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Lists of Motivated Sellers

By Wendy Ceccherelli

 

Many would-be wholesalers fail to get started simply because they do not know how to find deals that are not advertised on the NWMLS.


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Zillow is Wholesaling - Using Other People's Money

By Jack Burns

 

In case there was any question about whether Opendoor, the two-year-old with a $1 billion valuation, is changing the game as the Amazon of home buying, Zillow just broke stride and tipped their hat to Opendoor's model. But Zillow is adding a twist and doing what us wholesalers and flippers have been doing for years: Using other people's money.


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The Supreme Court's Hirst Decision - What Does it Mean to Investors in "Dirt"?

By Doug Owens

 

By the time you read this, the Legislature will have concluded its third extraordinary session of 2017. As I write this, the Legislature has not agreed on a capital budget in that session because legislators cannot agree on a solution for the Supreme Court's October 2016 Hirst decision on land development in an era of water scarcity.


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Underwriters - Your Real Estate Valuation Partner

By Will Heaton

An underwriter can mean many things depending on the industry, but since we are all here for real estate we can assume that we are talking about lending on properties. A typical bank will have underwriting guidelines that are heavily dependent on the borrower, their credit and job histories and ability to pay back the loan. The property matters only to an extent that the bank will check the appraisal and trust the given fair market value (PMV) of the property from the appraiser and his or her opinion of value.

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Short Term Rentals - A Boom to Landlords or a Legal Tangle?

By Doug Owens

One of the benefits of being a member of the state bar association is that I can receive information generated by colleagues on topics that are of interest to REAPS members. One of my colleagues wrote an article recently on short-term rentals and some legal issues these rentals present that are not present in more typical residential rental situations and after investigating I decided to pass on some of these points to you as well as some others I have found.

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What is a wholesale contractor, how to reduce risk and where to find investment properties

By James Dainard

 

Q&A With a Local Expert in Real Estate Investing


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HIRST Decision Redux - Practical Considerations for Investors in “Dirt”

By Doug Owens

A couple of months ago I wrote on the Supreme Court’s decision in the Hirst case and noted that the state was then without a capital budget because of the legislative impasse from that decision. I indicated that between then and the 2018 legislative session, people seeking to develop property in counties whose comprehensive plans resemble Whatcom County’s plan could expect that permit reviews would be extended while the counties deal with the Hirst case. One of the benefits of practicing law in a community is the availability of experts who are kind enough to share their knowledge with the rest of us. I came across an article in the King County Bar Bulletin written by such a person, Kate Hambley, that illuminates this topic and I include some of her points in a further message to REAPS members.

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FDA Regulations on Flipping

By Wendy Ceccherelli

Are you familiar with the Federal Housing Administration rules on flipping houses? Here they are, straight from FHA:

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Design Market Mania - What's Hot in Staging

By Pam Christensen

I Recently returned from the RESA (Real Estate Staging Association) conference and as usual, my head is exploding with ideas for ways we can improve our business and services for all of you. In addition, this year I spent 2 days, which wasn't nearly enough, at the Las Vegas Furniture Market. Talk about a kid in a candy store! I have tons of new ideas for new designs. What I really love about the market though is seeing the new trends in furniture, bedding, and accessories. There's some cool stuff that is coming out:

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When Will this Puget Sound Real Estate Market Slow Down?

 

By Will Heaton

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Q & A: Remodeling, Financing & What Does Off-Market Mean?

By James Dainard

James Dainard, Co-Founder of Heaton Dainard Real Estate has completed over a thousand real estate transactions in Western Washington. We are giving you the opportunity to ask an expert your top real estate investment questions. As the year comes to a close I asked my real estate team what questions we are getting from our clients. Below are a few of the great questions we received from our valued clients.

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Lessons Learned - Five Things I Wish I Knew Back in 2007

 

By Fred Rea

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�I Just Wanted to Reach Out��

By Jason Roberts

I think one of the most important lessons I have ever learned in business, heck even in life, was to Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable. I am sure that most of you have seen this written somewhere. Usually, it pops up on my news feed on Facebook a couple times a year or I see it on one of those inspirational posters in the doctor’s office with a cute kitten hanging from a tree or something. You may even be thinking while reading this, “Well, of course, you do that is the only way you can grow!” But how many of you have actually implemented it in your business?

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2018 Design Trends

 

By Pam Christensen

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Non-Stock Market Investments

By John McKeon

McKeon Financial has access to alternative investments many large brokerage firms cannot or do not offer because these choices do not fit their “investment model”, of stocks and bonds.

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My 17 Personal Rules of Investing

By John Burley

I would like to share with you my 17 Personal Rules of Investing. These are the rules that guide me while I am actively pursuing Advanced Level Five Active Investing. These 17 rules are the rules that have allowed me to build my wealth and reach personal financial freedom. I trust they will help you on your personal journey to Financial Freedom.

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Actual Utility Costs - Which Costs Can Mobile Home Park Owners Pass on to Their Tenants?

By Doug Owens

The meaning of this phrase “actual utility costs” was at the center of a recent Court of Appeals case that presents mobile home park investors with some cautions about the writing of their rental agreements. The case involved a mobile home park in Olympia, and a complaint by a single tenant to an entity called the Manufactured/Mobile Home Dispute Resolution Program (MHDRP) which is operated by the state Attorney General’s Office. This entity has statutory authority to investigate complaints by mobile home park tenants and order relief, subject to appeal by the park owners to the state Office of Administrative Hearings. In this case, the tenant claimed that the amount she had been charged for water by the park owner was higher than allowed by law. The law says that the mobile home park owner may pass on to the tenants in utility charges “actual utility costs.”

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Real Estate Q & A On The Market, Searches and Repairs

James Dainard, Co-Founder of Heaton Dainard Real Estate has completed over a thousand real estate transactions in Western Washington. We are giving you the opportunity to ask an expert your top real estate investment questions.

“There is so much information out there about the real estate market – how do I even begin to sort through it? How do I know I’m getting accurate information?”

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Contractors and Hard Money Loan Lenders

By Will Heaton

Anyone that has flipped a home in our current market understands the trials and tribulations of dealing with contractors. The reality is contractors, and sub-contractors, especially the good ones that do quality work, fast and efficiently can charge a premium for their services. Unfortunately, contractors know this and higher demand means they can both charge a bit more for their services and dictate the terms of the construction contract. At the end of the day to ensure that your contractor is available to work on your project you may need to pay more and be somewhat flexible with your construction contracts, but time is money and getting a project finished faster means you earn more money.

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Selecting Your Self-Directed IRA Provider

By Anne Marie Hollonds

The last decade brought about a sweeping change to the world of investing. The genesis of this change occurred around 2007 when Americans faced the hardship of the financial crisis. Despite the struggles of many nationwide, Americans began seeking new opportunities to regain their financial stability. Though Self-Directed IRAs have been in existence since the 1970s, it’s apparent that there is a link between their dramatic increase in popularity and a change in mindset for the average American.

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