If you're trying to sell a property, it's a no-brainer that you want it to look good. It's a given that the property should be clean and well kept. But making a property attractive to potential buyers goes beyond that: You want them to see how it can look--what the potential of the space is. Selling real estate is all about helping a potential buyer see a property in its' best light and you want them to remember it when they see other potential properties to buy. This is where professional home staging comes in. A home stager's job is to draw attention to the things about a property that make it special and to show it in the best possible light.
3 min read
HOA Regulations Against Investors and Renters: Fair or Foul?
By Chris Clothier on Wed, Jun 12, 2013
Real estate investors work hard to track down attractive properties to purchase. Many of them do so in the hopes of generating income by renting the properties out to tenants. The good ones identify which properties are right for them, taking into account the state of the properties, the likelihood that they will draw tenants, and the amount they can clear per month in rent, along with many other factors. They diligently screen tenants and maintain the properties they rent out, with the goal of being the kind of investor who will be easy to work with and the kind of landlord that tenants -- and the neighborhoods in which they live -- will embrace.
4 min read
Ethics In Real Estate Investing | The Game Changer!
By Chris Clothier on Fri, Jun 7, 2013
In an ideal world, posts concerning ethics would not be necessary. In such a world, everyone would operate by the Golden Rule, treating everyone else the way they wish to be treated. Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen, and people sometimes fail to act ethically. And here's the thing: Not all people who behave unethically are moustache-twirling villains. Sometimes unethical behavior happens when people get too focused on the bottom line or get a little (or a lot) sloppy, forgetting that at the end of the day, real estate investors are in the people business.
3 min read
Real Estate Investing: Cash Reserves Are A Must For Buy & Hold
By Chris Clothier on Thu, May 23, 2013
We have been working with Memphis real estate investors for the past 7-10 years in one fashion or another and one thing that never changes about new investors is a lack of understanding when it comes to cash reserves. So many people think that real estate investing can be boiled down to a quick series of numbers, i.e. - how much will this be or how much will that be or how much should I set aside for this expense and that expense? All of those are VERY VALID QUESTIONS!!
2 min read
Memphis Business Journal Article on Memphis Invest
By Chris Clothier on Fri, May 17, 2013
The winners will be announced on Thursday night May 23rd at a special dinner, but today they published articles on all of the finalists. This is our second year to be nominated, which is a tremendous honor. To be considered one of the Top 5 companies in Memphis (we are in the 25-75 employee category) really speaks volumes not about us as owners, but about our people. Easily, the best staff in the business. If you want to see the article online at the Business Journal, I have included a link.
4 min read
3 Sure Fire Ways To Fail At Real Estate Investing
By Chris Clothier on Wed, May 15, 2013
It seems that a week cannot go by without my in box getting bombarded with "fool-proof" investment ideas and opportunities. Add to that the laundry list of emails I get with new products and services that all promise magic bullets or towering pillars with all the steps I need for real estate success. If that were not bad enough, then come the emails from investors asking if I can help them follow through on their risky real estate investing plan or if we offer strategies that, in my opinion, are doomed to fail. So this week, I decided to write a tongue-in-cheek article assisting all those investors who are attracted to sure fire failure. Here are three sure fire ways to fail at real estate!
3 min read
Memphis In May Weekend A Big Hit For Real Estate Investors
By Chris Clothier on Sun, May 12, 2013
A Real Chance To Show Off Memphis Real Estate
Memphis Invest just concluded their 5th Memphis In May With Memphis Invest real estate weekend and I can say with all humility that this years' event was the best by far! We had the largest group of investors we had ever hosted, which presented a lot of challenges for us from logistics to presentation and simply hosting in general. We always want everyone to feel like they are the only real estate investor in the room and judging from the comments, thank you's and emails we have already received since the event ended on Saturday, I think we achieved our goals!
3 min read
Memphis Food: What to Eat While You're in Town
By Chris Clothier on Mon, May 6, 2013
There are a lot of reasons that investors come to Memphis for real estate. Low prices, above average rental ratios and a solid recovery taking hold are just a few of the reasons. But in this article, we're going to talk a little bit about the real reason real estate investing is going crazy here in Memphis. I'm talking, of course, about the food!
3 min read
Memphis In May With Memphis Invest...1 Week out!
By Chris Clothier on Fri, May 3, 2013
Memphis Invest Team Getting Fired Up!
We are super excited that we are only 1 week away from what has become a signature event for our company and a whole lot of fun. We have been asked a lot this past week about being able to attend if you have not registered and the answer is yes...but, we really need you to register first so we are able to prepare for the size of the crowd.
3 min read
Tips For Lowering Real Estate Taxes
By Chris Clothier on Wed, Apr 10, 2013
For counties and municipalities across the country, property taxes are the gift that keeps on giving. In both good and bad times, American cities and counties seem to find a way to burden their residents by raising these pesky levies. Since mortgage lenders often automatically shunt future property tax payments into escrow accounts each month, many equity-building homeowners don't even focus on the fact that they're paying hundreds or thousands of dollars per year to their local governments. This year, Shelby County, Tennessee, which is the county where Memphis is located, is assessing the value of every property and adjusting rates. Some are going up and some are going down. Event though we manage close to 1,600 single-family rental properties in Memphis, it makes sense to think about our own homes tax appraisal.