By Dr. Teresa R. Martin, Esq., REIA NYC As a real estate investor, your assets will be exposed to a significant amount of risk- from natural disasters and unanticipated repairs, to major downward shifts in the market, problem tenants, and liability lawsuits. In the end, you may find yourself holding on to real estate that no longer has the value it did when you initially signed up for it. While you can't plan for every setback, there  ..

By Dr. Teresa R. Martin, Esq., REIA NYC If you want to build up a portfolio that generates real wealth and cash flow over the long term, then buy and hold real estate investing is one of the best investments around. Finding a good deal, holding on to it, and renting it out to others is a great opportunity to both generate residual income and build up your equity. But, just because it's a great opportunity in theory doesn't mean that i ..

By: James Thompson, REIA NYC Director of Technology After the networking session, seminar or workshop is over, how do we as small business owners keep in touch with the leads interested in doing business with us? If “The Fortune is in the Follow Up!” and it take 8-12 contacts with one lead to convert the lead into a client, what do we do as small business owners with limited time and resources. We continuously attend events pr ..

In the digital age, it's sometimes easy to catch yourself wondering how we ever got along without the kinds of technologies we take for granted these days. Imagine trying to run your rental business without cell phones, text messages, and emails. Even for those of us who did just that, doesn't the process now seem like a lot of unnecessary effort and frustration? In just a few years, I suspect that's the way most people will think of the  ..

First of all, let me get the legal mumbo jumbo out of the way. I have been a landlord for 15 years and a Private Investigator for 20. I make my living by providing investigative products to landlords that help them make the right choice when evaluating a tenant. I have been in the trenches my whole career, qualifying tenants and employees, and have come to realize that new regulation often gets overblown at first and then settles down later.  ..

A strong lease and a thorough investigative background check, performed and verified by a live person, are your first and best lines of defense against losses as an investment property owner. But even with those safeguards in place, there may be an important layer of protection that you’re missing… To understand why, imagine for a moment that you’re sitting at your desk. The phone rings, and when you answer the voice on ..

Not long ago, I found myself attending a convention in Las Vegas. I’m not much of a gambler (I’m too cheap), but hesitantly agreed to play blackjack with a few of my colleagues on our last night in town. The first hand I was dealt contained an ace and a jack – a combination of “21” that paid me back one and a half times what I bid. It turned out this game was pretty easy! You can probably guess what happened  ..

Are you new to the world of real estate investment, or just want to start finding better tenants? Either way, here’s a simple checklist you can use to protect your investment or property when evaluating someone who wants to rent from you: #1: Use an Approved Application Ideally, you want to use online applications with mandatory fields (check with your screening company to see if this feature is available). That way, you can make su ..

A rent - to - own arrangement can make home ownership a step closer even if you do not currently have the money to buy a home. But, you need to be aware of the pitfalls. How It Works Under a rent - to - own arrangement, you rent a home at a slightly higher than average rate with an agreed upon potential purchase date and purchase price for the property that can be several months to several years away. You can purchase the property at any poin ..

By Dr. Teresa R. Martin, Esq., REIA NYC Investing in rental properties can be a good way to introduce diversification to your portfolio of assets over the long - term. But, investing in real estate isn't easy - especially for first - time investors. Your chances of getting a decent return will be significantly affected by how you approach your investments and how willing you are to properly research the income potential of a property.  ..