Category: DC Real Estate Investing

  • Maryland’s Most Expensive Home – Right Now

    Maryland’s Most Expensive Home – Right Now

    Every once in a while you need to step back and marvel at some of the beautiful homes in our area.

    We have some of the most historic homes in the country, and just up the road we may have some of the top modern housing trends cropping up as well.

    DC has always been at the cutting edge of home trends, because we have one of the most transient work forces in the country. They usually bring their cutting edge desires with them.

    Take for instance – the most expensive home in Maryland right now.

    You can get a good look inside and outside the home in this article posted on Realtor.com.

    At the top of the list for executive and uber-executive homes is privacy.

    When the article says “Most people don’t even know it’s there.” that certainly checks the privacy box.

    The pool, workout room, expansive kitchen and dining area – certainly checks a few more boxes.

    Anyway – nothing huge to learn from this home. Other than – know your market and cater to their needs and desires.

    Sometimes it’s just nice to step back and admire the work of a craftsman builder and appreciate the effort they put into their work.

    I hope you enjoy the article. Home trends and knowing your market – something else to talk about this Monday at our next WREIA meeting.

    See you Monday!

    John

  • WREIA Member Profile: Stephnie Walker

    WREIA Member Profile: Stephnie Walker

    Name: Stephnie Walker

    Background:
    I bought my first house at the age of 21. I saw how much that
    investor made off of selling me his property.

    Because, of that, I began to educate myself on real estate and
    investing.

    I met John Peterson in 1998 and began my career as an
    investor.

    Since that time, I have invested throughout the DMV while
    raising my 9 children with my husband.

    Type of Real Estate Investor:
    Fix and Flip
    Buy and Hold

    Hobbies:
    Memorizing Scripture
    Going to Walmart

    Favorite Vacation Spot:
    Canaan Valley. I Love the mountains!!!

    Words of Advice for New Investor:
    Fear is a liar! Your first deal is on the other side of it.

    Surround yourself with good people who are knowledgeable.

    Belief in yourself.

    Knowledge is priceless.

  • Feb. 24th WREIA Meeting – VIDEO

    Feb. 24th WREIA Meeting – VIDEO

    Februany 24th – Join us at WREIA for Part 2 on Unusual Lead Sources.

    Remember the key to success in 2020 – FOCUS. 

    Without focus – you will wander aimlessly hoping to bump into a deal at some point throughout the year.  

    WITH FOCUS – you will be laser targeted and purposefully uncover deals in your market. 

    It’s really rather easy.  

    But it does require work.  

    No doubt about it.  If you focus on serving your market – you will find deals.

    You can grab tickets and reserve your seat here at this link.

  • Focus Your Energy On A Plan To Get Where You Want To Go

    Focus Your Energy On A Plan To Get Where You Want To Go

    When we go on a trip it’s nice to have an itinerary, or a plan on when, where, what, and who we are going to see.

    Most importantly, we need to know HOW to get there. 

    Over the last few days I have tried to show you a few things that will make the January 2020 WREIA meeting provide benefits for your business. 

    You should be able to walk Monday night with action steps you can take home and implement immediately. 

    Step One on this prep was to decide what type of investor you are, or want to become in the next 3-12 months. 

    You can still catch some of those details here at this link. 

    Second, using a short, (well it was 7 minutes long), video I tried to describe what the day in the life of a wholesaler might be like.  

    Now, I realize not everyone likes to watch Youtube on their phone, or maybe didn’t have time while you were checking email in line at the store, so below is a short description of what that day might be like as well. 

    Wholesaling does not need to be complicated. We can break it down into four
    easy steps.

    1. Identify Property
    2. Control property with contract
    3. Identify buyers
    4. Close and Collect CASH

    Now, I realize I have skipped a few steps here but we need to begin with
    something.

    If you are new to real estate and laying out an action plan as a wholesaler, it might look something like this:

    • You will need to learn how to market and identify property
    • You will need to understand contracts and how to control real estate
    • You will need to create a buyer lists so you can market your deals for highest
    • profit
    • You will need to build your team so you can close deal efficiently

    The good news is that all of this can be learned and implemented.

    As you become a full time investor, you will eventually spend a portion of your day or week doing the following:

    Planning and Reading One Hour
    Generally, most people this is done first in morning.

    Market Research One to Two Hours
    Get to know your geographical region. You should know style of housing, rents,
    prices, neighborhoods, services, schools etc.

    Marketing Two Hours
    You will need to decide how you are going to reach your potential customers.
    Direct mail, Phone Calls, Knocking on Doors, Social Media, Networking Events

    Evaluation One to two hours
    You will need time to research potential deals and analyze values, renovation ect.

    Networking Two Hours
    You can use coffee appointments, lunch, breakfast meetings to network and build
    your database

    Buyer Lists/Team Building One Hour
    Your buyer lists can be generated by your networking for the type of investor
    based on your properties. ( Rehabber, Landlord, Builder)
    Also, need to begin to find title attorney, accountant, contractors ect

    Appointments and Closing Deals
    As your marketing generates leads setting appointments and securing contracts is
    your main focus.

    I hope you are doing your prep and getting ready for our first Washington REIA meeting of the year.

    Planning to be successful this year will depend on your focus and your ability to stay motivated to execute your plan.

    Going from one idea to the next will keep you busy but most likely not very profitable.

    Choose one technique and become really proficient at generating leads.

    If you are involved in real estate now, 2020 is the time to think out of the box and add strategies to your current model.  By doing so, you will increase revenue.

    Lastly – it’s Saturday morning, and we are supposed to get some “weather” here in DC over the next few hours.  Maybe you plan on binge-watching a new series on Netflix or Disney+. 

    I went out this morning to check on a few properties and made a short invitation to WREIA video and give you a few more details on the meeting.  

    You can check it out here. 

    Maybe – just maybe – instead of binge-watching a show, you can take a few minutes and focus on YOU and expanding your business and your profits in 2020.

    Make a plan and execute on it. That’s what Monday night is going to be all about.

    Just do it! Come out and join us at our first 2020 WREIA meeting!

    You are going to love this next meeting!  Especially if you want to grow in 2020.

    I guarantee it. 


    John Peterson
    P.S.  If you need to reserve a seat or update your WREIA membership you can find tickets at this link.

  • A Day In The Life – A Short Educational Movie About Real Estate Investing

    A Day In The Life – A Short Educational Movie About Real Estate Investing

    I hope you are doing your prep and getting ready for our first Washington REIA meeting of the year.

    Planning to be successful this year will depend on your focus and your ability to stay motivated to execute your plan.

    Going from one idea to the next will keep you busy but most likely not very profitable. Choose a technique and become really proficient at generating leads.

    Once you have accomplished this step – everything will follow.

    If you are experienced and want to grow this year, adding something new can lead to more profits.

    For example, if you are profitable renovator, increase your marketing budget and have a goal to generate an additional 100k by wholesaling the additional leads.

    I am going on a limb and believe your homework has been COMPLETED.

    Now that you have a direction – we can move to next step.

    A short educational movie about life as a real estate investor.

    Ok. Calling this a “Movie” may be just a bit much …. but I hope you enjoy the information!

    If you need to grab a seat for the January WREIA meeting – head on over to this link where you can grab a seat for one night, or upgrade to a WREIA Member and enjoy all the perks that WREIA membership gives you.

  • How To Prep For The Jan. 2020 WREIA Meeting

    How To Prep For The Jan. 2020 WREIA Meeting

    Here are some of the thoughts I had while driving around thinking about how you can prepare for the January WREIA meeting.  

    You need to be ready for this next WREIA meeting.  
    Monday night is all about generating leads.

    I want everyone to get value out of our WREIA meeting Monday evening. 

    As I was driving around today I thought of something you can do to prep for Monday night.  

    While you are driving around, or riding on the Metro, or waiting in line somewhere, here is something to think about…….

    Ready?

    Here we go – 

    I am going to spend the majority of the Monday giving you my favorite sources of leads but more importantly how to create a system and process to reach the audience of leads and begin to make deals.

    We all should know by know that making deals means making money. What a great way to begin the year!!

    So here is where the prep work begins:
    Before attending the meeting Monday night, I want you to spend a few minutes
    and ask yourself a few questions.

    Understanding where and how to market for leads is vital in our process to become successful investors.

    But before we can get you there, we have to know what type of investor you
    want to be.

    I am going to focus on three investor types in this e-mail and will give you a few more at the meeting

    1.  Do you want to wholesale real estate?
    Wholesale is defined as placing a piece of property under contract and then
    assigning the contract to another party for a profit. You will not take title to
    property and will create income by your wholesale fees. 
    This is a very common strategy for new investors and investors that want to spend time and energy marketing and locating deals to wholesale. 

    Capital Consideration
    Since you are closing on property you will not need to raise capital for your investments. You might need monies for marketing to generate deals but the outlay will be less that purchasing the property.

    Renovation Requirements.
    You will not need to lead a renovation team but it does make sense to have some knowledge of renovation costs so you can educate your potential buyers and
    properly present the deal. I have seen many wholesalers ignorant to the costs.  This ignorance causes the numbers presented to make zero sense to experienced
    renovators. 
    If you plan on wholesaling – take some time to get educated on renovation expenses.

    2. Do you want to renovate property?
    A common approach to investing is to locate property that needs work. You will
    purchase the property, renovate and sell the property for profit.

    By learning renovation, you will be exposed to maximum profits. The average
    profit on a renovation in the Washington DC metro area is $40,000 to $60,000.
    The profit can be more if you plan on renovating more expensive properties or doing more extensive work. You can see how you can make a very nice living renovating
    property. You will learn how to manage multiple properties at one time. Our
    company has had upwards of 20 projects gong at one time.

    3. Do you want to own cash flow property?

    Owning property long term is a time-tested investment method to become wealthy. Many very rich individuals own real estate as part of their portfolio. Locate solid residential, commercial or industrial property and hold for cash flow and long- term appreciation. I strongly believe we all should own some real estate long term.

    What type of investor are you?
    Take a few minutes this week and be prepared to answer that question at our meeting. I will provide you a road map of lead sources to help you accomplish your goals.

    I prefer you pick one and then you can certainly add as you move your business forward. 

    If you are involved in real estate now, 2020 is the time to think out of the box and add strategies to your current model.  By doing so, you will increase revenue.

    Just do it! Come out and join us at our first 2020 WREIA meeting!

    You are going to love this next meeting!  Especially if you want to grow in 2020.

    I guarantee it. 

    John Peterson
    P.S.  If you need to reserve a seat or update your WREIA membership you can find tickets at this link.

  • WREIA Member Profile: Carlos Evans

    WREIA Member Profile: Carlos Evans

    Name: Carlos Evans

    Background: Spent 12 years in Information Technology
    industry prior to real estate.

    Type of Real Estate Investor: Realtor/Investor locates
    off market properties ideal for renovation projects

    Hobbies: Avid runner running from 5K to Half
    Marathons completed over 21 races in last two years,
    enjoy traveling and drawing.

    Favorite Vacation Spot – Barcelona, Spain

    Words of Advice for New Investors: Surround yourself
    with like-minded people, join a real estate investment
    club and get a mentor.

    Your Perfect Lead: A referral from past client, or my
    center of influence.

    Ten years from now I will be …..

    • Living in a warmer location such as; Florida
    • Active Real Estate investor (Passive income)
    • Private lender for real estate investors
  • Remember – Last WREIA Meeting of 2019 – TOMORROW!

    Remember – Last WREIA Meeting of 2019 – TOMORROW!

    A quick little video about Monday night at WREIA.

    You can save a few dollars and reserve your seat at this link.

  • Profit From The Realtor Investor Relationship

    Profit From The Realtor Investor Relationship

    The Realtor Investor Relationship

    We should settle a few things first before we dive into this topic this month:

    “Most investors think that agents only want the easiest commissions.”

    False.

    “Most agents think that investors are going to run them ragged doing market research, find them the perfect property and then do the deals directly on their own.”

    False AGAIN.

    Maybe that’s what people think when they focus on working with the new investor, or the new agent.

    The worst combination, and when people get the most frustrated, happens when you have a new agent working with a new investor, and neither person has any experience working with investment property.

    What a disaster!

    That is when they both get the most frustrated and for most people, they just throw in the towel.

    The reason why?

    EXPERIENCE.

    Experience matters.

    I have been in this real estate business for 20+ years.

    I can’t say that I’ve seen it all, because something new happens all the time and our business is constantly changing.

    But, here is the bottom line – My business would have never taken off if I was shy about working with agents or other investors.

    In my early years, I was laser focused on who I wanted to work with and do deals with. I actively searched out people who had experience and tried to learn from them.

    Today, I have a “real estate license”. I am also an “investor”. Neither of those titles has stopped me from working with other agents or other investors. In fact, I think having both “titles” has strengthened my business.

    I’m going to open my “playbook” a bit at our next WREIA meeting and explain more.

    You can borrow what works for you and exclude the rest.

    You might notice this is a theme at all of our monthly meetings at WREIA – your Network is your Net Worth.

    What we mean by that is this:
    If you grow who and what you know in this business you will reap the rewards as you apply that knowledge, network and execute on your plan.

    Here is your invitation – Come out and join us at our final 2019 WREIA meeting!

    John Peterson

    P.S. If you need to reserve a seat or update your WREIA membership you can find tickets at this link.

  • Real Estate Is Still The Best Investment – Here’s Why.  (Link)

    Real Estate Is Still The Best Investment – Here’s Why. (Link)

    Headlines like this often catch my eye.

    For obvious reasons.

    Don’t we all want to be reassured that we are making the right investment decisions?

    Of course.

    And when they start the article with mentions of Andrew Carnegie – I’m hooked.

    “Billionaire Andrew Carnegie famously said that 90% of millionaires got their wealth by investing in real estate. We wanted to know: Is this still true? Is investing in real estate still a good idea?

    According to these nine Advisors in The Oracles, who made millions by investing in real estate, the answer is a resounding yes.”

    It’s also great to learn from these nine people that have had major success in their careers, especially because they are in the same field or line of work as us.

    The background of people in this CNBC article quoted above is varied – but they all come to same conclusion. Real estate is a great income generating business to be involved in and spend your time pursuing.

    If you agree – come join us at WREIA tonight in Bethesda.

    Enjoy the networking, the food, and learn from local investors who have had success over the last decade, and more.

    Tonight we are going to share some stories about Renovation. For starters, you will learn how to make (or save) up to 30k extra on your next project.

    We open the doors for every monthly WREIA meeting at 6:30 for networking.

    I hope I see you tonight!

    John

    P.S. If you need to reserve a seat or update your WREIA membership you can find tickets at this link.