| As a real estate investor, I have seen many 'buy | | | | and show they have paid consecutive payments |
| my home' strategies. Recently, I witnessed a man | | | | in a timely fashion. |
| wearing a sandwich board with "Buy My House" | | | | Another popular 'buy my home' tactic used by |
| painted in bright red letters. He handed real estate | | | | realtors and investment groups is organized bus |
| flyers to everyone who passed by. I couldn't | | | | tours. I recently embarked on a house buying |
| resist having a conversation with him. After all, | | | | tour in Las Vegas. Twenty investors and home |
| what would possess a grown man to stand on a | | | | buyers toured four neighborhoods and viewed |
| street corner in an attempt to sell his home? | | | | nearly 80 homes in six hours. |
| It seems his 'buy my home' strategy was inspired | | | | It is rather surreal to step off a bus and be |
| by a gentleman who used a sandwich board to | | | | greeted by homeowners carrying picket signs |
| obtain employment. The distressed homeowner | | | | while chanting "buy my house, buy my house". |
| was facing foreclosure because he had lost his | | | | The carnival-like atmosphere included children |
| job and one month later his wife was diagnosed | | | | offering lemonade and cookies as they handed |
| with cancer. He had to choose between making | | | | out flyers promoting their homes. |
| his mortgage payments or paying for his wife's | | | | In today's downturned housing market, it has |
| medication. | | | | become increasingly difficult to sell a home. Many |
| As sad as his story is, millions of homeowners are | | | | homeowners are going to great lengths to sell |
| in the same boat. People are drowning in debt, | | | | their house fast. Some offer tickets to concerts |
| unemployed, uninsured, and struggling to keep | | | | and sporting events. Others offer to include |
| their home out of foreclosure. Few people are | | | | household furnishings or big screen TVs. I even |
| buying houses and even fewer can obtain a | | | | heard one woman offer her purebred dog as |
| mortgage loan because banks simply aren't lending | | | | added incentive to buy. As the saying goes, |
| money. | | | | desperate times call for desperate measures. |
| Sellers are getting creative in finding ways to sell | | | | One little known secret and under-utilized resource |
| their house quick. Some are offering seller carry | | | | for selling houses fast is to seek out private real |
| back financing to attract buyers who otherwise | | | | estate investors. Investor networks are located in |
| could not afford to purchase a home. With seller | | | | nearly every metropolitan city and can easily be |
| carry back, the homeowner carries all or part of | | | | located via the Internet, through realtors and real |
| the financing. This strategy is great for buyers | | | | estate brokers. |
| with less than perfect credit. | | | | Many real estate investors buy houses with cash; |
| In most instances, sellers carry back 10- to | | | | eliminating the need to pay realtor commissions. |
| 30-percent of the purchase price. The buyer | | | | Closing can occur in days instead of weeks and |
| obtains financing for the remaining balance. In | | | | everyone comes out a winner. Experts |
| essence, they have two loans - one to the seller | | | | recommend retaining the services of a real estate |
| and one to the lender. Seller carry back financing | | | | attorney to ensure legal documents and title |
| makes it easier for borrowers to obtain financing | | | | transfers are properly executed. |
| from a bank because it appears as if they have | | | | While it can be tempting to offer incentives or |
| built-in equity in the real estate. | | | | engage in extreme marketing tactics, there is no |
| When sellers provide 100-percent financing, seller | | | | need to walk the streets wearing a sandwich |
| carry back terms generally last three to five | | | | board or wait for a charter bus to bring potential |
| years. At the end of the term, buyers must | | | | buyers into your neighborhood. Instead, seek out |
| obtain traditional financing. This allows buyers time | | | | professional real estate investors and leave the |
| to build equity in the home, clean up their credit, | | | | marketing antics to your neighbors. |