One of the most important parts of a real estate investors job is property locating. It is not just about finding houses for sale- it is about finding the right type of house. Most real estate investors like what they call “bread and butter” deals. This usually means a house with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a garage. The house must be purchased for around 70 percent of it’s after repair value for the real estate investor to make a profit. That means that the investor must find someone who is willing to sell their house at a discount.
The process of finding the “right” house to invest in is not always easy. There is a lot of competition, especially in Texas, in the sing and multi-family real estate investing markets. Right now it is still a “buyers” market, which means that the buyers (and investors) have the upper hand and houses are less expensive. Real estate investors are taking advantage of this trend and grabbing everything in sight- sometimes making it difficult for new real estate investors to find deals.
One of the best places to look for wholesale investment property is online. Checking the multiple listing service for your area is a great place to start- the problem is that most real estate investors use and have access to it. Also, while it gives information about the property itself it does not tell you much about how good of a deal it is. However, there are many other websites that give information about houses that may or may not be on MLS and break down different aspects of the deal- so you know even before looking at it whether it is something you would be interested in. Another great place to look for discounted houses are foreclosure listings. You can also go to foreclosure auctions- research online to figure out where they are held near you.