NO-MONEY-DOWN

Just like with any other type of investment, it is crucial to educate yourself before getting started. Investing in real estate without understanding what you are doing or being able to recognize good deals can be very costly. Before investing money in real estate, invest some time in researching the topic and educating yourself on creative financing.

These are the main things you need to be aware of before using creative financing to invest in real estate:

1. Creative financing works best if you can find great deals, since the potential for profit is greater. Remember that paying full price on a property will result in higher mortgage payments, even if you do not have to make a down payment.

• As a rule of thumb, always look for the best profit margin, put as little cash down as possible, and negotiate with the seller.

1. Be conservative when using creative financing. A number of things could happen to reduce your profit margin. You might have to pay several thousands of dollars to have tenants evicted. You might encounter costly repairs, or see taxes and interest rates go up.

• Always plan for the worst scenario so, if it should happen, you can avoid losing money on a deal.

1. Be ready to make sacrifices. It’s possible to buy real estate with little or no money down, but this doesn’t mean you can get into real estate without working hard.

• You’ll be successful if you are highly motivated, ready to learn about real estate, and willing to put time and effort into looking for deals and negotiating.