John filmed a short video invitation to the upcoming WREIA meeting on June 16th in Bethesda.

You can reserve your seat at http://bit.ly/June2014WREIA

Come on out and join us on Monday evening!

For the past two months we have talked about Wholesaling real estate.  Now, we need to take the next step.

This month, let’s talk about Renovations.

You can find more info and reserve your seat at http://bit.ly/June2014WREIA

Traffic in the DC area yesterday was horrible.  Luckily, we spent most of the day in the office filming and spending time with a live class that we are running via webinars.

Just as we were wrapping up, one of the guys in the office said “Man, it has to be a full moon out.  Traffic was crazy everywhere this morning.”

Sure enough, I looked on my calendar last night – it was a full moon yesterday.  Was it me, or did you notice people being a little more “on edge” yesterday?

Regardless, it did lead to an interesting point.

The same person then said “What amazes me is how many people just sat there in traffic.  I paid $3 to get across the whole county and saved 30 minutes, or more.  No traffic at all.”

You see, near my office they recently completed a toll road that goes nearly the whole way across the county, and it costs a little over $3 if you drive from one end to the other.

People are stubborn, and willing to spend hours more of their time – in order to save a couple bucks and not pay a toll.

The same thing happens in our business.  People try to “save” a few dollars and do everything online – “for free”.  In the end, it causes frustration, loss of time and a tremendous loss of energy.

We have one of the longest running investor groups in the country – 13 years and counting.  Many groups in our area and beyond have come and gone, stopped and started, or renamed themselves through the years, trying to put a fresh face on their groups.  Which is fine, right?

However……

Most of those groups have tried to do the same thing – month after month.  They invite a national speaker to speak in front of their group who of course has something to sell and is “guaranteed” to make you more money.  You buy the speakers stuff – and away he or she goes, back to the city where they come from, and very seldom will you hear from him or her again.

You are on your own.

Alone.

Trying to figure it out.

You get frustrated and think to yourself – “this doesn’t work”.  “Not here in my area.”

And next month, here comes another trained salesperson to sell you something again.  But this time, you don’t buy it.

Why?

Because you learned your lesson last month – right?

At WREIA we deliberately changed a few years ago.  And our members have noticed.

Listen, we have a strong group of ACTIVE Washington area investors.  People who are doing things, and getting stuff done. And, we know when to slow down so our group doesn’t miss important details.

Last month, we ran short on time and decided to slow down and expand the topic, Wholesaling Houses, to this month.

While we had the cameras out, we filmed a short video inviting you back to WREIA this month for Part 2 of Wholesaling.

Many of our members that were with us last month signed up for a class we are teaching, mostly online.  By the way, it was the first time we have offered a class in a long, long time.  Nearly all of our meetings we just deliver great content – with nothing to purchase at the end of the meeting.  We focus and the only thing we talk about is what is working in our area – right now.

I was just talking about our members being “doers”.  Well, as a result of that class, some of the members have raised just shy of $1 Million dollars for their deals, and found dozens of potential properties.   That happened for them just since our last meeting on April 28th.  With just a little bit of instruction and follow through, massive changes can happen for you in our business too.

If you are tired of getting “pitched” day after day, and month after month – come on out and visit with the members at WREIA.  It’s a good time, with good people, and we also give you a little bit to eat (as long as you get there early).

We open the doors at 6:30 and usually start around 7:15 or so.  Depends on traffic, topic and if we are having some small group discussions that month.  You don’t want to be late, because we have started every meeting for 13 years with our Wholesale deals.  It gives you a chance to either offer your deals, or listen for other deals that you might have an interest in.

In 13 years, we have never missed a meeting where one of our members didn’t have at least one property to present to our group.   13 years and every month there has been at least one opportunity for our members to make some money. There have literally been hundreds of chances for you to hear about a property and act on it.

Oh, and the price to attend WREIA is only $25 at the door, or $20 if you reserve your spot online. You can save a few dollars more if you want to purchase a 6 month, or year membership.

Are you one of those people who likes to stubbornly sit in traffic just to save a couple dollars, then have to call ahead and apologize for being stuck in traffic, and then show up late for your meeting?  Or would you rather spend a couple bucks and get where you are going on time, or even early and stay fresh, ready and on point?

Back to our business.  You can find a ton of information online – for free.  However, most of it is horribly dated material.

Some of what you find online is good, and there is a little advice, very little, that is something you can act on and actually turn a profit in your business.

Start asking yourself – “What’s in this for me?” and “Am I just trying to be sold something?”

If you start getting that feeling that you are just being sold something – walk away.

We have new people at WREIA all the time.  I see how they walk in the door, with their guard up, waiting to push away this months speaker/salesperson from Ohio, New York, or Utah.  I get it.

That same person usually comes up to me at the end of the meeting and says “That was some great information, and it was nice to not have to buy something.  You just delivered good content.  Thanks.”

I usually see them again the next month. As time goes on, they either slip away because they realize this isn’t as easy as the late night infomercials make it out to be.  Or – they keep coming out and become a member of our community – and they start having and sharing their success.

And that Ladies and Gentlemen is why I founded and still love leading WREIA every month.  Helping other people gather information, take action and have success is one of the things I feel called to do, and it gives me a great deal of pleasure to see other people do the same.

We will have our May 2014 WREIA meeting this Monday, May 19th.

Join us at WREIA Monday night May 19th, and let me know if there is anything I can do to help you and your business.

John Peterson

Remember this couple from our article last month?  The two people sitting on their front porch, with boxes packed, and obviously getting ready to move?

Imgagine it’s now a month later and they moved.  New owners are all ready to renovate the house and move in themselves.

But, did you know that the new owners never even met the old owners?  The new owners discovered the property through a “wholesaler”.  The wholesaler put the property under contract and then took that contract to the prospective buyer to see if they were interested.  They were excited.

The new owners paid cash for their house, and plan to refinance after they renovate the property.

This type of transaction takes place all the time.  People just don’t know about them.

As renovators, we buy property that is “off market” all the time. It’s totally legal.  We pay the county transfer taxes, file a deed, get insurance and all the other stuff that takes place in a “normal” realtor assisted transaction.

In fact, about 9 out of 10 people use a Realtor when they buy a home.  But that leaves 10% that don’t use a Realtor.  When you think about it, that is a lot of transactions that do not go through the agency system.

It’s a huge market and one most people don’t know much about.  Lucky for you, we are continuing to talk about the wholesale process at WREIA this month.  Last month, we just had too much to cover, and halfway through I decided that we would be extending the topic over into our May meeting.  Nearly everyone at WREIA last month agreed, “Let’s slow down and go into more detail.”

I have been buying homes at wholesale rates for nearly two decades.  I have a lot of experience both buying the homes directly, as well as working with other wholesalers who have originated the deals themselves.  In fact, I do a lot of deal with other wholesalers in the DC area.  They bring the deals, I bring the transactional experience along with some capital,  and we mix up our contractors.  We complete the project, and finally we both are happy when a retail sale is made.

I get excited talking about wholesale real estate.  And that is exactly what we are going to continue talking about next Monday night at our next Washington REIA meeting.

Join us at WREIA Monday night May 19th, and let me know if there is anything I can do to help you and your business.

John Peterson

 301-881-5541

That photo above is not a giant bush.  That is a wholesale house and a big opportunity to help someone.

Your everyday average retail buyer is NEVER going to stop by and want to go inside this house.  NEVER.

But – I love these houses.  There is a truckload of opportunity in projects like this.

1. You have the opportunity to help the people who own the home, because obviously they need some help caring for this house.
2. You have the opportunity to help the neighborhood. Can you imagine living next to this house?
3. Finally, you help the next owners find a safe home for their family.  After you spend a great deal of money, time and effort to fix it up, of course.

Once you start working on the wholesale side of this business, you realize how much OPPORTUNITY there is everywhere.  And I do mean everywhere.

In every city and town, there are people who have met some of life’s challenges and are now at their wits end.  Something has happened that is making them shut down – either physically, mentally and sometimes socially as well.

Our job is to find these people and help them get to the next chapter of their life – if they are ready.  THAT IS A KEY POINT.  Not everyone is ready to take the necessary steps today, or tomorrow.

You just want to be there when they are ready.  If you are running your business ethically, it is very easy to make offers on houses, and explain why your offer is priced the way it is. When they are ready, they will trust you.  Especially if you have taken the time to get to know them.  Never underestimate the power of trust. It’s something that is a rare commodity these days.

If the offer is too low, or doesn’t fit the sellers needs for any number of reasons, that is fine. Maybe you can help them in another way.  One of the reasons I think I have met with some success in this business is because I continue to look for ways to help people, even if I can’t just “buy their house”.

At our WREIA meeting on Monday night I am going to share my 3 simple steps to wholesaling:

• How to identify good opportunities and analyze the deal in just minutes.

• Control the property with key phrases. (Do this part wrong and you could be breaking the law.)

• Wholesale for fast cash.

Join us at WREIA Monday night April 28th, and let me know if there is anything I can do to help you and your business.

John Peterson

 301-881-5541

This month’s topic will be “Wholesale Real Estate”.

If you believe in gathering information and learning from those who have “been there and done that” this is a great opportunity for you.

Head over to this WREIA March Event link and register now!

See you next Monday evening!

P.S. Don’t forget to bring your WHOLESALE real estate deals to share with our members.   Doors open for registration at 6:30.   Light refreshments will be served.

Next WREIA Meeting Schedule Update

Mon. April 28th –  Doors Open @ 6:30PM

Topic: How To Wholesale Real Estate.
What You Need To Know In 2014

Do you see this happy couple above?

Let’s imagine they are sitting in a great neighborhood, in front of a nice home with tastefully decorated kitchens, baths and bedrooms.

There are boxes on the front porch…… and I’m sure you notice the “For sale by owner” sign in the front yard.

Will they take a discount on their home?  Do you think I could by the home from them at a low enough price that I could put a renter in it, or even sell it in a few months and make a profit?

Possibly.  You decide to stop to talk with them.

You just never know.  They could be sitting in front of their parents home, and they are just in town for the weekend.  Perhaps their last surviving parent just moved into a nursing home over the weekend.  Maybe their parent gave them strict instructions “Sell the house this weekend before you go back home.”  I’ve had that conversation before with some kids that were in town for just a weekend.  In their case, they had to sell their parents house before they took their parent back with them to their home state in Minnesota.

You just never know what the situation is.  Someone may be moving due to health reasons, or they may be moving because of a new job.

When people want to sell quickly, it is great to be involved in the conversation.  Sometimes you can help solve what in their mind is a huge problem.

People sell all types of things at a discount.  People sell boats, cars, planes, entire businesses and other high ticket items at a deep discount, just because they don’t want to deal with it any more.  Real estate is no different.

And that is where a real estate “wholesaler” steps in.  Their job is to find people who want to sell a house quickly, or with no hassles.  They just need to step in and make an offer.  When the deal they negotiate is attractive enough, other investors or rehabbers will step in and sometimes pay a premium for that contract.

People who are just getting started in the business of investment real estate usually discover wholesaling somewhere early in their career.  Not long after, they start making offers, and sometimes partner up with deep pocketed friends or family members.

Of course today, it seems everyone in the DC area is making an “all-cash” offer.   So what can you do to make yourself different?

Plenty…….

I have been buying homes at wholesale rates for nearly two decades.  I have a lot of experience both buying the homes directly, as well as working with other wholesalers who have originated the deals themselves.  In fact, I do a lot of deal with other wholesalers in the DC area.  They bring the deals, I bring the transactional experience along with some capital,  and we mix up our contractors.  We complete the project, and finally we both are happy when a retail sale is made.

I get excited talking about wholesale real estate.  And that is exactly what we are going to be talking about next Monday night at our next Washington REIA meeting.

We are going to be talking about finding wholesalers, working with them, and maybe even becoming a wholesaler yourself.

I hope you heard that loud and clear.  Nothing is being sold and there are no get rich quick schemes being promoted.

Monday night is just good old fashioned learning about this business, with some terrific opportunities to network with other people working real estate right here in the DC area.

Come join us Monday night.  You will be glad you did.

And remember to bring your wholesale real estate deals.  Last month we had a few local deals get started  AT OUR MEETING.  Don’t be surprised if you learn about an off-market wholesale deal from another one of our members this month too.

Join us at WREIA Monday night April 28th, and let me know if there is anything I can do to help you and your business.

John Peterson

 301-881-5541

P.S.  The answer is YES, in 2014 we are still doing partner deals with our students and WREIA members.  Do you need some help with financing or need a valuable construction partner with years of experience?  Or do you need us to help speed up the process for you, and help drive your business to the next level?

We are here to help.  Just send us a few quick details at http://dchardmoneylender.com/quick-property-submit/  and we will get back to you ASAP.

This month’s topic will be “A Brokers Perspective”.

Come hear what one of  the DC areas most active brokers has to say about the strength and stability of todays market.

If you believe in gathering information and learning from those who have “been there and done that” this is a great opportunity for you.

Our guest speaker manages an office and has literally looked in on thousands of transactions.  That level of experience is invaluable, especially when you are on the lookout for the best practices, as well as the pitfalls to avoid.

Head over to this WREIA March Event link and register now!

See you next Monday evening!

P.S. Don’t forget to bring your WHOLESALE real estate deals to share with our members.   Doors open for registration at 6:30.   Light refreshments will be served.

Next WREIA Meeting Schedule Update

Mon. February 24th – Doors Open @ 6:30PM

Topic: Raising Capital Around The Capitol
What You Need To Know In 2014

First off, you should know something. I think it has never been harder to raise money for your first real estate deal.

But, you should also know….

It has never been easier to raise money for your second deal.

Let me explain. People don’t like taking risk. But once you have proven yourself, and proven you know what you are doing, things get A LOT easier. You and your projects have less risk once you have a proven system in place.

I have a friend who is a financial planner and adviser works with high net worth clients around our area. I was shocked when he told me this….

“John – There are 40 MILLION people in the United States who have between 100 grand and a million dollars in assets.”

40 Million?  I could hardly believe it. But once I thought about it, it started to make sense. 300 Million people in the U.S. and a little over 10% have at least 100k looking for something to do with it.

Your job is to find those people, and see if they are looking for a smart person who knows what they are doing when it comes to rehabbing or renting homes.

Monday night at WREIA we are going to talk about the major trends going on right now, including crowdfunding, million dollar + capital raises, private lending, and bank lending.

How can all of these different sources of money blend together to make you and your investors a lot of money? Let’s talk about that on Monday night at WREIA.

“Raising Capital Around The Capitol”

Funding Your First Project Has Never Been Harder
Funding Your Second Project Has Never Been Easier

WREIA Feb. 24th – Register Here

Join us at WREIA Monday night Feb. 24th, and let me know if there is anything I can do to help you and your business.

John Peterson

301-881-5541
Washington REIA Network, President
Profitable Property, Founder

P.S. The answer is YES, in 2014 we are still doing partner deals with our students and WREIA members. You may need some help with financing or need a valuable construction partner with years of experience. Or do you need us to help speed up the process for you, and help drive your business to the next level? We are here to help. Just send us a few quick details at http://dchardmoneylender.com/quick-property-submit/ and we will get back to you ASAP.

Remember – WREIA will be on Feb. 24th this month.

One Hundred or more real estate investors gather each month to trade properties, network, and learn about todays tactics for successful real estate investing in the DC area.

Join us Live on Monday, Feb. 24th for our next Washington REIA meeting.

WREIA will meet 10 times this year at the Womans Club Of Bethesda. Come join us – and don’t forget to bring your wholesale properties to share with our group.

Deals get done every month at WREIA Network.

Find more details and register here.