Sure the exclamation marks are overkill, but this blog will reflect my roots and how the tenets of Do It Yourself are ingrained in how I do what I do, and why.
DIY has been around since the dawn of time, but my version was adopted/adapted in the 1970s. Grown out of the "handyman" ethic, independent musicians of the 70s and 80s took that concept of fixing your own stuff and applied it to making music and making money in a time of over-produced, over-financed corporate schlock-rock. But, this blog isn't about music, it's about real estate, mostly, and sometimes about bicycles, motorcycles, old BMWs, home improvement, and making money. But, the genesis of the blog is how to create solid investments in real estate for yourself.
How do you do this? Well, it's simple, in theory...
The reality, however, is a little more complicated than merely buying a piece of property you like and waiting for it to go up in value. One could, theoretically, purchase property and wait, and in a "normal" market, real estate values would outpace inflation and the stock market average (approx. a 5% gain in value per year). However, with a bit of research, some data specific to your market, and the patience to wait for a really "good deal," one could see returns above 10% per year (collected after the sale, of course).
One very important detail to remember, all investments are risky, and while real estate in general is a relatively low-risk venture, it is not a liquid investment. If you think you can buy a piece of property and five months down the road, you will cash in with a 10% return so you can buy a new Porsche, you're delusional. To borrow a line from the movie "Layer Cake," "It doesn't work that way."
One of your greatest tools as an investor in real estate, is your friendly, neighborhood Real Estate Broker. All Real Estate Brokers are tools... um, I mean... as a Real estate professional, I can be a great resource for information, data, market knowledge, market trends, etc. We, the Real Estate Professionals of the world, are perhaps the best value resource for real estate investors in the world. Why? Because, in Colorado, the buyer (you, Mr./Ms Investor) pays no money directly to the Real Estate Broker with whom they work. The broker is paid by the seller's proceeds on the sale of their home. I am your professional advocate, resource, and man Friday at no cost to you! Use me, if you don't, you might miss out on a better investment opportunity.
