Investor Grade Professionals

[Cliff Odom]

I have coined a term for the people that I use in my real estate business.  I call it investor grade.  These are the professionals that understand what we are trying to do as investors.  The type of insurance brokers that don't try to quote you interior coverage, or the type of mortgage brokers that don't freak out when you tell them that the house is not habitable. These are investor grade.  You need a real estate agent that is willing to show you 10 houses to sell you a house that you buy for $60,000 (maybe one that will give you the code to the lock box...not that I ever found that guy).   I talked about it in my blog (found in my signature) but the main thing is to not use retail professionals but make sure that they are investor grade.  In general you need:

Real estate agents

Mortgage brokers

Insurance agent

Contractors

Subcontractors such as:

Air conditioning contractor

Plumber

Flooring guy

Painter

The best way to find them is to find one.  They all know each other.  Most towns have a real estate investor's club.  If you attend the club meetings you will find that the people sponsoring the meeting tend to be investor grade professionals.  I would try to start off with title companies and ask them who they know that are in the other fields.