All Forum Posts by: Christie Snapp

Brian, I've heard of people doing that before. They called it "creating their own comps." I don't think it's a bad idea but it definitely takes time and money (you have to buy multiple houses in one area) to "redefine what the market is."

I just read an article on yahoo finance called "6 things you think add value to your home--but really don't" (posted on the bulletins).

#2 on the list is "overbuilding for the neighborhood." Now, this article is directed towards homeowners who eventually want to sell. But this absolutely goes for real estate investors/rehabbers as well. You can increase the the value of your investment up to a certain point, but you have to keep in mind what a potential buyer (or renter) is willing to pay in a given neighborhood, and what the comps are around your investment property.

A co-worker of mine knew an investor who did just that: he overbuilt for the neighborhood. The renovations and appliances he put into his property were not justified by the neighborhood it was in.

He broke a very important rule: Do not rehab a property to be what YOU would live in! Rehab the property for who you will be marketing it to.

Everyone knows by now that it is essential to be online, especially in the real estate industry. Yes, you may have a blog, a website, a profile on facebook, etc. But are you making sure you are actually being found?

I started thinking about this after reading this article, Why don't you just "go Google yourself": http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/2010/10/01/why-don%E2%80%99t-you-just-%E2%80%9Cgo-google-yourself%E2%80%9D/ Check it out!

There are tons of applications to help you keep track of your online activity. Here are a few:

Traffic Analytics:

* Google Analytics
* Site Meter
* Get Clicky
* WebsiteGrader.com

Heat Maps:

* Click Heat
* Crazy Egg
* ClickDensity

How are you keeping track on your online activity? If you know of any more, please share!

I also owned a home in college and rented the two extra bedrooms to my friends. If they can pay your mortgage, and you can live rent free, why not?!

I know plenty of people in real estate has said that they wish they had started sooner. While it is important to read up and study before jumping in, the best way to learn is by doing. If you can find a mentor, or someone to answer your questions along the way, even better.

While you are starting out, it is probably best (and easiest) to invest where you are. But there are plenty of opportunities to invest out-of-state without having to re-locate. The trick is to find people you can work with and trust, who are grounded in the market you want to invest in. I've seen many people out on the west coast who buy in the Midwest.

You can find some great motivational CD's at Half Price Books. I found a pack of 4 discs, with 4 different speakers; one being Zig Ziglar. It cost me a total of $8.

Take the example about the amount of tv you watch, and apply it to the amount of radio you listen to. Dedicate your driving time to listening to motivational CDs, instead of flipping around bad radio stations.

FYI, didn't mean to quote my whole post!

Just came across this article, thought I'd share...

Explaining Twitter to Those Who Don

Thanks Steve.

Does anyone from Indy belong to a club on the list above? Anyone recommend one over another?