October 2008

Investment Exchange

An educational real estate newsletter

BUYING HOUSES IN A DOWN MARKET

It's a very exciting time in the real estate market — the amount of preforeclosures, foreclosures and other distressed real estate deals just keep going up, up and up! That means there are more amazing deals from which to choose and take advantage of than ever before.

And, of course, Foreclosure.com is the number one place for you to get started.

Historically, rich people have made their fortunes leveraging the premise of "buy low, sell high." Today's real estate investment market has perhaps almost never shown so much potential.

Yes, it's a hard time for many on the verge of losing their homes, but you don't need to worry that you're taking advantage of a bad situation. It's actually the opposite: as an investor, you are in a unique position to help distressed owners avoid bankruptcy and hopefully retain a bit of equity.

If you're a beginner — or want to begin but don't know how to get going — now is the perfect time to get the ball rolling because your strategy for success couldn't be easier.

Consider the following scenario:

1. Find an amazing property deal (there are hundreds of thousands on Foreclosure.com!)
2. Hold onto it, live in it or rent it out until the mortgage crisis is resolved
3. Sell it in a few months and/or years for huge profits!

It's a recipe for riches that's as simple as scrambled eggs. Start looking now — it's in times like these that millionaires are made.

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Site feature spotlight

HOW TO FIND THE DEALS

Foreclosure.com is proud of its reputation as the number one listings provider of distressed properties on the Internet. We've earned that reputation because of our quality and we also do our utmost to help you uncover those listings that have the most money-making potential.

Our "Deals" tab — a handy little tool that combs through your own search results to let you know which ones are most worth pursuing — is proof of our commitment to helping our site visitors find the very best deals as quickly as possible.

Let's say, for example, you want to scout distressed properties in Connecticut. Simply click on Connecticut from Foreclosure.com's homepage map, then select your desired area within the "Constitution State," ... say Fairfield County.

Up come your search results with just two clicks of the mouse.

Today there are nearly 5,000 listings to look at. Narrow down your results to the very best by clicking on the "Deals" tab — it's located at the top right of the search window. There you'll find a handful of listings that are your jumping-off point to real estate success.

The "Deals" tab is truly your key to riches. We're sure because each of those deals is the result of careful calculations and close vigilance by our expert inhouse data team. If a listing doesn't make the cut, it doesn't go in the "Deals" tab ... period. We take all the tricky math and hard work out of the process so that you can spot deals with ease and confidence.

Note that whichever listing you choose to look at, you'll get far more information by being a Foreclosure.com member.

Want to try before you buy? No problem!

Foreclosure.com offers every newcomer 100% free, instant and unlimited access to the entire site. All you have to do is sign up for the trial membership. You'll enjoy complete, detailed listings that include addresses and contact names, and you are under no commitment at all to stick around with us after your trial (although we're pretty sure you'll want to!).

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Exclusive October
newsletter sponsor

williams & williams

worldwide real estate auction

Read more

Williams & Williams — a global auctioneer for all types of real estate — connects sellers and buyers direct to create value for both parties. The company focuses on increasing the net prices sellers realize while providing all buyers competitive bidding access, whether it's on location or online through Web-based auctions.

Williams & Williams has the ability to quickly facilitate the sale of real estate thanks in large part to separate sales divisions that serve the corporate, mortgage banking, employee relocation and trust industries.

In fact, Williams & Williams featured homes average a remarkable 35 days on market and just 30 days to closing with less than a 2 percent fall out for all transactions.

Home sales are held throughout the United States every month throughout all fifty states. Based in Tulsa, Okla. — with more than 100 years in the auction industry — Williams & Williams is a leader in sales volume and personnel.

Company co-founder Thomas L. Williams is the current President of the National Auctioneers Association, an organization that comprises over 6,000 of the nation's top auctioneers.

We are pleased to participate in a Foreclosure.com educational Webinar on October 21. Please register now for limited attendance. For more information please visit www.williamsauction.com.

Interested in sponsoring a future edition of Investment Exchange?
Email us today! Click here.

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Web site search tips

SCOUT FOR DEALS LIKE A PRO

Foreclosure.com's interface makes it easy for you to find the property listings that best suit your budget, location preferences and personal investment style. You already know about the power of the "Deals" tab so let's see what else Foreclosure.com can do!

Just like with the "Deals" tab, all searches start from Foreclosure.com's homepage, which features an interactive map to help you get started. Once you've chosen a state and a county/area, you'll notice a bunch of other tabs at the top of the search results screen.

Click on the "Preforeclosures" tab to get a list of only preforeclosures in that county. Click on the "FSBOs" tab to narrow it down to homes that are for sale by owner. There are also "Foreclosures," "Sheriff Sales," "Bankruptcies" and "Tax Liens" tabs for you to check out.

And that's just the beginning!

At the top left of the search results window, you'll find the "Power Search" tab. This tool is invaluable to those of you who are looking for distressed property listings close to home. You can search for a specific city or even zip code — you might even find a few properties in your own neighborhood!

The "Power Search" tab also allows you to specify search terms such as price and numbers of bedrooms and bathrooms. This feature is particularly useful if you're on a budget (and who isn't nowadays?) and/or if you're planning on living in the home yourself.

Put simply, it's a fantastic way to get a detailed picture of a property before you even pick up the phone.

As if that wasn't enough, we've got one more trick up our sleeve: email alerts.

These are totally free and come straight to your inbox the moment the listing is posted on Foreclosure.com. You can sign up at the bottom of the search results window or by clicking on "FREE Email Alerts" in the Tools section at the bottom of almost every page. Or right here.

Your free email alerts are personalized to your search preferences (zip code and listing type) so you never have to worry about missing that gem of a deal again!

As you can see, we are dedicated to helping you find the right deals quickly and easily. Visit us today for a look around — it's always free to search!

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Hot off the press

BUSH'S BAILOUT PLAN AND YOU

U.S. lawmakers have finally agreed on a $700 billion plan to bail out the struggling U.S. economy.

For months now, real estate investors have been able to take advantage of the financial opportunities created by the mortgage crisis. Of course, a strong economy is in everyone's best interest, but how will Bush's latest rebound strategy affect American investors?

It depends on the camp you're in.

Some economists believe the U.S. is headed for a serious recession — even a depression — despite the $700 billion economy rescue plan. If they're right, investors will be able to find lots of dirt-cheap properties. However, they'll also have to be able to carry them for as long as it takes to ride out the storm.

That means quick flips and overnight windfalls are unlikely.

That's not to say there's no money to be made. On the contrary, properties in many parts of the nation are so cheap right now that if you can afford even three or four hundred extra dollars a month, you'd be able to hang onto the property until the economy rebounds, which could literally mean hundreds of thousands of dollars of profit when it sells in a few years. If you're able to rent the property out, you may even see a modest income in the interim.

If the more optimistic economists are correct, we might be looking forward to a quick 180-degree economic turn. More families would keep their homes, more mortgages would be renegotiated and more people would avoid bankruptcy.

If the crisis ends soon, it means that the time of thousands of property steals could rapidly be coming to a close. A strong economy is generally associated with strong property values, and appropriately- (or over)-valued homes don't leave a lot of room for healthy investor profits.

What's the lesson?

Buy while you still can. These days property values are so low, you can get in on the real estate investment game with extremely little startup cash. If you've got that undiscovered gem, you'll be set whether the economy rebounds tomorrow or — knock on wood — 10 years from now.

Now is definitely the perfect time to roll out your investment career.

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Our success stories

ANY MARKET IS THE RIGHT MARKET

Brad Geisen — CEO of Foreclosure.com — knows exactly what he's talking about when it comes to real estate.

We've spent a lot of this edition of the Investment Exchange discussing how easy and profitable it can be to buy in a down market. Brad will be the first one to tell you that buying low and selling high is one of the simplest and most fulfilling ways to get your feet wet as a real estate investor.

What may surprise you is that Brad's self-made millions didn't start with this easy, almost foolproof strategy. Brad got into real estate at one of the toughest economic points in recent history in the 1980s. There was a savings and loan crisis, interest rates were pushing 15 percent and almost nobody was betting on the real estate market.

Despite warnings, Brad hung out his shingle as a real estate broker for a modest firm. It didn't take long for him to realize, however, that the money was in foreclosures. With a brain for business and unparalleled negotiating skills, Brad slowly grew his business to what it is today: Foreclosure.com — the nation's most trusted source for distressed property listings and education.

That Brad could be so successful — in such a short time and under difficult market conditions — is a testament to the constant inherent value in the real estate market. It makes sense: people always need homes, and many are struggling with money management and meeting deadlines. This combination represents a unique opportunity for enterprising investors to make a lot of money, regardless of what's going on in the real estate market.

Brad's success doesn't just stop with Foreclosure.com. He has now joined forces with LiveDeal.com, LoanResolve.com and, most recently, Fannie Mae. These alliances point to exciting new directions in real estate investment.

Brad Geisen invites you to get on board now as he paves the way for future investors. In fact, Brad recently unlocked the vault to his vast lifetime of real estate knowledge and experience, making his investment strategies, tips and secret to success all available in a comprehensive six-CD/DVD training course dubbed, "Get Rich Buying Real Estate Foreclosures with Brad Geisen."

To learn more about the life-changing instructional course click here.

And remember to visit us at Foreclosure.com today to take advantage of everything investment guru Brad Geisen has to teach you!

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Real estate tips

BE A KNOW-IT-ALL FROM DAY ONE

We know that real estate investment is exciting; we also know that it can be daunting. If you're new to the game, Foreclosure.com wants to help you learn the basics so that you can head onto the playing field with confidence and the knowledge you need to make some serious cash.

This means that before you buy, you'll have to know the ins and outs of foreclosures, preforeclosures, auctions and negotiation. If you're planning on flipping houses, you'll also have to know how to deal with contractors, how to budget for and market the flip and what pitfalls to avoid.

It may seem like a lot to digest, but Foreclosure.com is here to help.

We're proud to offer every single newsletter subscriber — and that means YOU — a complimentary e-book entitled, The Beginner's Guide to Personal Wealth. It's jam-packed with tips, tricks and in-depth explanations of the most important real estate investment topics ... just what you need to get rolling.

Think of The Beginner's Guide to Personal Wealth as your investment companion.

Nervous about attending your first auction? Not sure what to look for in a property? Wondering how to deal with the banks? Relax ... The Beginner's Guide to Personal Wealth has answers to all of these questions and many, many more.

It's impossible to overemphasize the importance of confidence in the real estate investment world. If you're armed with knowledge, you can enter these exciting situations with a cool head and a keen eye for both deals and duds. You'll also avoid the "intimidation factor" — a well-known way for seasoned investors to scare the newbies away.

Yes, experience helps, but you've got to start somewhere. The Beginner's Guide to Personal Wealth is the start of the road to investment wealth. It's absolutely free and our gift to you for being such a loyal reader. So what are you waiting for?

Download the free distressed real estate investing manual right here.

Enjoy!

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Brand New Section!

Linda's
Learning Lane

Wow!

It's already October, meaning time is almost running out to find and capitalize on all the great real estate deals currently available before the year ends.

As we laid out the editorial schedule for the "Investment Exchange" newsletter earlier this year, we were careful to select October as the month to focus on "Buying Houses in a Down Market."

Of course, we debated back and forth internally, battling about what will happen to the market in the third quarter of 2008. Now it is upon us and we have witnessed tax rebates designed to spark consumer confidence, the collapse of several financial institutions and a $700 billion bailout plan to rescue the national economy from major crisis.

It's been an eventful year to say the least.

Nonetheless, everyday as I watch the national and global markets I am reminded that "PANIC" is not an option. We must stay the course because smart and savvy investors understand that when markets are volatile it's time to get prepared for the long haul.

Foreclosure.com Founder, President and CEO, Brad Geisen, who we highlight in this issue is such a great example of being positive and smart in even the worst market conditions. He is a great testament of someone who made a decision to go after his passion when the odds — and the economy — were against him.

And today, the self-made millionaire is still reaping the rewards of the difficult decisions he made nearly two decades ago to invest in distressed real estate ... even when everyone at the time thought he was crazy.

Even if you're not ready or in a position to invest right now that doesn't mean that you can't use this down time to get educated on real estate investing — knowledge is power!

We have so much going on in the education department right now. We enjoyed having Tara Nelson, Than Merrill and Sharon Restrepo recently conduct sensational presentations as part of our Webinar series.

If you missed them be sure to check out our On Demand Webinar section of our Web site right here.

We've got even more good news on the horizon — Foreclosure.com will soon make an announcement at next month's National Association of Realtor's annual convention in Orlando with regard to the expanded education we will have available for real estate agents.

This latest offering will significantly enhance the ability of real estate agents nationwide to help you — as the investor — make the best possible investment decisions. Stay tuned for more on this exciting announcement.

Thank you for reading and being interested in foreclosure investing. Happy learning ... and shopping!

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