2015, pending policy effects

    2014, the real estate market Vietnam has many signs of recovery, liquidity increased compared to the previous year. In Hanoi market has about 11 450 successful transactions, more than 2 times in 2013); also in the city. HCM has about 10,350 successful transactions, up 30% from a year earlier.

Mr. Timothy Horton, CEO Cusman & Wakefield Vietnam

Knots deployed 

    In 2014, the real estate market Vietnam has many signs of recovery, liquidity increased compared to the previous year. In Hanoi market has about 11 450 successful transactions, more than 2 times in 2013); also in the city. HCM has about 10,350 successful transactions, up 30% from a year earlier. In particular, not to mention the change in the mindset of the market participants, from investors, customers, bank loans, instead of project development at all costs, buying and selling at any price, was radical, more cautious in entering the market. Uptime direct observation and real estate market Vietnam recently has helped me come to a conclusion that there has been a clear improvement of the participants, the level of understanding of the market to the professionalism of each project. On a regional level, this means a lot, because there is rarely any water markedly improved so like the real estate market in Vietnam in a short time, including water for is developed. The level of sophistication and sensitivity increasingly clear of foreign investors has forced the "players" in the country incessantly striving to compete. Previously, investors often valuation of their assets in a very sketchy way, by comparing the market price and the offer price they deem appropriate, without studying the feasibility of the project. Currently, the price on the basis of correlation with the value of the property has improved much more than before, this does not only help attract existing customers but also an important factor affecting the decided to potential customers in the future. In the past also said that one of the mechanisms in which policies to support the real estate market was enacted most, especially the Business Law Real Estate and Housing Act amendments. What's new in this second ordinance and will certainly have a positive impact on the market, creating a breath of fresh air for all of the real estate segment. Not only that, but for the business environment in general, this is a significant improvement, attractive to investors because they are assured of property ownership is guaranteed.

    However, consistency in enforcement will play a crucial role in attracting the interest of foreign investors in the investment choices in the coming years. Last time there are some problems caused investors somewhat shy and tried to ask consultants Cushman & Wakefield. Such as under the 2003 Land Law, the industrial enterprises in the lump-sum payment for infrastructure business unit, to mortgage the land to the red book loans at the bank. However, the revised Land Act 2013, businesses can not mortgage the red book to borrow if the owner has not paid the industrial zone once the money has been collected from businesses leasing land to the State. There are so many companies in the industrial park difficulty in accessing loans from the policy change. In principle, when the secondary investors to fully implement the obligations they have to be guaranteed for all interests. The payment of rent or annual visits between the utility companies and the State, and not directly related to secondary investors. Policy changes but no specific route that suddenly required infrastructure investors pay a visit soon is not easy. In my opinion, the provisions of the Land Act 2013 applies only to projects implemented after the date of 01.07.2014, the effective date of the Law. The second is the conversion fee land use is also an issue that investors restlessness. Specifically, the new land price frame higher than 2-3 times the price of land application framework from 2009 to present. Whether this price bracket does not apply to charges for use of the land, only to calculate the taxes, fees, penalties land ... but the investors, businesses still worried this will affect indirectly, that DN more difficult. We hope that these issues can be resolved soon so that investors will have peace of mind when investing in Vietnam.

Office rentals are expected to continue to recover both capacity and price. Photo: Le Toan

Go find attractive segments 

    In 2015 is expected to be a promising year based on what we're seeing in the market. All those who are active in the fields of economics, especially in the field of real estate are expected to improve from the ordinance will bring positive effects to help the market develop. Scores Monday morning, according to my point of view, there will be more investors and foreign market entry and development of some powerful investors are developing projects in Vietnam. The third thing is the expectation Property Management Company of the credit institution Vietnam (VAMC) will better promote their role in the treatment of bad debts, which is the largest estate NPL production. On the real estate segment, besides housing segment average capital has relatively good liquidity in recent years, as economic growth recovers, industrial land market will be highlighted, is the strength the real estate market in Vietnam. Recently, foreign corporations such as Samsung and Intel refers to the expansion of investment projects in both the North and South. This shows that the real estate business of all industrial areas are developed in a positive direction. The area's many parks now been extended from 2-3 times.

    Markets factory premises were construction (Ready built factory market) has returned the following exciting period of 4 years is relatively bleak. A major contribution to the positive changes are made up of sound policy of the Government, particularly in improving the infrastructure, from roads to ports, airports. However, in my opinion, the biggest problem now is progress and ability to implement new policies for new thinking in the market. As in Vietnam, in many cases, the new rules have been very progressive "loss" when applied to life. Of course, to realize the idea and practical, we need time for it to take effect, by not happen overnight, but can solve. In short, to the Land Law and the decree of the property is implemented effectively, in addition to completing the guidelines, require drastic actions to ensure that these policies promote its highest effect immediately upon entering life.

    As for Cushman & Wakefield Vietnam, I said that 2015 is a promising year. The types of services we provide to customers in Vietnam, including rental services, consulting services and retail office has good geographical balance growth. The focus on core services to help ensure profitability even in the most difficult phase of the market, while maintaining the brand of a group of real estate consultants largest private world existed in nearly a hundred years. Some segments may be longer recovery time than expected but based on many years of business experience in the market and prospects for 2015, we are confident in the prospects of this segment. Since the risk of Vietnamese your very interesting and exciting, the "risk" and have the opposite. I am an optimistic person should always see opportunity in danger. 2015 will be a challenge but also an opportunity for people who do real estate in general and in particular Cushman & Wakefield.

Resource: vietbao.vn (translate into English)

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50 Quotes on Leadership Every Entrepreneur Should Follow

Every entrepreneur knows that the success of their business ultimately rests on their shoulders. Yes, the product you build and the team you hire are important, but your ability to lead is what carries your company.

With that kind of pressure, it’s easy to feel stressed, lonely and overwhelmed at times. Every great leader has faced a challenge that defined their greatness, which is why we often turn to their advice when needed.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or team leader, here are 50 inspirational quotes on leadership for when you need a little pep talk.

1. "A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be." –Rosalynn Carter

2. “A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.” - Lao Tzu

3. "It's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse." -  Adlai E. Stevenson II

4. "Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand." – Colin Powell

5. “The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.” - Max DePree

6. "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader." – John Quincy Adams

7. “A leader is a dealer in hope.” - Napoleon Bonaparte

8. "A leader...is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind." - Nelson Mandela

9. “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.” -Aristotle

10. "Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it." - Dwight D. Eisenhower

11. "As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others." – Bill Gates

12. “A good leader is a person who takes a little more than his share of the blame and a little less than his share of the credit." - John Maxwell

13. “Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position.” - Brian Tracy

14. "The leaders who offer blood, toil, tears and sweat always get more out of their followers than those who offer safety and a good time. When it comes to the pinch, human beings are heroic." – George Orwell

15. “I start each day by telling myself what a positive influence I am on this world.” - Peter Daisyme

16. “Earn your leadership every day." - Michael Jordan

17. "Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others." –Jack Welch

18. “Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to high sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.” - Peter Drucker

19. "My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to take these great people we have and to push them and make them even better." - Steve Jobs

20. "The led must not be compelled. They must be able to choose their own leader." – Albert Einstein

21. “Great leaders find ways to connect with their people and help them fulfill their potential.” - Steven J. Stowell

22. "To have long-term success as a coach or in any position of leadership, you have to be obsessed in some way." - Pat Riley

23. "If you think you are leading and turn around to see no one following, then you are just taking a walk." – Benjamin Hooks

24. “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly.” - Jim Rohn

25. "A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd." - Max Lucado

26. “To do great things is difficult; but to command great things is more difficult.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

27. "It is absolutely necessary...for me to have persons that can think for me, as well as execute orders." - George Washington

28. "Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work." - Vince Lombardi

29. “A cowardly leader is the most dangerous of men.”  - Stephen King

30. "A man always has two reasons for doing anything: a good reason and the real reason."- J.P. Morgan

31. “Not the cry, but the flight of a wild duck, leads the flock to fly and follow.” - Chinese Proverb

32. "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

33. “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it.”  - Andrew Carnegie

34. "Average leaders raise the bar on themselves; good leaders raise the bar for others; great leaders inspire others to raise their own bar." -Orrin Woodward

35. "Those who try to lead the people can only do so by following the mob." – Oscar Wilde

36. “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.” - Sam Walton

37. “Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” -  Albert Schweitzer

38. “If your actions create a legacy that inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, then, you are an excellent leader.” - Dolly Parton

39. “I am reminded how hollow the label of leadership sometimes is and how heroic followership can be.” - Warren Bennis

40. “In this world a man must either be an anvil or hammer.” -  Henry W. Longfellow

41. “It is absurd that a man should rule others, who cannot rule himself. (Absurdum est ut alios regat, qui seipsum regere nescit.)” - Latin Proverb

42. “The history of the world is but the biography of great men.” -  Thomas Carlyle

43. “A ruler should be slow to punish and swift to reward.” - Ovid

44. “You don’t have to hold a position in order to be a leader” - Henry Ford

45. “Rely on your own strength of body and soul. Take for your star self-reliance, faith, honesty, and industry. Don't take too much advice — keep at the helm and steer your own ship, and remember that the great art of commanding is to take a fair share of the work. Fire above the mark you intend to hit. Energy, invincible determination with the right motive, are the levers that move the world.” - Noah Porter

46. "Don't blow off another's candle for it won't make yours shine brighter." Jaachynma N.E. Agu

47. “I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure, which is: Try to please everybody.”  - Herbert Swope

48. “He who has learned how to obey will know how to command.”  -Solon

49. “If one is lucky, a solitary fantasy can totally transform one million realities.” - Maya Angelou

50. “The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Bonus:

“Screw it, let’s just do it.” - Richard Branson

Resource: http://www.entrepreneur.com/

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Why You Should Be Investing Your Money In Real Estate

As entrepreneurs find success with their primary business ventures, many search for the proper investments for their profits.

Of course, we can and should all start traditional tax preferred vehicles like an IRA and 401k. These are the bedrock of good 'benefit' planning for ourselves and our employees. I'm also convinced more entrepreneurs should consider rental real estate as an important part of their portfolio.

I realize many business owners shrug off this concept after the recent downturn in real estate values, but let me list a few reasons that may change your mind:

1. Gain more leverage. Real estate is one of the few investment vehicles where using the bank's money couldn't be easier. The ability to make a down payment, leverage your capital, and thus increase your overall return on investment is incredible.

2. Grow, tax-free. Buying rental property based on speculation of its value is a dangerous tactic since cash flow is the key. However, appreciation over the long-run is certainly realistic and at the least you should be considering a tax-deferred strategy. In the future, you may even consider a 1031 exchange, charitable trust, or an installment sale to lesson your tax liability further.

3. Tax free cash flow. It's no secret that because of depreciation and mortgage interest deductions (if you leverage your capital), your cash flow should be tax-free. That's right! The far majority of the time an investor will never pay taxes on their cash flow and can wait for capital gains on the sale of the property in the future.

4. The tax write-offs against your other income. Depending on your classification as an Active Investor or Real Estate Professional and your income level, there is a good chance your rental property will not only give you tax-free cash flow, but an overage of tax deductions you can use against your other income. With that said, this is something you want to discuss with your tax professional before investing so your expectations are realistic.

5. Increased tax deduction strategies. Rental property affords investors with another incredible opportunity to convert personal expenses to potentially valid business deductions. Don't forget that rental real estate is a business. This means that travel expenses to check on your properties and payments to family members who manage your properties (such as students away at college) can be deductible and increase the tax benefits when it comes to cash flow and the future sale of the property.

6. Rental real estate is a forced retirement plan. Americans are terrible savers. We lack the self-discipline to put a monthly deposit into our IRA, SEP or 401k as small-business owners. However, buying a rental property is a significant commitment that you are required to commit to and maintain. You will always be grateful in the long-run when you don't give up on it and build future cash flow and wealth.

I meet with a lot of successful entrepreneurs, and almost every one of them has taken profits from their businesses over the years to invest in rental property. Based on this fact and the list above, I have consistently urged my clients to buy one rental property a year and already have clients with rental properties earning them money they never imagined they'd have.

The far majority of us will never get rich overnight. It takes long-term investing and a diverse portfolio to build true wealth. Don't forget real estate as an important part of the equation.

Resource: http://www.entrepreneur.com/

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10 Ways to Teach Your Kids About Finance

Teaching your children how to manage money is a very rewarding experience.

Not only will you teach your child something, but you may learn something new about yourself and your money management style.

I am a certified financial planner and a father of four young children. Naturally, I want my children to be happy, healthy, educated and financially secure. I have noticed that it is challenging for parents to find time and interactive ways to engage their children in learning about finance. Often, the school systems don’t even provide the option for financial classes until college.

However, when you gently incorporate financial responsibility into your children’s lifestyles every day, it can make teaching and learning about finance easier and more fun for the whole family. Check out these 10 simple ways my wife and I motivate our children to learn about financial management, and see if they will work for your family as well:

1. The first step to teaching children good financial habits is to be an example yourself. Save, spend intelligently, keep score by budgeting and plan for the long term.  Don’t forget to explain to your children how and why you are doing these things. You will be amazed how much they will understand finances at an early age.

2. Get your children interested in finance by keeping it simple. Educate them on investing by showing them what companies’ specific products are used in your daily living at home or at the store. For example: General Mills makes Cheerios, Apple makes iPads and Heinz makes Ketchup. My son recently asked me why our 529 accounts don't own Target. He is 10 years old. I was very surprised and excited, for sure. 

3. Assign your children chores for pay. The good “old fashion” allowance approach works wonders. It is critical that you hold them accountable. No results means no pay. Also, consider additional bonus incentives, like getting the chores done before a certain day or completing tasks outside of their normal chore list. I like to be creative on that front, because it can be more fun and teaches them a strong work ethic and to always look for opportunities for growth.  

4. Consider penalties for unwanted behavior. My favorite is "Fifty cents is taken out of the piggy bank, if you don't flush the toilet." Penalties are habit-forming for kids, just as they are for adults. Everyone says it takes 21 days to form a habit, but it may take less if penalties are involved.

5. Open a bank or brokerage account in their name. Children love getting statements that have their name on them, or any mail, for that matter. Seeing their name on the statement usually helps them focus. Work together with them to make short-term and long-term goals. A short-term goal could be accumulating enough funds for a certain toy or an ice cream treat. A long-term goal could be a ticket to an amusement park or even a car.

6. Share the concept of retirement accounts and college accounts. I do not suggest specifics, unless you would like your children's friends to know your balances. Children tend to repeat to others what they hear in their home. The idea we are trying to instill here is that many big-cost goals, such as retirement, college funding or a home, will take years of savings. 

7. Teach your kids about account fees and costs. They are particularly important for smaller, recently established accounts. If an account has a $50 fee and only has $500 in it, it’s not likely the account will grow very much. On the flip side, make sure to also point out to them how interest will grow their savings.

8. Observe how each of your children responds to the financial tutoring differently, and talk about it as a family. Some of the funniest and most rewarding conversations occur at our dinner table. Just like sports, subjects at school and everything else in life, each child will vary in their approach. Some love to work to get ahead and some don’t. Some want all short-term spending goalsand others get excited about long-term savings. In fact, my wife and I have learned a lot more about ourselves financially through this process as well.

9. Educate them on comparison shopping. The grocery store ice cream aisle is a great place for this lesson. Show them how to compare store-brand ice cream to gourmet ice cream. We pay nearly five times the cost per pint or quart for the high-end stuff. It’s pretty telling. Once again, they will each see value in their own way.

10. Commit to the cause. Just like eating, exercise and work, you need to dedicate a real long-term effort to teaching children about finances. Ordering a diet soda with a double cheeseburger doesn’t work. Eating well on a regular basis produces results. Here is where you can be a good example for your kids.

In short, think of finances as you think of education, health, fitness or faith, by making it part of your weekly routine and the whole family will benefit. 

Monument Wealth Management, LLC, is a registered investment advisor. The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendation for individual. To determine which investment is appropriate please consult your financial advisor prior to investing.

Resource: http://www.money.usnews.com/

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5 Investing Rules In Case of a Market Correction

The biggest threat to your portfolio during a correction is your emotions.

Are you prepared for a market correction?

I have long felt the greatest threat to the retirement dreams of most investors can be found in the combination of misinformation promulgated by the securities industry and much of the financial media. Together, they deliver a stream of marketing hype carefully crafted to enrich themselves at your expense.

They seem to go into overdrive when there is an opportunity to create fear and anxiety. The extreme market volatility we experienced last week gave them just such an opening. Their conduct was predictable and unfortunate. The amount of terrible investment advice they managed to disseminate over a short period of time was truly staggering.

If you want to avoid becoming a victim of the industry’s latest machinations, here are some rules you should follow to guide you through a possible market correction.

1. Do a portfolio review. If you are an evidence-based investor, your holdings likely consist of a globally diversified portfolio of low management fee index funds, passively managed funds orexchange-traded funds arranged in an asset allocation suitable for your risk tolerance. If you are not an evidence-based investor, you owe it to yourself and your family to become one.

Becoming an "evidence-based investor" means you acknowledge the overwhelming data, found in hundreds of peer-reviewed studies, that demonstrates stock picking, market-timing and attempts to identify the next “hot” fund manager are discredited strategies. You can find a sampling of these studies at Hill Investment Group's blog post, "The Weight of Evidence," which cites many studies showing the limited success of these strategies.

2. Focus on your asset allocation. Here's all we know about the market in a nutshell. It goes up and down, but over time it goes up. If you are in the correct asset allocation (the division of your portfolio between stocks and bonds) you have positioned yourself to withstand the stomach-churning anxiety that accompanies a market correction.

Here's an example. Let's assume you have allocated 50 percent of your portfolio to stocks and 50 percent to short or intermediate-term bonds. In the event of a market correction, you can expect a significant decline in the value of your stock holdings. But your bond holdings should maintain their value. If you need cash, you can sell your bonds to meet your needs. You can hold your stocks until the stock market recovers.

3. Put stock market "losses" into perspective. There is a big difference between an unrealized and a realized loss. An unrealized loss is a paper loss representing the difference between the price of a stock when you purchased it and its current price. A realized loss is an actual loss, represented by the difference between the price of a stock when you purchased it and the price when you sold it.

If you are in the right asset allocation, you will not panic and sell stocks during a market correction, thus converting unrealized losses into realized ones.

Think about it this way. In the stock market crash that began in 2008, the only investors who lost money were those who sold stocks while the markets were declining. If you did nothing and held onto your stocks, you likely profited handsomely from the recovery.

When you have this outlook, you can view both the advice of your broker and the financial news in perspective. Their goal is to get you to take action and "flee to safety," resulting in increased fees and commissions. But if you follow this advice, you will incur losses and miss out on any recovery in the market.

4. Ignore predictions. None of the financial “gurus” on television have the ability to forecast the future. They can't tell you whether the market is primed for a retreat or is about to surge. Although they appear supremely confident and well-credentialed, there isn't any evidence to show anyone has the expertise to accurately make predictions about the future. They don't have a proven system for picking winning stocks or the ability to tell you what sector will outperform other sectors. Unless you find them entertaining, you should stop watching programs that feature their opinions.

5. Don't act on impulse. In 15 minutes, I could teach any investor how to capture global market returns. It’s far more difficult, however, to control your emotions when the value of your portfolio is dropping. Acting on impulse is harmful to your financial well-being. How many times have you heard people say things like: “I can't take it anymore. I sold everything and I'm waiting on the sidelines,” or "It's clear to me that we are headed for a depression. I’m buying gold.”

Acting on impulse is the opposite of following a well-designed investment policy statement. Especially during periods of market volatility, you need to control your emotions and stay disciplined.

Resource: http://www.money.usnews.com/

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A Guide to Investing in Real Estate

If you're going in invest in real estate, you need an exit strategy.

Go to your local bookstore and read up on real estate investing before you take the plunge.

Investors are attracted to investing in real estate because the potential for profit is tremendous. However, the possibility of losing it all is always lurking in the back of investors' minds because, as with any investment, there is risk involved.

Successful real estate investing is achievable at any point in time, despite the economic conditions. Although change is inevitable, the risk involved is manageable, as long as the investor continues to follow a few basic principles.

Here’s what a few seasoned real estate investors have to say about investing in real estate through different market conditions and types of real estate markets.

Tips for novices. The single most important first step for aspiring real estate investors is to determine one’s exit strategy, according to Andy Heller, author of "Buy Low, Rent Smart, Sell High." There are quite a few options, but the two basic strategies are to buy and hold rental properties and become a landlord, or to become a flipper and hopefully make a substantial profit upon the sale of the property. 

For Heller personally, his business has flourished over the years with 3-year lease options.

“You need to ask yourself what characteristics will make that exit strategy work. You need to buy the right property to be successful,” says Heller, who has specialized in the Atlanta real estate market for decades.

Like any investment, real estate investing requires an action plan. “Once you decide you want to scale it, it is important to look at the funds, the time, your credit and your long-term goals so that what you want to do is achievable and realistic,” Heller says.

His recommendation for novices is to join a local investor’s club and get to know the people there. “It’s rare that you can find somebody who can start up in real estate without some guidance. My advice to a new investor would be to join an association, find seasoned investors, buy them lunch and present your plan. Ask them to poke holes in it.”

Scott Mednick, president of OCRE forum, a real estate investor club, and founder of Marblehead Group Inc., agrees. But he also has a warning for novices looking for information on how to get started in the business.

“The other side of the fence in this business is that people get sucked into these $40,000 to $50,000 boot camps,” Mednick says. “Don’t do those. You’re going to end up buying things you don’t really need. If you’re new in the business, the best advice I can give is to go to a local bookstore and read through books on real estate investing. Find the best one or two books and buy those.”

Tony Alvarez has worked in the Southern California real estate business for decades.

Alvarez says all real estate investors are aiming for “that moment in time where we have accumulated enough income-producing assets to provide us with a comfortable standard of living, regardless of economic conditions or political nonsense.”

For people new to real estate investing, Alvarez advises first determining which type of real estate investing they want to get into and why. Then they should choose a specific target market and study it intensely. Next, set a goal, form a business plan and establish systems to achieve the desired goal. Lastly, investors should take small, common sense steps daily toward achieving that goal, such as talking with sellers, owners and local real estate professionals.

Tips for seasoned investors. As for veteran investors, these longtime professionals have some sage advice for them as well. Heller’s advice for seasoned investors may be surprising, especially since these people are already at the top of their game.

“It’s to stay humble,” Heller says. “Humility is a huge asset and a huge skill for any businessman. In real estate, I see investors all the time who think they walk on water. That hurts them sometimes in the buying process, and it definitely hurts them if they rent their properties. The lack of humility will eventually cost them money.”

Next, Heller says investors should have plenty of money put aside to act as a buffer of sorts. Once an investor has scaled out to a larger portfolio of properties, it is important to have enough cash on handin order to rehabilitate 10 to 15 percent of those properties every year.

“Be prepared. Plan for the best, but prepare for the worst,” Alvarez advises. “Insurance is true asset protection. Investors should insure themselves as if the world is coming to destroy them and insurance is their only defense.”

In the end, Alvarez says true enemies to wealth creation include greed, procrastination, laziness, imagined fears and lack of information and education, to name a few.

From a flipper’s perspective, Mednick says seasoned professionals need to stay focused on location and price. “The best advice is don’t overpay for what you’re buying, because you’ll get squeezed on the back end by buyers,” he recommends. "If you overpay and overrehab, you’re not going to make the profit you need.”

Buyers still want a good deal in this market, so they are being pickier. They want to see more properties, and time is on their side so they are not pulling the trigger as fast. They want to make sure they have a good location.

“I work so many different angles. I have a few real estate agents I have built relationships with who call me when a deal comes in. That helps me quite a bit,” Mednick says.

In addition to building personal relationships with real estate professionals, potential deals can be found using online resources such as the RealtyTrac.com and Auction.com, as well as local and national listing services.

Advice for all investors. To Heller, the biggest appeal of investing in real estate is that there are many ways to make money by leveraging money – whether it’s the investor’s own money or someone else’s.

Be careful, however he warns, because the same qualities that appeal to investors can also be an investor's undoing. With real estate, the investor stands to possibly lose more money than he or she invested. Still, Alvarez says deals are still available. “Forget the past and stop waiting. Learn to look where you never have. Think ‘creating’ a deal, not ‘finding’ a deal.”

Lastly, investors should not be afraid to adopt multiple exit strategies when circumstances call for it.

Resource: http://www.money.usnews.com/

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