At many of my real estate seminars I am often asked the question “what does it take to become a successful real estate investor?” More specifically what are the intangibles that separate successful real estate investors from their less successful counterparts? If I had to boil it down to three components it would be knowledge, systems, and action.

Kitchens are the single most important rooms when it comes to selling and buying a home. Sizzle features like granite countertops, under cabinet lighting, and tile backsplashes add immense value to a kitchen. Kitchens are the main selling point of any house and therefore should be given proper consideration with regards to layout, design, functionality, finishing materials and adding “sizzle” features. The kitchen is also the most challenging part of the house to design and rehab. Kitchens sell homes.

First let’s define the term; a surface forming the outside of or bounding a thing. In this case the “thing” is a house. Now that is a fairly simple definition and does not emphasize the importance of what house siding actually does. Siding is meant to protect a building from the adverse effects of weather. It is essential to keeping out moisture and extreme temperatures and to maintaining the longevity of the house. Not only is siding vital to the integrity of the house but it is so important in the overall “curb appeal” as well.

All marketing experts know the importance of being consistently bold. I have seen some great marketers with a bold message out perform one shot wonders with a more compelling offer. In fact, I think you can probably think of some business owners in your area whom are just plain outrageously consistent with their marketing.

Competition is everywhere. Knowing and understanding your competition is crucial. Knowing the benefits they are offering that you are not, what their reputation is compared to yours, and how they are structuring their deals are all things you need to know. By knowing what your competition is doing, it can help you establish an advantage. One of the best things you can do to gain a competitive edge immediately is research your competition. The old saying “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” always rings true in this competitive world of real estate investing. I am constantly on the lookout as to what other investors in my area are doing. If you are new to analyzing your competitors, let me tell you it is pretty easy to do.

Every successful investor has a passion for their business and can’t wait to talk to people about it. However, there has to be a system to your efforts in order to maximize positive response. So what is network marketing, anyway? Network marketing is establishing business relationships for purposes beyond the reason of the initial contact. These relationships can lead to more business either directly or indirectly through a referral. Networking is a very proactive form of marketing.

When evaluating the bare essentials of the real estate investing business, one cannot ever overlook marketing. Marketing is the root of all your business. Ninety-five percent of leads come from your marketing efforts- everything except those kick back referrals that a business cannot rely on.

We have all heard stories of people spending years acquiring properties and building wealth, only to lose it all due to some unscrupulous lawsuit…


That’s why Than Merrill, star of hit TV show “Flip This House” brought onboard the best attorney/investor in the business when it comes to teaching investors how to set up their corporations and protect themselves…Bill Bronchick!

How did you find that deal? That is the number one question I am asked by other investors at my real estate investing seminars whenever I go through different real estate deal case studies. If you are an experienced real estate investor you can probably relate to this statement. The answer is the “Real Secret” to the business.

n this episode of A&E’s “Flip This House”, Than’s marketing effort produces a new lead for CT Homes. The owner of a 108 year old single family home on New Haven’s West Ivy Street is desperate to get rid of the house. After thoroughly checking the property, Than purchases the property at a cost that should produce a huge profit.