Three Key Elements of a Successful Real Estate Deal Part 1: Buying Right

With the real estate market valued in the trillions of dollars, many look to tap into it. Strategies to break into the market are numerous. From small single-family fix-and-flips to large scale commercial development projects, there are three common elements to every successful investment:

1. Buying Right
2. Aligned Capital
3. Business Plan Execution

In today’s blog post, we examine the first of these critical elements – Buying Right.

Buying Right

There is an old adage in the real estate business. You make money on real estate when you buy, not when you sell. There isn’t a better principle to guide you in your investing activities. Spend the time to understand what drives value and only engage opportunities that meet the right criteria. This way, you will set yourself up for success in real estate.

A lot of things can go wrong in any investment, and this is certainly true with real estate. For example, construction or renovation costs can be higher than anticipated. Additionally interest rates can rise and market conditions can deteriorate. Creating equity with the right purchase price is your best protection against these risks.

So, how do you acquire under-valued real estate? The keys lie in where you look and in how you go about acquiring property. Here are some time-tested strategies that have proven to be effective for successful real estate entrepreneurs:

1. Become an expert

Being an expert on the neighborhood or sub-market gives you great power in the acquisition process. It allows you to identify opportunities more readily and execute on them with confidence. While your competitors are trying to understand a property’s potential, you could be negotiating with the seller.

Becoming an expert on a particular market takes time. Do your research, understand the market, and determine what is driving values. Proximity to quality schools and shopping are key issues for many home buyers and renters. Household income is also a key metric to understand, particularly for residential and retail investments. Most importantly, get to know what properties have traded for and the trend in values. Once you understand the market, you can identify attractive acquisition opportunities.

2. Hunt for off market properties

Finding off market opportunities represents your best chance of success in acquiring under-valued real estate.   The following are some of the most effective strategies for locating these opportunities:

• Direct mail – Learning how to obtain relevant data and parse it so that you can effectively market directly to your target market is the most effective way of finding off market properties. Even if your response rate is small, any responder is generally a very qualified lead and highly motivated.
• Brokers – Find the most broker or agent in your target market and develop a relationship with them. Make it known that you are a serious buyer and will perform. When they give you a chance, make sure you do as you promise. You want to become the first call they make when they have a unique or off market deal.
• Non-local ownership – Targeting out of town, out of state and foreign owners can be lucrative. The further away the ownership is from the property, the less they the local market. Nurturing these relationships is often an effective method for getting an attractive price.
• Distressed properties – Often the easiest way to find opportunities is by driving through the target market. You’re able to find distressed properties this way. Owners of these assets could be more ready to sell for various reasons.
• “Value-add” opportunities – Properties with rents lower than other similar quality properties in the market could be perfect candidates for repositioning through upgrades, capital improvements, and rent increases.

3. Be diligent

There isn’t anything more important in the buying process than thorough due diligence. Mistakes made in the inspection period prior to closing can impair your returns dramatically. Poor due diligence causes more losses than any other element in the real estate investment process. Many of the common mistakes made by investors can be avoided by thorough research and commitment to a carefully crafted pre-closing process.

So how can you avoid the pitfalls associated with poor due diligence? First of all, start with a comprehensive checklist. The type of due diligence you perform will vary depending on the property type and condition but any list should at least cover these items:

• Title and survey review

  A thorough title review will expose whether the seller actually has title to the property, whether there are any encumbrances attached to the property, such as a mortgage or tax lien, and whether there is any litigation pending that might threaten the title to the property. A survey identifies what property you are actually buying and it should match the title commitment. Read together, the title commitment and survey provide a comprehensive view of what you are buying and all easements, encroachments and other recorded issues that may exist.

• Physical inspection

  Whether the project is a single family fix and flip or a multifamily or commercial property, having a thorough understanding of the physical condition of the property and what is needed to put the property into the condition required to meet your revenue objectives is critical. Any red flags that come up in this process, such as foundation, roof or mechanical/plumbing issues should be evaluated by licensed professionals. The original building plans can be valuable to this process and should be requested from the seller. Your capital improvement budget should be supported by bids from qualified contractors. Getting the rehab or construction numbers right is a time consuming process, so it is important to get started on this as early as possible (preferably prior to contract).

• Value

  Your disposition price should be well supported by comparable sales. Spend the time to understand any key differences between the comparable properties and the subject property in order to properly set expectations, as well as identify value-add improvement possibilities.

• Rents

  For an income-producing property, it is equally important to know what comparable properties are renting for and make adjustments for any key differences.

• Historical Data

  For income-producing properties, it is important to review a certified rent roll, historical operating statements for a minimum of the prior two years, and all of the actual leases currently in place.

• Property Tax and Insurance Assumptions

  Be sure to review the currently assessed tax values and charges, and understand the impact your purchase and deed transfer could have on those assessments. Taxing authorities are always looking for opportunities to increase revenue, so make sure to take into account the likelihood of a re-appraisal. Get quotes for hazard and liability insurance for your property early on to make sure there are no surprises.

Your list might also include a number of other items depending on the property type and characteristics, such as an environmental assessment or a land use review of zoning, deed and other use restrictions.

Review the critical elements of your purchase and business plan during your inspection period. This will save you from the pain of a poor investment. Time spent in this area on the front end will pay off throughout the process, allowing you to bring capital to your purchase and execute your plan with confidence.

Next Blog post: Aligned Capital – Learn the importance of aligning your investment capital with your objectives.

About Bay Mountain Capital

Bay Mountain Capital has been in business for more than a decade, closing over 2,250 loans. We specialize in financing all types of residential and commercial property investments throughout Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Georgia. Using a common sense and value-added approach, we strive to incorporate these principles into our underwriting and closing processes.

As a direct lender, Bay Mountain Capital can close a loan within one day after receiving a complete file and clear title. The process generally takes two weeks for a residential loan, but can we can accelerate this where circumstances require it.

We are primarily an asset-based lender, which means that qualification requirements are limited. Our rates, fees, and terms are among the most competitive in the industry.

Have you had a great experience with us already? Drop us a review and tell us about your experience.