Separating The House-flippers From The Real Estate Professionals

What is a Real Estate Investor? When asked this question, some people think of the stereotypical, inner-city slumlord or the unethical house-flipper who works with crooked appraisers to inflate the value of a house and sell it to an unsuspecting first-time home buyer. Others think of the guru who sells home study kits containing books and CD’s for ridiculously high prices and a guarantee that you will get rich quick.
What is a Professional Real Estate Investor? A professional real estate investor has a winning formula: buying, improving and selling homes at a fair price to new homeowners, investors and aspiring landlords.
Over the last decade, the professional home buying industry has changed. As housing prices increased dramatically more homeowners acquired new homes, creating a supply of older houses for investors to buy at a discount.
During the last couple years the real estate market tightened; sales of these renovated houses slowed down. They became part of the real estate investor’s portfolio as well-located, fairly priced investment properties.
With these market changes came challenges that created huge opportunities for real estate professionals with a strong business model and high standards. Here is a list of qualities that separate the house-flippers and slumlords from the true real estate professionals:
Rescue distressed owners of ugly and unmarketable houses
Teach people about real estate investment
Be an active real estate investor
Create opportunity for personal wealth
Offer part-time employment for those who wish to make a career change, become self-employed or even go into semi-retirement
Buy, recycle and sell ugly houses
Renovate, rejuvenate and re-build entire neighborhoods
Serve first-time homebuyers
Educate new investors
Build personal portfolios

Rich Morgan is a real estate professional with HomeVestors; he provides answers to each of these opportunities. HomeVestors is the largest and most respected source of hands-on real estate solutions for sellers, buyers and those who desire full or part time careers in real estate investing. Visit http://wilmingtonnc.homevestors.com/ to learn more.