round up 8 different real estate practitioners from 8 different U.S. real estate markets for The Real Estate Guys™ version of market speed dating!
In the studio and calling in from around the country:
- Your ever debonair host of the show, Robert Helms
- The ever air- headed co-host, Russell Gray
- Our marvelous man in Memphis, Terry Kerr
- Our Miami market maven, Deborah Boza-Valledor
- Our amazing Atlanta affiliate, Bruce Carlisle
- A guy who really knows the way to San Jose, Jurgen Weller
- Our deal-making dude from Dallas, Jay Hartley
- Our money man from Minneapolis, Rob “Boom Boom” Bonahoom
- Our phabulous phriend in Phoenix, Timothy Theiss
- The Washington DC Wonder Woman, Beth “Bubbles” Clifford
Wow! What a line up! Like Santa in his sled, we decided to cover a lot of ground in a short period of time. So we hitched up our eight market reindeer and headed into the foggy air of market prognostication.
We ask each call in contributor to give us a quick update on their market from their unique perspective – and what does 2012 look like?
We quickly find out that each market is different. And each person’s perspective is different too! That’s the beautiful thing about real estate. There’s a LOT of variety!
We have a lender, a couple of turnkey property providers, an executive from the largest local Realtor® association in the USA, the manager of a large residential brokerage in a very pricy area, a property manager, an investment property broker and a real estate developer. Different people, property types and price points, market personalities and perspectives. Fun!
Some of these markets were killed in the Great Recession. Others barely felt it. Some are SUPER expensive, but people are still paying CASH. And one has lots of foreign buys stepping in and snapping up bargains.
Want to know which is which? Well, you’ll just have to listen in! But have a cup of coffee, because this is a fast paced show. Enjoy!
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12/11/11: Back to the Future – Embracing the Changes in Real Estate Investing
With a catchy title like “Back the Future” you might expect a picture of a Doc Brown, Marty McFly or a flying DeLorean. It’s hard to believe that this now “classic” movie is over 25 years old!
But who is THIS guy? And what does any of this have to do with real estate?
Since our audience surveys tell us most of you are something younger than a baby boomer, we’ll give you a hint: this guy is a singer/songwriter and this picture was on his third album cover released in 1964. It was an LP (which means Long Playing recording on a big vinyl disc that Disc Jockeys, aka DJ’s, would “spin” on turntables at 33-1/3 revolutions per minute…wonder how all tha real estate near the LP factory is doing??? – just sayin’).
Not sure who he is? Hang in there. We’ll tell you later. Meanwhile, back to our blog about his week’s episode.
Back to our blogging…
Think about the world today. Wouldn’t you agree that the times they are a’changin’? (Wait. Is that another hint?) And the changing times affect where people, businesses, jobs and money move. Therefore, it’s only logical to expect that changing times affect real estate.
We know. Sometimes it’s hard to see the changes when you’re living in them. Other times, the changes are obvious, but we fail to connect the dots and anticipate the effects on our investments. We call that being “blind-sided” and it’s not a good thing. It happened to us in 2008, so we pay extra careful attention today, which is point of this episode.
In the recording studio for another real estate radio jam session:
- Your radio rock star host, Robert Helms
- His radio roadie and co-host, Russell Gray
- Your baritone boomer, the Godfather of Real Estate, Bob Helms
Now, when Bob Dylan’s (yeah, that’s him) album, The Times They Are A’ Changin’ came out in 1964, there was a lot of turmoil in the world.
Before he was assassinated, President Kennedy had just confronted the Soviet Union over nuclear weapons in Cuba – right off the coast of the U.S! The Civil Rights movement was in full swing, replete with protests, riots and all kinds of civil unrest. Meanwhile, the U.S. government was busy switching out all the real silver coins for nickel plated tokens.
The point is there was a lot going on and much of it wasn’t pretty. But let’s stop right here.
If you could jump in a flying DeLorean and go back to 1964, knowing what you now know, would you be more or less inclined to buy real estate in 1964 – even though “the times, they are a’ changin’”?
Now, back to the future, here on the threshold of 2012, assuming the Mayan thing doesn’t happen, do you think real estate will still be here in 2040? And will it still be a high priority for people and businesses to use real estate to live, work, farm and play?
Sure, we have the Iran nucelar weapon threat and the ongoing war on terrorism. The Occupy something movement might be considered this generation’s version of the civil rights movement. Now, it’s economic equality instead of race equality. And the Fed is busily printing money like there’s no tomorrow.
We’re not belittling any of these concerns. They’re very real. But the point is that there are ALWAYS changes to fret about. And of course, there are the changes which come from innovation and advancements of all kinds. Just think about how medical advancements have affected the economy because of longer life spans.
The bottom line is that companies, industries and even governments come and go wiht lots of change in between. But the real estate remains. So in uncertain times, when stocks are up one day and down the next, and sovereign nations and municipalities are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, and fiat currencies are being devalued all over the globe…(take a breath…), isn’t real estate one of the most foundational investments you could make?
We know. If you’re a fan of the show, we’re preaching to the choir. But the lesson is not just about buying ANY real estate. It’s buying the right real estate, in the right markets, with the right financial structures, so you don’t just survive the changing times, but prosper in them.
In this episode, we talk about some of the many changes which have happened and are happening, how they’ve affected real estate, and how to position your investing in the eye of the storm where it’s safer.
So listen in to the conversation, then look at all the change all around you with excitement and anticipation. In change, there is opportunity – and even more so, because casual observers are paralyzed into inaction, leaving lots of oportunity for the thoughtful and bold.
The biggest real estate investors we know have been and remain very active in this market. They see low interest rates, slow building rates (limiting supply), increasing population, rising rents and a widow of opportunity that won’t stay open forever.
LISTEN:
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12/4/11: Infinite Banking – The Broken Banking System and What You Can Do About It
Today’s banking system is a far cry from George Bailey’s Bailey Building and Loan in the classic film It’s a Wonderful Life.
Back then, savers put money in local institutions where local bankers lent it out to local borrowers. It was very community focused.
Today, everything funnels through Wall Street and the Federal Reserve, and the last few years have shown that when deals get made too far away from Main Street, weird stuff happens - like meltdowns and bailouts.
But where can you store your cash, if not banks? Do you have any choice?
Well, “Yes!” according to the authors of How Privatized Banking Really Works (a book that we read, enjoyed and recommend).
Privatized banking is a concept we’ve explored in previous episodes, so when the opportunity came along to sit down face to face with the authors, we happily grabbed it.
Behind the old fashioned microphones for yet another informative episode you can bank on:
- Your host with a wonderful life, Robert Helms
- Your co-host who needs to get a life, Russell Gray
- Special guest, economist and author, Robert Murphy
- Special guest, management consultant and author, Carlos Lara
It seems like everyone from Occupy Wall Street to Congress to the GOP presidential hopefuls (not to mention the millions of people without jobs or in foreclosure) have figured out that the banking system is broken – or at least not working very well. “Duh” as they say.
And with all the rhetoric and finger pointing, it’s easy to just throw up…your hands, that is…and say, “What can I really do about it?”
However, this episode isn’t about overthrowing the Fed, prosecuting bankers, or protesting foreclosures. There are lots of people busily debating what needs to happen to fix the system.
Rather, the privatized, or “infinite” banking concept is really about “opting out” of conventional banking – or at least, de-funding it to a large degree – not through legislation or litigation, but simply by personally using a little known alternative to banks for holding your cash.
Sound radical? It really isn’t. It’s more about getting back to a “closer to home way” of managing your savings. Plus, we hear there are some real tangible 
financial benefits that come with doing it.
We’ll let our guests describe the details, but as real estate investors, we should have an ever growing pile of cash that we’re managing. These funds include profits from operations and transactions that is waiting to be re-deployed, and cash and contingency reserves. The more properties you have, the bigger you stash of cash gets. So cash management is part of your responsibility as a real estate investor.
But before you just park all that cash in a broken banking system, listen to Robert Murphy and Carlos Lara explain an alternative which provides direct current benefits to you, while circumventing the fractional reserve system that they say contributes to the problems the current system causes. VERY interesting stuff!
LISTEN:
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11/27/11: The Real World of Credit – Improve Your Credit Score Fast
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When it comes to conventional mortgage money, your three digit credit score is very important. Since most people start their investing careers with residential 1-4 unit properties, we consider your credit score to be worthy of proper care and feeding.
It’s been a while since we covered this topic and a lot has changed in the world of credit and lending, so we decided to dedicate this episode to the brave new world of credit, credit repair and what you can do it improve your credit score.
In the studio looking for more credit than they deserve:
- That beacon of broadcast excellence, your host Robert Helms
- Your scoreless co-host, Russell Gray
- Credit expert and author, “The Credit Guy”, Wayne Sanford
According to our special guest Wayne Sanford, there are two worlds of credit scoring: the “perfect” world where everything is accurate, up to date and fair; and the “real” world where credit reports are littered with mistakes, scores take weeks and sometimes months to update, and a system that is rigged against investors. Guess which world we live in?
The good news is that even though the system is far from perfect, when you’ve reviewed 11,000 credit reports like Wayne has, you begin to recognize real world trends and can implement techniques which actually can improve you score.
Now before you tune out, there are some things you should know.
First, it isn’t expensive or difficult to stay on top of your credit score. But you do need to know what you’re doing. Wayne will give you some tips in this episode. If you listen all the way through, you’ll find out how you can get a free report on how you add a quick 15 points (or more) to your credit score at those times when you them the most.
Next, while it’s a hassle to babysit your credit score, it can be really expensive if you don’t. The good news is that once you master a few basic principles and use a little discipline, you can keep your score in pretty good shape year round.
Then, once you understand that your credit score is a numerical “snap shot” of your credit profile at a particular point in time, you’ll discover with the right knowledge and foresight, you can pretty up your score and have it ready to smile for the camera when it’s picture time.
Having a pretty credit score at critical junctures (like when you’re locking in your interest rate on a rental property for the next 30 years) can save you many tens of thousands of dollars…or more!
Credit score management isn’t just repairing bad credit or avoiding identity theft. It’s about leveraging one of your essential financial resources for optimal return on investment. And like a piece of equipment, if you take it out and work with it, it’s going to get dinged up and need attention. But the better you care for it, the more you can use it to make money.
So listen in as Wayne “The Credit Guy” Sanford talks credit, credit repair and what you can do to improve your credit score now and every time you really need it.
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