Sharon Vornholt - Let's Talk Real Estate Investing

Today I have some safety tips for real estate investors that should be used anytime you're looking at property. These same tips can also be used by real estate agents. It is pretty easy for real estate investors to get complacent when it comes to safety. I think this is especially true for female investors, and that can put you in a bad situation. Show Notes Having an “accountability” partner When to take someone with you on an appointment What to take with you; what to leave at home What to wear and why it matters Procedures for showing the property Why you need to be “hands-free” when showing property The one place you never want to park Safeguarding your personal information And more…   On the Blog Be sure to stop by the Louisville Gal’s Real Estate Blog and get more tips and some really cool freebies.         .

Finding problems instead of properties is a new way of thinking about this business.  My guest today is the host of the “Cash Flow Guys” podcast, Tyler Sheff, and he’s going to challenge your way of thinking about real estate investing. His philosophy is finding and solving problems will make you wealthy in real estate investing, and I couldn’t agree more. Show Notes Here is just some of what you will find in this show: How Tyler got started; his unusual path to becoming a real estate investor Marketing: Where most of Tyler’s leads come from today (it’s not where you think) Why Tyler chose multifamily investing over single-family properties The reason he invests in “C” level neighborhoods when most investors avoid those areas How to maximize your cash flow and your profitability as a landlord Building a team Building wealth with your Roth IRA And much more!   Here's Another Show for You Featuring Tyler Sheff Achieving Financial Freedom in 11 Months with Tyler Sheff.  JUST CLICK HERE to listen.       .

Learning how to take the stress out of talking to an angry seller can be hard for some investors. It's bound to happen at some point if you're doing direct mail marketing. After all, these folks are generally experiencing some type of stress. So, what do you do when you pick up the phone and you find yourself talking to an angry seller? That's what we're going to talk about today. How to turn that conversation around. Show Notes: Angry sellers: it doesn’t happen very often Why you shouldn’t get upset How to talk to an angry seller Simple steps to turn the conversation around Exactly what to say to these folks What if you can’t turn the situation around? “Mr. Bottom Feeder” Want Another Example? Check out this post called, “Mr. Bottom Feeder”. You'll get a good laugh (and a lesson too).    Be sure to stop by the Louisville Gal’s Real Estate Blog and pick up your freebies.         .

How would you like to know how one real estate investor managed to buy hundreds of houses through networking?  My guest today is Holly McKhann.  Holly is from southern California, and she is going to share how exactly how she buys property solely by using the power of networking. Holly is a successful rehabber, a Realtor, and the mother of 4. Show Notes How Holly managed to buy hundreds of houses through networking rather than spending a lot of money on traditional marketing channels Finding private money lenders for your deals through networking How hedge funds changed her business Tips for making your networking efforts a win-win for everyone Getting an agent on your team and why this is so beneficial Lifestyle networking: what it is and how to use it Buying a house worth $1000 per square foot just with networking Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable Why you need to attend other non-real estate investing groups for networking Telling people “What’s in it for them” to get them on your side Using Fac

How would you like to learn six ways real estate investors can find good deals?  As you know, one of the biggest problems for investors today is that it’s hard to find good deals.  No matter where you are located the challenge is still the same. Sometimes all it takes is for you to think outside the box a little bit. If what you’re currently doing isn’t working as well as what you would like, you have to do something different.  Let’s take a look at a few ways you can find good deals no matter what your investing strategy is. Show Notes Learn to look somewhere different for deals Your roadmap to success Networking like a pro to find good deals Marketing: Do something different The goal of your website so that you get you more deals Tips for building authority and credibility and how Resources Mentioned in this Show Here are some resources for you mentioned in the show. The Comprehensive Guide to Successful Probate Direct Mail Campaigns How to Get Better Results Marketing to Absentee Owners Getting Motivate

Have you ever wished you had a list of tools, software, and services that would show you the best ones to choose from?  What about ways to get started for free?  Well, I have you covered.  Get your free copy of “30 Resources to Grow Your Real Estate Investing Business” by clicking the link below. I created this handout for you to make your life a little easier, and these are the same things I use in my business today.   Almost all of these resources have a free plan, and a great many of them have paid plans that allow you to upgrade when you’re ready for a reasonable cost.  No matter where you are today, I’m sure you’ll find something on this list to add value to your business and make your life easier.  After all, isn’t that what we’re all looking for? Show Notes Here is some of what you’ll learn about in this show “30 Resources to Grow Your Real Estate Investing Business”: Websites: My favorite company for lead generation and why I love them. CRM’s: We all need a place to keep our contacts and our leads. I

Today I want to talk about a simple plan to jumpstart your REI marketing today! Marketing is what makes it possible for motivated sellers to find you.  If you’re not consistent with your marketing, you’ll be out of business in no time.  Show Notes: Here is what you’ll find in this show. Getting consistent leads in the door Why marketing needs to be your #1 priority How many hours a week you should be spending on marketing Why choosing how you spend your free time if have a full-time job will likely determine the success or failure of your real estate investing business Marketing tips to help you stay on track Probate marketing tip: the timeline and why consistent marketing is especially important for this niche Probate Investing Simplified If you’ve ever wanted to dive into probate investing, now’s the time.  My course is open again and the bonuses are as good as the course!  Just click here to learn more: Probate Investing Simplified How About Some Freebies? I have some freebies for you today. Just click t

One of the biggest mistakes real estate investors make is waiting too long to get help. I know because I was guilty of this. Whether it’s hiring a part-time person that is an actual employee or working with a virtual assistant, you need to do it sooner rather than later.  That’s the reason I have put together this “Comprehensive Guide to Hiring and Working with Virtual Assistants”. I want you to just take the leap and get started. Show Notes We covered a lot of ground in this show. Here is a sample of what’s coming up: How to put together a master plan for outsourcing When you should outsource and how to you get started Determining which tasks you should outsource first How to create procedures ONCE that you can use over and over again Finding someone to help; where do you start? Figuring out how much to pay your virtual assistants Screening your candidates to pick the right person for your business Things to consider when interviewing Hiring and training Tips for avoiding some of the mistakes I made Creatin

I have a probate investing success story for you today.  You might be surprised to learn that most of Jill Speth’s deals happen to be coming from one niche, and that is probates.  Yes, you heard me right. Probates.  Like me, Jill understands that off-market deals like probates present the greatest opportunity for all investors to do more deals in today’s highly competitive seller’s market.  Probates are by far some of the most lucrative deals you will ever do, and you get to help these sellers that just want to be done with the estate and move on with their life. Jill is a Registered Nurse and real estate investor who founded Colorado Solutions in 2009 during the financial crisis. Focusing primarily on wholesaling and rehabs, she also succeeded in building a small rental portfolio in the Colorado Springs market. In 2016 Jill earned her associate broker license and focused primarily on selling the rental portfolio in Colorado Springs to transition to the Denver market. She officially fired her boss in Septembe

Have you ever wondered what the secret is for getting motivated sellers to choose you over another investor?  You’re going to find out in this show.  If you want to be a successful real estate investor, you can’t be the best-kept secret in town.  It’s not really who you know as much as it is who knows you. That’s why branding is the “secret sauce” when it comes to getting motivated sellers to choose you. Branding is your edge. Marketing is how you get leads, but branding is why they choose you! Show Notes This show is full of actionable steps to get you on the path to building your own rock star brand. Here is some of what you’ll find in this show: What your brand actually is Why you should care, and what happens if you ignore branding Exactly why you need a personal brand; it might determine your success or failure The reason all your marketing works better when you have a strong brand attached to it Getting motivated sellers to choose you Your #1 job when it comes to branding and how you deliver that exper

If you’re thinking about getting started in real estate investing, you’re probably focusing on strategies, negotiation, and how to find your first deal.  However, I want to ask you a question. Have you ever thought about the things you need to do before you start investing?  I’m talking about things like getting your “financial house in order” before you ever think about launching your business.   Probably not. Taking these steps will make everything else so much easier as you build your business.   My guest today, is Dr. Patricia Red Hawk.  Patricia is a former physician, she served in the California Army National Guard, and is now a full-time real estate investor who has some great advice on things you need to do before you start investing.  You’re also going to learn about a brand-new investing strategy. Quote “Getting yourself set up means everything that comes after is going to be much easier. Then you’re not building your plane while in flight”.  -Dr. Patricia Red Hawk Show Notes This show is packed wit

No matter what type of marketing you’re doing in your real estate investing business, boosting their direct mail response rates is always one of the top concerns for real estate investors. Today I want to talk about the things you should consider in your overall marketing strategy that will make a big difference in your results. But I also want to show you some statistics so that you can see firsthand how boosting your direct mail response rates happens with consistent marketing. Show Notes Here are some of the highlights in this show: Marketing: the big picture   MLS or off-market? Which is the best lead source? Exit strategies and why you need more than one How your niches and your strategies influence your marketing decisions Why your direct mail marketing machine will bring you a steady stream of leads year after year Statistics: boosting your direct mail response rates Why the 5th contact is where the magic begins Follow up: one of the secrets to your success Understanding how fast your competition thro

“Go out there and make yourself 1% better every day”.  -Terry Burger You know you need help in your business.  Not only are you working too many hours, but no matter how much you work you still can’t get it all done. If that sounds like you, then this show is for you. Today you’re going to learn some tips for building your real estate investment dream team from seasoned investor, Terry Burger.  Terry has a hiring process that dramatically increases your odds of finding the right person for each position in your business as it grows. Terry left his public-school teaching career in 2001 and became a top producing retail real estate agent in Atlanta area where he sold over 1,000 homes. He is currently the CEO and founder of the growing "Nice Guys Buying Houses" brand which currently operates in the Atlanta, GA Greenville, SC, and Huntsville AL markets. Show Notes Most real estate investors are “winging it” when it comes to hiring team members. Building a real estate investing dream team doesn’t happen overnight,

One of my most-read posts on the blog is called, “Creating Absentee Owner Letters that Get a Great Response”, and I will put a link to that blog post in the show notes.  Both letters and postcards work for marketing to absentee owners, and I used letters for many years.  However, today I want to look at the benefits of using postcards when you’re marketing to these folks. Not only are there financial benefits to using postcards rather than letters, but there’s another big reason you might want to choose postcards when marketing to absentee owners. They get read!  Here Are Some Statistics According to the company, “The Address”, they have a 100% open rate.  That’s pretty obvious since there’s nothing to open.  They go on to say this: 54% of postcards are read by the recipients – they are the most read type of DM 56% of consumers say they have tried a new business after receiving direct mail 70% of consumers have renewed a previous business relationship after receiving direct mail 90% of Americans prefer the p

Over 1 million new businesses were started in 2020, and a staggering 80% of those businesses will fail within 5 years.  That is a statistic that is hard to wrap your brain around.  An 80% failure rate. I’m excited to introduce you to a book and a concept called, “The Pumpkin Plan: 7 Steps to Grow your Business Fast”. I recently came across this book that I read back in 2014. I still believe is one of the best business books on the market, because it teaches you focus. The book, “The Pumpkin Plan” was written by Michael Michalowicz. It lays out a simple strategy to grow a remarkable business in any field including real estate investing. This author has written a few more books since 2014 and you’re sure to recognize some of them. Clockwork Profit First Fix this Next In “The Pumpkin Plan”, he talks about some powerful concepts but there is one that is known to most every entrepreneur. That is no matter what business they are in, entrepreneurs, more often than not, reach a point where they are worn down, facin

Today we are going to take a deep dive into how to build a profitable short-term rental business. If you want to learn how to buy the right property, in the right location, and how to niche down each property so that you deliver a premium experience every time, then this is the show for you. Getting 5-star reviews from your guests is easy once you know these tips, and it doesn’t have to break the bank. My guest today is Andresa Guidelli.  Andresa was born and raised in Brazil. She is a developer, an asset manager with extensive experience in full gut renovation projects, new construction, and commercial development. She owns a rental portfolio, comprising both long and short-term rentals.  Andresa is also the co-founder and CEO of The Real Estate InvestHER® community, she is the co-host of the “The Real Estate InvestHER Show" and recently published InvestHER’s first book which is an Amazon Bestseller, “The Only Woman in the Room - Knowledge and Inspiration from 20 Successful Real Estate Women Investors!” Andr

Today I’m going to explore exactly what content marketing is, and why it matters to your bottom line.  And make no mistake, it matters. Getting leads in the door is all about doing a few things consistently and those are marketing and building brand awareness. Everyone is familiar with marketing. Today I want to help you understand how building brand awareness through content marketing actually puts dollars in your pocket for years to come.  I know this is a concept that can be difficult for some real estate investors to wrap their brain around. Remember, that you aren’t really in the house business; you are in the marketing and problem-solving business. Your Customers are Telling You What they Want According to the Moz blog, more than 50% of consumers say that offering free content is an effective way to earn their business. What that tells us is that people expect industry leaders to create free content and other resources like checklists, eBook’s, videos etc. that they can consume. What form your content i

If you've ever wondered why your marketing isn’t working in your real estate investing business, I have some insight for you today.  First of all, I can tell you that you're not alone. I hear all this all the time. My first question is, what types of marketing are you doing on a regular basis? The next question I ask has to do with their branding. When I ask investors about their branding, I always get the same surprised look. Then that person usually says something like, “I’ll worry about branding when my marketing is on track”. I have to tell you, that’s not how it works.  Marketing and branding go hand in hand, and you need to be working on both things simultaneously. Think of it this way Marketing is how you get leads.  Branding is what makes them choose YOU. Take a minute to think about that.  You’ve just dropped a chunk of cash sending out direct mail campaigns that are pretty much getting you zero results. You might be wondering if there is something wrong with your phone service.  After all, it's not

Have you ever wondered, “Why is it so hard to get leads on a regular basis”?  That’s a question a lot of investors are asking themselves.  My question to you is, “What are you doing on a regular basis to generate leads, and do you have a written marketing plan that you implement on a consistent basis”?  For a lot of you, that answer will be no.  Today I want to talk about the 5-step process for how to write a real estate marketing plan that gets results.  I also want to do a little bit of a refresher course on marketing your real estate business as well as some direct mail basics.  Show Notes Here is what we covered in this show: The 5-step process for how to write a real estate marketing plan Breaking down the steps one by one (and how to do that) The 4 components of a successful direct mail campaign What is included in each one of those steps Why outsourcing some of the tasks should be part of your plan even if it’s a thing you do later The simple way I grew my business 300% in one year I know that if you

Are you ready to get out of your own way so that you can transition from small business owner to the CEO of your real estate investing company? It’s a process, I can tell you that. My guest today is Andy McFarland.  This is the 3rd time Andy has been on my show, and I couldn’t be more excited for him to share how he has grown his business over the last 5or 6 years I have known him.  He is the owner of Enlight Home Buyers, a residential real estate investment company that buys and sells more than 200 houses per year across Utah, New Mexico, and Indiana. Andy has been buying properties since 2003 and has been involved in over 1,700 real estate transactions. He lives in Utah with his wife and 4 children. The first time Andy was on my show, he was doing about 100 deals a year. In the 2nd show, we focused on how to grow a team.  In this show, the topic is how to transition from a small business owner to the CEO of your REI business. I will put the link to the previous shows below. Show Notes No matter what stage o