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HUGE News About Our New BPO AutoFill Software!!!!!!!

We are a technology company that strives to be on the cutting-edge of all that we do and with the products that we offer. Since we invented BPO AutoFill software in 2009, we have learned a whole heck of a lot about our business, our subscribers needs, changes in the industy and have taken it all to heart.

We are SUPER proud to announce that we are starting to work on a new version of our BPO AutoFill software product. Although, we officially start work on October, 2nd 2017, this project is something that I have been working towards for years.

We anticipate releasing it very soon as we are currently in beta testing of the new, improved BPO AutoFill software and can't wait to see this dream come true!

More news to follow and we can't tell you all of the exact details just yet but know that this is going to be HUGE!!!!!!

Sincerely,

Nicole Ocean

BPO Automation Group

Phone: (360) 223-2482 E-mail: sales@bpo-automation.com 495 Grand Boulevard Suite #206 Miramar Beach, FL 32550 www.bpo-automation.com

 All Rights Reserved, BPO Automation Group LLC, © 2009-2018

Secrets to Real Estate Success for Newbies

Getting started in real estate can be tough is almost like trying to learn a brand, new game. It comes with its very own set of special rules, laws, systems, standards and guidelines that you must learn. While you are trying to become more competitive in an already over-saturated field where everyone knows someone who is a real estate agent or broker, you must be able to figure out a way to hustle and be different than your competition.

As you try to balance your new career and all the responsibilities that come with us, the real test of success is seeing if you can really juggle everything in the air at once, keep it moving smoothly so you don’t drop any balls and come out making enough money to maintain the lifestyle that you desire.

All of this is possible and I know because I’ve “been there, done that” myself. I’ve been a new real estate agent and quickly learned how to carve out a niche for myself so that I could not only stay in real estate and keep practicing it but also to see to it that I was thriving in my career. The same is possible for you, even though nothing is promised to you, you have the same opportunities to succeed as everyone else, IF you are willing to work for it, learn how to play the game and keep up with your duties on a daily basis.

For me, I found out about a way to make supplemental my income by doing CMA types of reports for banks called, broker price opinions. It saved me in more ways than one, in fact it helped pull me out of poverty as a single Mom to a young, bright-eyed and very loveable boy. And I’ve never looked back!

I’m very vocal about the BPO industry and I’m in love with it. I live to help real estate professionals around this great nation of ours that want to also carve out a niche for themselves in their real estate business by doing BPO’s. I also live for coaching and teaching, it’s what makes me happiest at my core on a professional level.

If you are curious to learn more about anything related to BPO’s, I’d love to be your guide, your coach and hopefully someone that you look up to.

Learn more about my newly updated “Broker Price Opinion Basics 101” video course here:

http://bpo-university.com/courses.html

If you already know the basics about BPO’s then I’d like to invite you to learn more about how to double and triple your BPO income by using BPO AutoFill software here:

http://bpo-automation.com

Your BPO Coach,

Nicole Ocean

BPO Automation Group

Phone: (360) 223-2482 E-mail: sales@bpo-automation.com 495 Grand Boulevard Suite #206 Miramar Beach, FL 32550 www.bpo-automation.com

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Agent Testimonials

”I have been using BPOA for a few years now and couldn't be happier with the programs available from this great company. I use the AutoFill software for my business. I am able to be much more efficient and provide a much better price opinion to the companies I do work for.

Customer service is great at BPOA. The Tech staff stays on top of any changes that might occur with the various companies they support. Nicole and the gang are constantly improving and modifying the products they offer. From the owners on down, this is a great company to do business with.....“ - Mr. Robert Ceballos, Home Team Realty, Houston, TX

”I have been working with Nicole Ocean at BPO Automation Group for several years now and have enjoyed great success in using the automation software in my BPO business. Nicole stays on top of changes in the industry and has done an excellent job of adapting the BPO AutoFill software as needed to stay current and relevant.

In addition, the company Tech Support system is easy-to-use and staff responds in a timely manner to provide resolution to software issues and answer questions. The software is easy-to-use and the Group website (Member's site) is stable and secure and has rarely been offline in the past several years.....“ - Mr. Dana Yarbrough, Value Realty, Cordova, TN

Have Questions, Reach Us At: 360-223-2482 ext. 1

BPO AUTOMATION GROUP- CLEARLY THE LEADER IN THE BPO SOFTWARE INDUSTRY!

Finish Your BPO Orders Faster With The Industry Leader Since 2009.

BPO Automation Group

Phone: (360) 223-2482 E-mail: sales@bpo-automation.com 495 Grand Boulevard Suite #206 Miramar Beach, FL 32550 www.bpo-automation.com

The Stock Market Surges to 20K And The Masses Applaud Their Own Doom

Make no mistake folks, the stock market surge is based on credit and at some point, that credit is going to default. The scary part is, we all know this, we all know our country is borrowing to pay debt, our citizens aren’t saving, it’s not a secret and yet, we are applauding this credit driven stock market boom, to our own demise.

I heard it once said…or read it somewhere which is more likely…, “we can’t avoid the final collapse of this boom from credit expansion. The only choice we have is should the bust happen sooner because we voluntarily stop borrowing or later as the currency system collapses on its own”

Essentially, the problem is, our debt is growing faster than our GDP. Folks, it’s just not possible to grow the debt faster than what we make. Guys, it’s simple math…it’s going to stop.

As I read about this some more, it was put this way to me…… “So let’s run the math experiment as ask what will happen if the Fed is successful and total credit grows for the next 30 years at exactly the same rate it did over the prior 30. That’s all. Nothing fancy, simply the same rate of growth that everybody got accustomed to while they were figuring out ‘how the world works.’ What happens to the current $57 trillion in TCMD as it advances by 8% per year for 30 years? It mushrooms into a silly number: $573 trillion. That is, an 8% growth paradigm gives us a tenfold increase in total credit in just thirty years:” Chris Martenson with PeakProsperity.com

To drive this home….the GDP of the ENTIRE GLOBE was only 85 Trillion in 2012. It’s going to crash….it has to and when it does, the dollars in our pockets will be worthless…literally not even worth the paper they are printed on. So….when you see all these people cheering and raising the roof over the stock market, don’t forget, it’s got to bust at some point and maybe sooner than later considering we are now over the 90% debt to GDP threshold.

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BPO Automation Group

Phone: (360) 223-2482 E-mail: sales@bpo-automation.com 495 Grand Boulevard Suite #206 Miramar Beach, FL 32550 www.bpo-automation.com

I have heard more than just rumors that Lenders with REO's are very closely looking at how Realtors use video to promote their properties.   Clearly the 85% demand number is going to move our industry.  In fact I know of a growing Brokerage here in San Diego, that is offering video support to the right, hard working, agents as an inducement to join their firm.

This week I am going to be a webinar guest for Woman in Diversified Services.  If anyone has any comments about video and REO use, I would love to hear them before the webinar.

Russia Took Aim at US Housing and Fired Warning Shot.

The claims may be inflammatory however, Hank Paulson, former US Treasury Secretary during the 2008 financial crisis that saw the bursting of the American housing bubble says he was approached by Chinese senior leadership who claimed that during our 2008 financial crisis, they wanted to partner with China to sell Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac securities in hopes of further crippling the US financial markets.

Hank Paulson, “Here I’m not going to name the senior person but, I was meeting with someone…. This person told me that Chinese had received a message from the Russians which was, “Hey Let’s join together and sell Fannie and Freddie securities on the market” The Chinese weren’t going to do that but again, it just, it just drove home to me how vulnerable I felt until we had put Fannie and Freddie into conservatorship.”

For many years now, I have been writing blogs on just how terrible our debt crisis is. I have been land blasted by the progressive liberal left that argue we don’t have a debt crisis and my fears are unfounded….or even worse, the stuff of conspiracy theories. I have stayed true to my believe that having so much of our debt controlled or in the hands of foreign countries that aren’t allies of America is dangerous and one day, may come back to haunt us. The quote from former Secretary of the Treasury further strengthens my position that wars in the future will expand to more than just ground forces taking over a sovereign nation however, digital warfare and economic warfare will become more common in this new century.

If you don’t see the urgency of our debt crisis and how our uncontrolled spending could be a fatal shot to our economic health as a country….just ask Russia what their opinion is. Based on this communication Hank had with China, our enemies see our debt crisis as an opportunity to bring us down. The fact that Hank would come out and say this now should be eye opening, it should shake this country to it’s very foundation. Lady Liberty will be crushed under the mighty weight of debt….a burden she isn’t naturally strong to carry.

My point, is that our Liberty, our Freedom, our America can only survive, thrive, prosper when we as a country are not vulnerable to outside economic warfare. Our problem is, economic warfare is preventable, it’s easily remedied by controlling our spending however, like a meth addict, what is it going to take for us to hit our preverbal bottom….what do we have to go through before those dependent on the system wake up and ask themselves not what your country can do for you but, what can you do for your country?

By then, it may be too late.

Are any of you watching what is happening to housing right now? As reported by Forbes.com’s Eric Carlyle Existing Home Sales Fall 5.1% In January 2014, To Lowest Level Since July 2012 and yet, our S&P still gains ground…..hhhmmm…..

As reported by Lucia Mutikani with Reuters, Housing Starts, Permits Tumble; Mortgage Applications Fall and yet, our S&P still gains ground….hhmm….

As reported by Greg Robb of MarketWatch.com, Philly Fed Manufacturing Weakens in February, index dropped sharply….to a negative 6.3 from a positive 9.4 in January and, yet our S&P still gains ground…hhmm…

As reported by Emily Fox at CNN Money, even consumers are holding back as her article headline reads, Wal-Mart Wars of Soft Start to Year and, yet our S&P still gains ground…hhmm…

Some anaylsis say the weather and cold temps are to blame however, sure, the cold weather may not have made things better but, if our country is so weak, it can’t even take a colder than “normal” (Whatever that is) winter…then I am left to ask, just where are we fiscally…really? Better yet, how is it the S&P can make modest gains in this atmosphere of negative reports?

Oh…I almost forgot, let’s not forget about the last two job reports…..can we say ouch! At some point, the market can’t sustain, especially now with the fed pulling back on Quantitative Easing this year. I am sounding the alarm once again and I really do believe I am correct, this is the year of the “double dip” recession. I say “double dip” in quotes because, I never believed we ever came out of a recession in the first place but, let’s go with the popular misconception we did, hence the quotations around the word, “double dip”.

More now than ever before, since 2007, if we stumble, we will take a much larger hit than any of us that didn’t live through the Great Depression will experience. Why do I say that well, it’s simple, our economy isn’t starting off from a place of strength, as I outlined above. Back in 2006, when the real estate bubble burst, our economy was booming so, the hit we took was bad, even worse than the Great Depression but, most Americans in the Middle and Upper class didn’t make many significant changes to their daily lives whereas the lower class was obliterated. This time around, our economy is not in a position to take another hit like that and if it does, you will see middle class America take the brunt and once again, the lower class will receive the equivalent to a economic nuke being dropped on their heads.

Now, let’s add in expected increases in health care cost due to our Presidents fundamental transformation of our country, increased taxes as we don’t have an in power opposition party to the liberal / progressive agenda being pushed in Washington DC and well, 2014 will be a year we won’t forget, that is for sure.

I Used my Retirement Money to Buy Real Property and Make Money.

Well, as many of you may know, in the past two years I have been really studying as much as I can about how to use retirement funds to buy property. After much studying, last year I took the dive and attended my first tax auction. I bought a property with my retirement money and I am now about to resell it for nearly double what I paid for plus all my expenses. By doing this, I stand to make a return in my retirement account of nearly 28% in 2014. That’s right, you heard me correctly, I will sell these properties I bought at tax auction, with my own retirement money in 2013 for a net increase in my retirement of nearly 28% in 2014. Just so you know, when my money was with T. Rowe Price…for the past 15 years, I had never made that kind of money in 1 years time…..never! In fact, the best return I ever got with T. Rowe Price was a net increase of like .08%....what a joke!

I have privately spoken with some of you on how to use a Self Directed IRA and many of you have found your way to our Self Directed IRA social network www.MatherNetwork.com however, many more of you still haven’t figured out how to make a SDIRA work for you or even what it is. I can’t stress to you enough, go join www.MatherNetwork.com it’s FREE and, learn as much as you can. Read the blogs, get on the forums, contact the SDIRA Trustees……..RETIRE EARLY!

Stop waiting, it’s the new year and now is the best time to get started. We have some of the bet Trustees on our network that offer our members free webinars, workshops, libraries…..a wealth of information and knowledge. The best part, our Trustees are the same people I use, I learned from, hold my money and I can tell you personally, I have made money in my retirement, more money than I have ever made in my retirement. Stop procrastinating….go to www.MatherNetwork.com and join now!

2014 Housing Changes and Predictions:

New lending rules will limit the number of working class buyers. By now, you have likely heard of the new mortgage rules that are going into effect January 1, 2014. As you know, the people who put these rules in place (Congress via HUD) believe these new guidelines provide greater consumer protections and will prevent a similar collapse we had in 2007.

The truth of the matter is, when a lender originates a mortgage that they are going to resell to Fannie or Freddie, the lender will have to raise their lending standards before they can approve the loan. As you can imagine, advocates for “affordable housing” are looking at these higher standards and having a fit. They don’t like these new standards because essentially, it begins limiting loans to high risk buyers with standards they aren’t going to be able to meet.

Regardless of what side you fall on in the Realolitical discussion (Realolitical = Realestate + Political) of affordable housing vs. stricter lending, the end result is fewer working class buyers in 2014 than we have had any time after the 2007 collapse.  

Unemployment is predicted to remain at about 8% for 2014. The CBO (Congressional Budget Office) is a bit pessimistic for 2014 when it comes to unemployment. They are expecting unemployment to remain around 8% which means employment conditions will likely remain the same. This means that if we take a look at the hard number, we should be seeing about 300,000+ jobless claims weekly for all of 2014. This number will change according to seasonal work requirements but, essentially, 300K jobless claims weekly.

Long terms jobless benefits have not be renewed for 2014. Approximately 1 million people this week will NOT get their jobless benefits. These people will be forced to get creative with making ends meet. For many, the risk of foreclosure just became more real than it ever has been in the past. Right now, Congress is in heated debate about extending long term jobless benefits and it might get passed however, it may not happen in time to save many from foreclosure as Congress debates.

Approximately 52% of the American public are on the Government roll. In other words, the majority of Americans are surviving by taking the tax payments of the working public. This begins a paradigm shift in our country that will be very hard to stop. In fact, it makes our country more like Europe than we have ever been before. NOTE: France’s President this week won a legal victory which will see both individuals and companies that make more than 1 million dollars, pay 75% tax rate on that income for the next 2 years. So, in essence, if you make 1 million dollars, you will pay $750,000.00 of that to the government to pay your fair share in taxes. The really sad part is, even with this tax rate, it doesn’t even put a dent in France’s debt….they are still at serious risk of insolvency.  

The bullish stock market will come to a grinding halt. In 2013, the Federal Reserve announced it will begin tapering off it’s Quantitative Easing bond purchasing program in 2014. Now, this is a very complicated monetary policy to explain but, essentially, it means that the Federal Reserve is going to stop printing money in order to stem off inflation concerns. Essentially, the Federal Reserve believes that too many dollars are in the system and in order to prevent out of control inflation, they need to pull back. Many analysis agree that the Quantitative Easing program is the lynch pin in the stock markets bull market for the past 2-3 years. Some are concerned that, without the Federal Reserve pumping money into the market….the market will collapse because our economy isn’t as strong as they thing it is. In other words, the Federal Reserve seems to be drinking the White House’s political kool-aid. The scary part of all of this, foreign countries are beginning to sell off their dollars. By doing so, our dollar weakens and inflation begins to get serious.

Finally Obamacare destroys the insurance industry and millions find out they are going to pay more for insurance than they ever had before. Sure, Obamacare advocates like to tell people that 2 million people signed up however, what they fail to tell you is that more than half of those are either 100% tax payer subsidized or a percentage thereof. They also forget to tell you that nearly 6 million lost their insurance in November and December of 2013 due to the new minimum insurance standards and that 30-40 million are at risk of losing their insurance once the employer mandate goes into effect. Everyone knows Obamacare isn’t financially solvent and the fact the law is raising premium for both individuals and employers, it’s believed that many will simply lose coverage or end up paying inflated prices they can’t afford.

So….add it all up and I do believe that in 2014, we will see absolutely no positive change for the real estate industry. If anything, we will see our industry grow stagnant and in some areas of the country, see increased inventories, lower prices and increases in short sales and REOs. I do believe high demand micro markets that aren’t over developed will be little safe havens but, unfortunately not enough of those exist to prop up the real estate market as a whole.

I have written articles on the drought of REOs and many of you are experiencing the drought personally and have shifted your business but, make no mistake, it isn't because foreclosures have slowed, stopped or the economy is getting better. In fact, most of these banks are moving their REO inventories off their books to hedge funds, bulk portfolio buyers or even worse, shell companies like (fill in the blank) which then dispose of the property directly. Don't believe me? Well, here ya go, read this!

http://www.inman.com/wire/share-of-unlisted-vacant-homes-hits-highest-level-in-13-years/

Now, after reading that inman.com news article, tell me how great this economy is.

Many people have no clue what happens or if anything happens to their credit when they complete a short sale. Truth is, many people just don’t know however, some really great articles are out there about this very topic and yet, so many questions still exist.

The first article I want to draw your attention to is notably an older article however, based on all the chatter I hear on a daily basis about how a deed in lieu or short sale will impact your credit, I really think this article should be revisited.

As published in the Washington Post 8/30/2011 by Michelle Singletary she stresses the fact the actual credit score it’s self, also known as the FICO score may be impacted differently by a short sale or deed in lieu however, that impact is so marginally different that, claims a short sale is less negatively impactful than a deed in lieu seem a bit farfetched, when strictly referring to impact of the FICO score. If you want to read her article yourself, click here.

A 2^nd article I think you should read is by Linda Ferrari on 6/9/2009 on her blog, Linda Ferrari Your Credit Score Expert. She wrote an article titled The Mortgage Crisis and Your Credit Part Three: Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure. This article is really good from the stand point about how your credit score is impacted by how the deed in lieu is reported. Many people don’t realize that the bank can report your deed in lieu three different ways and of those three different ways, the negative impact will vary from most negative impact to lest negative impact. I would strongly suggest you read her article to learn more about how it’s reported. It was a huge eye opener for me.

Finally, I found a great article, maybe the best one on what the future may hold for those of you who have completed a short sale vs a deed in lieu. Now this article is very recent, in comparison to the other two, it was written back on 7/8/2013 by Alanna McCargo and even better, it’s posted on the Equifax forums giving it credibility. It’s titled “Can I buy a Home After a Short Sale or Foreclosure” and, the best part is her approach to credit fundamentals and how important it is to do all you can to protect your credit.

All in all, after these I read these articles and did some further investigation on my own, here is what I learned.

1. Your credit will be negatively impacted by a Short Sale, Foreclosure or Deed in Lieu.
2. The negative impact to your FICO score will be marginal at best between the Short Sale, Foreclosure or Deed in Lieu.
3. When you agree to participate in any of these default disposition options, CONSUMERS MUST READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THEIR PARTICIPATION and watch out for how their action is being reported to the credit reporting bureaus. The truth is, some reporting options are much more negatively impactful than others. Consumers need to know they have options they can negotiate here for a less negative impact to their credit.
4. Finally, benefits like, relocation assistance, no risk of future deficiency judgments are not guaranteed and once again, CONSUMERS MUST READ THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THEIR PARTICIPATION as these additional benefits are NOT guaranteed. Consumers have options here to negotiate a better deal and should be aware they have options.

If you are considering a short sale, contact me, Jesus “Jesse” D. Gonzalez Jr. Realtor / Principal Broker of Liberty House Realty LLC. I would be happy to discuss your options with you and how we can help. 615-424-0961

In the months and years to come, more and more tech-y gadgets and apps will be introduced to the real estate arena. You need to keep your eyes open for these changes and updates. In a highly competitive industry like real estate, your chances can be determined by how well equipped you are.

Estimating house repairs accurately for an investment/flip.

Very few people ever buy a car and then find out the amount of the monthly payments and insurance.  Most people sit down with pen and paper, or a computer, and crunch some numbers to make sure they can handle the purchase.   The same thing should be done before buying an investment property.  However, buying a home with the purpose of flipping takes a bit more knowledge and calculation in order to earn a profit when it comes time to sell.

Understand the Difference between Structural Problems and Cosmetic Needs

Even a brand new novice can recognize the need for some paint or fresh carpet.  People that have purchased a home before could possibly spot an older front door or some outdated windows.  However, being able to see and recognize a problem with the structure of a home takes a bit more knowledge and practice.  Pay close attention to these areas and possible problems:

• Areas damaged by water; evidence could be water stains, rippled paint, musty odors or flaking of paint
• Problems with water lines; water supplies that drip or don't run, leaks around toilets, pipes, and water valves
• Presence of pests, especially termites
• Dry and rotten wood

Beyond these trouble spots, it is also important to understand that a home 20+ years old will most likely need some kind of other normal repair such as an updated HVAC system, new roof, or new water heater.

The Right Compromise Makes Everyone Happy

Keep in mind that your goal is to FLIP the home.  That means that you can purchase the home well enough below the market value that you can quickly sell it to someone else for a profit.  If you try to repair too many things, then the price will need to be increased and you could scare off a few investors.

Here is a simple formula that will help you when looking at potential properties.

1. Determine the value of the home after repairs have been made
2. Deduct the money needed to make said repairs.
3. Take this new amount and multiply it by 70%.  This figure is top dollar offer.

Here is a simple example.  You are looking at a home that should be worth $180,000 once it has been repaired.  The money needed to fix it up is $15,000.

In this particular example, if you could purchase the home for $109,000 and sell it for $114,000 you would make a quick $5,000 without lifting a finger.  To make this better, the investor that buys the home from you has enough room to buy the home, make the repairs and sell for a profit.

How to Get Better at Estimating Repair Costs

• Habit of looking at homes – You will need to inspect quite a few homes in order to learn how to recognize particular problems. Seeing the same kind of problem multiple times will teach you what to search for in a home.
• Get acquainted with a contractor – If you are not a contractor yourself then it is a good idea to strike up a friendship with a contractor.  They will be able to give you estimates on your potential properties.  You can also refer work to him to keep him busy.
• Take good notes – When you are looking at a home with a contractor take notes about the problems that he points out and the price for the repair.
• Study material prices – Get accustomed to visiting the local hardware stores to get prices on materials. Knowing when prices are going up, or going down, or certain items will help you make more accurate estimates.

• Top Mistakes Rookies Make in Home Flipping (13.1) Rookie mistakes when flipping a home. With mortgage rates still...
• Tips for Selling a Home during a Slow Market (7.3) Successful Real Estate Agents Reveal Tips for Selling a Home...
• Understanding Requirements of Appraisal for FHA Loans in WI (7.2) Understanding Specific Requirements of Appraisal for FHA Loans in Wisconsin...
• Tips for your first Home Inspection (6.6) Considering the cost of purchasing a home it would make...
• Preparing to Purchase that First Rental Home (6.5) Advice About Purchasing Your First Rental Home/Property (Investment Properties: Part...

Property Management, Rentals and Short Sale: The New Niche

From the time we sign up for real estate school, to the most experienced agents with 30+ years under their belt, we have all heard that to be successful in real estate, we need to find our niche. Well, I am here to say that’s a bunch of hog wash. I would go as far to say that by “finding your niche” you’re a signing, your own business’s death certificate. Many of our colleagues found out in 2007 – 2008, when the real estate bubble burst, having a niche meant you didn’t know how to work in a shifting market place. I understand that for most all of us, real estate was steady and predictable so, this niche thinking was rampant, accepted and promoted amongst our ranks however, now we have learned that being a niche Realtor means certain death as real estate become more and more volatile each day.

Now, I say all this but, let’s be honest, REO is definitely a niche, I like to think of it as being the undertaker of the real estate world. Yes, by extension, that means I am a housing mortician. As such, we see highs and lows and we are extremely sensitive to fluctuations in the market place. For some, that’s just fine, we have learned to work with these convulsions and have shielded our lives and business from times of drought however, a vast majority of us ended up in the foreclosure lines ourselves when the real estate market heard those fateful sounds, snap, crackle and finally….POP!

As a Realtor and full time Broker, I have found that taking a more diversified approach to my business offers me and my family a more stable outlook to my career. This means, I have done away with the niche and expanded my income streams to include things like; Property Management, Rentals and yes, Short Sales. I do have some other things I do in real estate like, investing however, that is another conversation for another time. Let’s stay focused on the whole “niche” thing.

True, you can say that each of those three I just wrote about are niches amongst themselves and, you would get no argument out of me here however, all together as a part of your service portfolio, they become more, much more. All together they become an inoculation of sorts, from the market place unpredictability. By adding more services you can offer, you are riding out the waves of instability in the market place by being able to quickly and effectively shift your business to more profitable ventures. Ok…yes, you are still working the “distressed property” niche so…..yeah, it’s still a niche but, it’s a niche with diversification.

Right now, many markets are seeing short sales take over and even outpace REOs however, we don’t see a flood of agents clamoring to do short sales like we did with agents clamoring to get REO assignments and, why is that? Have you thought about that? If not, why not? My argument is, the skills you learned to be a kick ass REO agent are really the same skills you need to be a kick ass Short Sale Professional. I would go as far to say, no real difference exist between the two required skill set that would stop any outstanding short sale agent from being a outstanding REO agent and vice versa.

Granted, short sales are much more time consuming and require much more paperwork but, these things shouldn’t scare you away but, should entice you to add short sales to your service portfolio. Let’s face it, if you can close a complicated short sale, you can close any REO. My bigger point is, due to the complex nature of a short sale, becoming a Short Sale Professional will build on skills you already have or at least, develop skills you don’t have and therefore, making you better in the long run.

Don’t be afraid of short sales, they are fast becoming the new REO. As REO agents, you already have the basic and even advanced skills to be a great Short Sale Professional so, grow a pair and get to work. Your area has hundreds or even thousands of homeowners who need the help of an experienced distressed property agent who knows the front and back of the foreclosure process so that they can avoid the foreclosure if at all possible.

As an idol of mine says, “You beda weeerk!”

Many of you may have heard something about Self Direct Investing or buying a tax lien however, never really understood what it was all about because, you didn't have any resource. That has changed, REOPro is launching a new network www.MatherNetwork.com.

www.MatherNetwork.com is a network focused on giving you information on Self Directed Investing. Using money you already have, money you aren't paying your bills with and, showing you how to grow tax free wealth that you can retire on and leave to your family when you're gone.

It may all sound like a pipe dream but, I assure you, it isn't. I am a self directed investor myself and as the headline on this blog suggest, I have helped people with as little as $1,500.00 in their retirement account buy a tax lien and make a minimum 10% once the person whom the lien was against paid it. FYI: that 10% is law by the way....guaranteed.

So, if you want to learn more about Investing in Tennessee Tax Liens, visit my educational blogs on www.MatherNetwork.com of by visiting these links....

http://mathernetwork.com/profiles/blogs/investing-in-tennessee-tax-liens-101

http://mathernetwork.com/profiles/blogs/investing-in-tennessee-tax-liens-102

Many REO Realtors who were closing a record number of deals in 2012 may not be able to close that same number of deals, or anything close to it in 2013. This really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone considering, we have been noticing on dramatic pull back in REO now....for about 6 months or so, This all cumulated for many of us when Fannie Mae decided to fire all of thier outsourcers...or at least, the vast majority of them. None the less, this has many speculators out there talking up the "Rise and Fall of REO" and yes....make no mistake, it is definitely in declined however, let's not forget one, simple, truth. Home sales are directly correlated to jobs. No jobs = REO.

Now, it's true, short sales are playing a much larger role in the default real estate industry...in fact, as the article outlines, they seem to be up....much more than REO. In fact, from what I am hearing in the industry, many of these lenders and participants in "community stabilization" programs are seeing that short sales do a much better job at maintaining home values than REO ever could and as such, are holding back from foreclosing and giving bank directed short salesa much stronger look.

I have heard, the word on the street is, Fannie Mae and HUD are very likely going to be coming out with their own "Pre-Approved Short Sale" .... which isn't anything new however, it will have one dramatic change and that is, it will be bank directed. What that means is, instead of waiting on a homeowner, desperately trying to save their home, holding onto it from either desperation or flat out resolve, banks will hire their REO agent to go out, make contact, discuss options and give the REO agent a "Pre-approved Short Sale".

If you want to read the article, "The Rise and Fall of REO" I referenced it below however, make no mistake people, REO isn't going to fall....untill unemployment falls. These two are one in the same and as long as we stay over 7% unemployment, REO will, at the very least, level out but, it will stay strong.

By the way, for all you agent out there who are just hating the idea of doing a short sale, won't do a short sale or simply think its too much work for the money.....you might want to be changing that attitude because, as Corelogic reports, short sales had a banner year in 2012 and no one expects anything less in 2013.

To learn more about short sales, maybe even attende the industry's only Short Sale Symposium, you need to attend the Short Sale Specialist Symposium at Sea.

Link to: The Rise and Fall of REO

Link to: Short Sale Symposium

The real estate industry is being flooded with new marketing tools, platforms and strategies, which are being rolled out in anticipation of a new housing boom and explosion of new Realtors but is this doing more damage than good?

The real estate business has long been plagued by endless expensive and ineffective lead generation tools aimed at Realtors. Now there is a new surge to cash in on all of the players entering and reentering the business from Zillow and the acquisition of Buyfolio to The Real Estate Book’s new internet marketing makeover of old and overdone tools to Listingbook and others.

In fact, one of the biggest risks to new real estate agents, brokers, investors and even mortgage companies is training and spending themselves into bankruptcy before they even really get going, despite the slick pitches of how ‘great’ the next exotic marketing ploy is.

Savvy real estate professionals know that they need to be constantly seeking the best possible ROI for their marketing budgets, while putting their blinders on to block out these distractions, yet keeping one eye on real future trends and emerging lead generation tools which are truly revolutionary and valuable.

After all, why give up your hard earned capital to overpay for others’ experiments in advertising or give up your highly valuable leads and referrals to someone else to work for you and no doubt cash in on in other ways? Or why blow big money on complex advertising campaigns which don’t improve results or speed up production?

This is especially true when effective and affordable solutions are at hand for delivering fast results for finding distressed multifamily properties, REOs and other real estate which needs to be listed and sold.

After all, winning in the real estate game today is all about controlling the listings or at least having off market properties to offer. Fortunately the latest software, like BankProspector has made this much easier, faster and affordable to do. This tool in particular means no need to waste time and dollars on fielding calls from unqualified prospects and being able to leap gatekeepers to lock up distressed properties for sale from institutions.

Don’t underestimate opportunities like this, which present the chance to get ahead of the competition, while improving speed and profit margins to continually compound and increase success. Only those who innovate and demand top results will be able to separate themselves and stay in the game long enough to really achieve what they set out to.