There are 24 legitimate methods of purchasing real estate. Most real estate gurus like Than Merrill, Armando Montelongo and Ron LeGrand only teach between 2 and 5, which severely limits opportunities for making money.
In this post I am going to show you a simple, little known method anyone can use that does NOT require you to put up any cash. None. In fact, your credit need not be great, either. If you are short on cash and credit, this method is a great way to break into real estate investing - or even to buy your first home.
In addition, this method is also great for those who have cash to invest and want to put it into a safe, profitable investment vehicle. No matter which side of a transaction you are on, this method is a great way to reap more profits.
This method, approved by the I.R.S. is known as Equity Participation, aka Equity Sharing. While it is often used in non-real estate transactions, it works equally well for real estate. What I am about to share here are the basics, so you can fully understand how it works. The finer details can be found in "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate" investing program along with 21 other methods, some well-known, some not.
Equity Participation can be used to buy your own home, a rental unit, or a property you want to flip to another homeowner. It can also be used in a way that allows you to be on either side of the transaction - buyer or seller, which shows how versatile this method is.
To buy the property with no money down and less than best credit, you would locate a property (using methods taught in "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate") where the seller does not require all cash at closing and wants to "invest" some of his equity in a profitable investment, and one he knows well - his own home. The seller would leave enough of his equity on the table at closing, to be used as the down payment required by the bank from which you are obtaining a mortgage for the balance. That takes care of the down payment. If your credit is too weak to finance a mortgage, the seller could also use his credit to co-sign for you, since you will be co-owners of the property.
Here is how it works:
Let's say the home is valued at $150,000 (just as an example). The bank requires 10% down ($15,000) and will issue a mortgage of $135,000. The seller owes $85,000 on the house, so he has $65,000 in equity.
At closing the bank puts up the $135,000. From that, the closing agent uses $85,000 to close out the seller's mortgage, leaving the seller's equity - $65,000. The seller puts up $15,000 of his equity as your down payment, and both of you would be "partners" in owning the house. Your Equity Share agreement with the seller would lay out all the specifics of the partnership.
Typically, the agreement would be for 5 or 7 years. You and the seller-partner would share in the appreciation of the property in that time, and in any profits if used as a rental. At the end of the term, you would refinance on your own and pay the seller the amount of his investment plus half of any appreciation. If the property has appreciated 20% over the 5-7 years ($30,000), he would collect his initial cash outlay ($15,000) plus $15,000 of the appreciation, all taken from the cash at the refinancing. If the refinance does not provide enough cash, you can simply sell the property at its appreciated value ($180,000), pay your partner his $30,000, pay off your remaing mortgage (now under $135,000) and you pocket the remaining $15,000+ profit. You had the property 5-7 years to live in or rent out, and made $15,000 to boot.
NOTE: if you rented it out at a profit over and above your mortgage & expenses, your partner would get half that profit, as well.
Now let's assume you have money to invest, and want a safe, secure investment. Instead of a seller putting up equity, you, as an investor would do that on behalf of a cash-poor buyer. You are partnering with the buyer. At the end of the term you could easily have doubled your money without the risk that investing in the stock market could incur.
This method, used either way, is powerful, and much safer than most other investments.
For more detail, and to have access to a professional investor as a mentor, order your copy of "The Simple Man's Guide to Real Estate". In addition to all 22 methods of investing it includes 24 real estate related bonus books, software that creates your agreements/contracts easily and a 24/7 mentor - all for Under $100 complete.
How can we do that? Simply put, we operate as a not-for-profit and the professional investors we engage as mentors are all unpaid volunteers. We are faith-based and this is how we give something back to the community.
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Thanks, and stay safe
