This article is the first one from a 2 part series. The second article is: How to Select a Good Managing Agent.

Do you manage your own investment property? How much time and energy does this take on monthly basis? Is it worth it?

The question we will explore in these two articles, is whether or not is worth your while managing your own investment property.

Why use managing agents?

The main problem with managing your own investment property is usually the time and energy it takes on monthly basis. You have to carefully screen tenants, maintain applications, do the credit checks (those cost as well), ensure the lease agreements are correct and up to date with the law, inspect the properties on regular basis, collect rent, organize repairs and so on.

Due to these factors and others, some times it just may be a better choice to appoint a managing agent, or maybe not. Lets first explore the value a good managing agent can provide.

What is the value in a good managing agent?

A good managing agent will ensure that you are compliant with relevant laws and acts related to your property and the business of renting. Some of the other things good managing agents can provide, include:

* Finding and thoroughly screening tenants to ensure you get a reliable and responsible tenant.

* Signing lease agreements and making changes to them when necessary.

* Ensuring that the rent and any utilities are collected on your behalf.

* Inspecting rental properties at the beginning of lease agreements and at the end of the lease.

* Managing rental deposits and refunds once properties are inspected.

* Maintaining and providing you with monthly statements, which document all financial transactions relating to the property.

* Maintaining and providing you with an itemized annual account at the end of each financial year.

* A big time saver is arranging and organizing necessary repairs to the property.

* Dealing with tenants and trying to resolve disputes when they arise.

The last point is very important as it can take lots of heartache out of the process. Landlords tend to get emotional about their property, they are often not objective. While a good managing agent can deal with disputes with a “clear head” and resolve issues FAR more easily.

Good managing agents can provide advantages. Such advantages can be of a financial nature or just a hassle reducer.

However, selecting a good managing agent can be a totally different story. If you want to know, read the article: “How to Select a Good Managing Agent”.

In the second article we will first explore some factors in selecting a good managing agent and then conclude with the value of hiring such agent or just managing the property yourself.

Watch the video related to property manager

Hedge Fund Manager Hugh Hendry Brief Report on the state of the Chinese Economy in Early 2009. www.eclectica-am.com

Help answer the question about property manager

Real Estate Investment sounds like a cool thing to do during the weekend but the problem arises when you start having to many properties to handle. The solution to your real estate investment problem would be to hire a property manager who can then run your property for you and deal with any problems that may arise. The key is to get a reliable person who can then do any repairs or maintenance work for you.

This article will highlight three additional reasons why you might want to hire a property management company to look after your real estate investment property for you.

Firstly, you might be a busy professional or business person during the weekdays and you do not want to run around looking for a plumber or roof repairer sometime during the week. Time is valuable also if you have several properties that you own and it does not make sense to baby sit your properties.

Thus you would do well to remember that your monthly income is dependent on the number of deals that you can find to add to your real estate investment portfolio. Get your focus right and you will make more money from your real estate investments.

Secondly, proximity is a key issue. One real estate investment author states that he does not own property unless it is within one mile from his own residence. If you want to look after your own properties it is fine but you must be able to go down and take a look if there is any issue arising from your properties.

Note that returns from both offshore rentals and capital appreciation currently in places like Dubai might prove more lucrative so if you are looking into offshore real estate investment, hiring a property management company is a must. Similarly, if you are looking at investing in property outside the state that you reside in, it will be necessary for you to hire a property management company to look after your property.

Thirdly, if you are new to the type of property class, you might want to consider employing the services of a property management company. For example if you have been involved in residential real estate for a long time and you decide to expand to commercial real estate, you might not be familiar with the documentation, the procedures and the possible problems that may arise from such real estate. Hiring a property management company therefore may help you solve some of your transition problems and like mentioned earlier free you to explore other real estate investments.

In conclusion, real estate investment property when done on a small scale in your locality may be okay for a while but when your investments start getting numerous and unwieldy, you might want to tap on the services of a property management company to help you manage your properties thus freeing you to look for more property deals.

Watch the video related to property management

CEO David Novelo talks about some of the advantages of using Capital Property Management. For more information please contact CPM at www.capitalmgnt.com

Help answer the question about property management

Waterproofing products for interior basement are the best for the waterproofing such as waterproof sealant, this is for the interior basement waterproofing, and one of the best ways is to use rolled or brushed interior sealant. This leads to the creation of a waterproof surface that helps in the protection of the basement interior and the walls. Products designed for filling cracks fill the cracks and leakages that are derived from silicon compounds and can be directly inserted into the cracks to close them.

Most of the people have a laundry room in there basement which can cause any leakage through the washer. Dehumidifiers, is a very useful product that helps in the absorption of additional moisture from your living space. These products are available as per the size of the basement. Thrifty Waterproofing.com provides all these facilities to secure home.

If you have an interest in real estate investing, one of the first things that you are going to need is real estate investing information.

There are plenty of ways to find this:

All it takes is a little research on your part and you can find out all the information you need to be successful in real estate investing.

One of the best and easiest ways to get real estate investing information is through other people who have experience in real estate investing. Naturally, your next question should be “Where do I find these people?”

It’s a very good question. The answer is “A real estate investing club”. By being a member of a real estate investing club, you have access to every member of their club along with their knowledge and experience in real estate. There is a wealth of real estate investing information available through a real estate investing club.

If you do not know of a real estate investing club in your area, you can use the National Real Estate Investing Association, NREIA, to find one. Their website, http://www.nationalreia.com, has listings for real estate clubs and associations in each of the states.

Books on the subject are also good sources of real estate investing information. You can take a trip to the local bookstore and browse through the business section for books pertaining to real estate investing information. There are several books on the market that have been written by some of the most successful people in real estate investing.

Through these books you can find out most of the basic real estate investing information as well as some tips and tricks for being successful. It is often a good practice to read a real estate book prior to talking with an experienced investor. This way you won’t waste the investor’s time by asking basic questions that could be found anywhere.

Believe it or not the internet is full of real estate investing information. Just as there have been books published on the subject of real estate investing, there are also websites filled with information. You can easily find these websites by using a search engine.

Peruse through the websites to start building a knowledge base of real estate investing information. While you are reading the websites, you might find a piece of information that leads you to search on a related subject. By doing this, you are able to capture a great deal of real estate investing information.

It’s not at all difficult to find real estate investing information. Most of the resources are available right at your fingertips. All you have to do is make use of what’s been provided to you already, then use this information to gather more.

You can download your own free real estate investing ebook by clicking on the link at the bottom of this page.

Watch the video related to real estate

Easy to figure this one out.

Help answer the question about real estate

What if you knew how to easily locate the right real estate agent, one that puts your interests first. Use my tips and advice to decrease the stress of buying a home and find the best real estate agent for you.

I certainly understand if you question why I believe I know what constitutes a good real estate agent. I would wonder if I were you.

Here is the answer. For more than 28 years, my husband and I have helped people buy homes. Since I left off being a kid, residential real estate and mortgage financing have occupied my life. I was a licensed real estate agent in the first part of my career and the owner of a mortgage company the last part of my career.

Most people will buy one home, maybe two. Others may purchase an investment or vacation house. In most cases you are going need the services of a qualified real estate agent. And yes, choosing a good real estate agent is crucial.

Instead of listing warnings, do’s and don’ts, allow me to share how I interview and choose a real estate agent.

Number one on my list is to find an individual who makes me feel at ease. Buying a house can be difficult and exhausting at times so why complicate it by employing a real estate broker you don’t feel comfortable with.

It is a shame how many home buyers I observe working with agents who are not matched well to them. The dissatisfaction is discussed for weeks, months and sometimes years after moving into a home.

I believe that buying a home should be fun and exciting. After all it will probably be the most significant and most expensive purchase that you are ever going to make. So why not work with someone that you feel comfortable with since you are likely to be in contact with them on a daily or weekly basis for several months.

Second I am looking for an agent who has my best interests in mind. But how do I know if a real estate broker is truly interested in my personal well being and not simply concerned with making the sale? There are several indications.

Does this agent listen to me? If your agent doesn’t directly address your concerns and questions, this may not be the real estate agent for you.

Does your prospective real estate representative talk first and ask questions later? This is another indication of whether your best interests have been kept in mind. Every great agent listens to what’s on your mind after they ask what is important to you.

A thorough agent will always ask you a lot of questions before ever offering to take you out to view houses. You see, a real estate agent is a valuable asset and they know that your time as well as theirs is valuable too. So they are not going to waste your time showing you houses that you can’t afford or don’t fit your circumstances.

Even though it can feel a little uncomfortable, anticipate a trained agent inquiring into your finances. This is the type of real estate agent I look for.

Some agents give advice without taking into consideration your circumstances. A good agent doesn’t give advice but instead presents options. Your agent should be solution oriented by presenting you with choices that allow you to select what you feel is best for your particular circumstances. Watch for and choose a real estate broker who considers options based on your needs rather than theirs. Above all never feel rushed to make a decision.

High on my list when I interview real estate professionals is watching for individuals who admit when they are unsure of an answer to my question. No matter how experienced a agent, no one has all the answers. So when I ask a question and I hear the words “I don’t know” followed by “but I will find out” it is refreshing. Possessing every answer is not what I care about. That is why I rarely decide on a broker based on age or even experience. A real estate broker with enough enthusiasm and energy to do that little bit extra is who I pick.

Even though it will be your home and a place to live, central to every transaction is money. Although a real estate agent isn’t qualified to approve you for a mortgage, it is still important to be asked about your financial ability such as how much money you have saved for down payment and closing costs.

Top real estate agents know from experience that mortgage financing is the hub of every real estate transaction. As a home buyer, protect yourself by understanding the cost before going out to view houses and especially before you make an offer.

A good agent can help you with this too or you can simply contact a licensed mortgage broker who can prepare a Good Faith Estimate of Closing Costs. If you are comfortable asking your real estate agent, most can refer you to a couple of mortgage brokers for detailed estimates of mortgage costs for your comparison. It is critical that you know what costs to expect before you shop for a house and especially before you make an offer.

Lastly, remember that buying a house is your decision. Take responsibility for your decision by seeking advice from people you like and feel can trust.

I often say when it comes to buying or refinancing a home, it is your house and your mortgage, no one is going to care about it more than you.

Watch the video related to real estate agent

www.howdini.com How to find and choose a real estate agent How can you tell whether a real estate agent is honest and trustworthy…or not so much? Author and CNN financial editor Gerri Willis tells you what to look for when choosing a real estate agent. Keywords: choosing a real estate agent choose real estate agent find a real estate agent real estate agents real estate broker

Help answer the question about real estate agent