When non-traditional methods are used to buy or sell a property, it is termed as creative real estate investing. It refers to unusual methods used for selling or acquiring real estate. Many kinds of creative real estate investing are practiced frequently
Popular Types of Creative Real Estate Investing Techniques:
Seller Financing: This is an unusual real estate investing technique where the property owner offers to finance the buyer! The owner typically lends a portion of the equity to the buyer and receives regular monthly payments. The mode of repayment may differ, it may be a principle only payment and interest may be fixed or variable, all depending on the contract agreed upon by both of them. Sometimes the buyer gets to assume the sellers loan, which is written as an all inclusive trust deed. Loans for commercial property are termed as assumable loans where as residential loans are termed non-assumable. These two techniques are used widely among the creative real estate investing techniques.
Lease Options: This refer to a person signing a lease as well as an option to purchase the leased property within a fixed amount of time. The options usually are for short durations of time like 12 months etc. and the lessee agrees to pay an additional amount as an option fee which will be forfeited should the option not be carried through. There are lease purchase options that make it mandatory for a lessee to buy the property with the term of the option. The price of the property is fixed at the time of the agreement and no matter what the land value; the lessee has to pay the amount stated in the agreement. Sandwich lease options are methods of buying a lease option and immediately selling it to another buyer for a profit, which will be shared by the owners.
When mortgages are defaulted the owner may try selling the property to the lender asking him to accept a lesser amount than what is owed in the mortgage.
Another technique is to buy bulk property from banks etc and sell them individually for a small profit.
Using tax liens to acquire property is also a creative real estate investing technique. Investors buy tax liens from the government and should the homeowner default, the investor may foreclose the house.
Some people buy a property that is ugly or old and unfit, make a few changes and give it a facelift, and are able to sell it for a huge profit.
The scope for being successful by investing in real estate is astounding. With careful planning and using creative real estate investing techniques, a person can make a huge profit as well as build a successful career dealing in real estate.
By Alexander Gordon
