Book on Estate Hacking (eBook)

Chapter 1

The Value Law

– Arsenio V. Manalo Jr.

Before we get started on this journey together, I would like to say that none of this is financial advice. You are in control of your destiny. Be wise and vigilant.

In order for relationships to thrive, there needs to be an exchange of value. Value brings people together. In this book, you will learn very quickly how to harness your value and divvy it out accordingly. When you do so, just be prepared for some very impactful relationships! In the real estate industry, there is a void that needs to be filled, and when you fill this void, you not only solve a problem; you make a lot of money. There are property owners nationwide going through turmoil, who desperately need your help. Your job will be to provide a solution for them. By exploiting this void, both investors and homeowners will be very happy to work with you and, in turn, more value will be added to your life.

I specialize in assisting property owners and investors. I connect the dots. I use various methods to locate distressed sellers. Once located, I assess the property and share with them various options on how they may sell. It is my role to place their property under contract and sell that contract to an investor. The most beautiful part about this entire process is that I am in full control of the deal. I can pick who I’d like to sell it to, as well as the price of my assignment fee. I want you to have the same control. By the end of this book, you will possess the ability to create money-making opportunities for yourself through “estate hacking!” You must educate yourself properly and take action! When you specialize in locating off market properties, there are several things that you look for. We will go over what to look for in this book. Our main goal in all of this is to be as helpful in this field as we can. You want to find out exactly why they are selling their property. By getting to the heart of the matter, I am able to negotiate a fair price and place the property under contract.

Aside from specializing in locating discounted properties, I also specialize in customer relations. Although we are in business to make money, I choose to put nurturing at the top of my list when dealing with sellers. When I am able to nurture them and give them far more reliable information than any other person that they may have been dealing with, a bond is formed there. I have their trust and no one else will matter. The reason why I am so successful is because I put the thought of the money at the end of the process. Most people tend to put the money in the forefront of the process and, because of this, they never make any of it, or they make the common mistakes that come with having a needy or money hungry mindset. Imagine eating your dinner before it is fully cooked. That’s what a lot of newcomers in this space tend to do. They will throw anything under contract and add an unreasonable assignment fee to that contract to lace their pockets. Meanwhile, investors look at the deal as a joke and will probably look the other way when that person approaches with another deal. Follow my instructions and do not allow this to be you. The number of deals that are to be made are endless and, when you create opportunities, you eliminate competition by default. For that reason alone, I never worry about my competitors. If I am in their market, they better worry about me! Sounds backwards, doesn’t it? You might say, “Hey Najee, if we are in this to get paid, shouldn’t we be worried about the money first and foremost?” I say to you that if you put nurturing at the top of your list, so much money will fall in your lap that you won’t be able to stand up.

My mission throughout this all is to be as helpful as I possibly can with each person whom I come in contact with. All across America, there are millions upon millions of homeowners, several of which are in financial binds of some sort. There are homeowners who have inherited properties from loved ones who have passed on. There are homeowners going through the pre-foreclosure. Many homeowners have an extra property that no one is currently occupying, which is sitting and collecting dust. One rule about real estate is that if a property is not producing money for you, it’s definitely costing it! There are many different layers of distress that can determine whether or not a homeowner is willing to part with their property. The solution that I offer them is solely dependent upon their current situation. I reach out to these people, using different methods of marketing. My mission is to get to the heart of what is going on with them and their property. I want to know how I can help first and foremost. If we come to an agreement, I take this property off their hands, and I pass it along to another investor who is looking to add a property to their portfolio or flip it on the market. Sounds easy, right!? This is a simple business, but it’s so far from easy.

Imagine if you are in a situation where you are getting ready to lose your home to the bank, and auction will soon be upon you. Do you believe that you have enough time to locate a reputable real estate agent in your area, list the property, and sell it before your property is auctioned? What if I offer to bring your payments current, as well as pay your mortgage every month? The condition is that you have to sign over the deed. You are losing the property one way or another. I’d rather it be one that isn’t damaging to you. I think that you would prefer that route over the other one. Several investors work with me because of the service that I provide. I specialize in locating deeply discounted properties that they can invest in to make a solid return on. If they’re looking for rentals, I bring them rentals. If they are looking for fix and flips, then I will find them.

The way that I am most helpful to these investors is that I locate the homeowners that are under distress, and I do all of the dirty work. I do a market analysis of the property, I negotiate a fair price with the homeowner, and I get it under contract. I include my assignment fee, and I bring it to the investor with all of the details on the property. Even though this price is marked up, I always make sure that I leave enough room for the investor to be satisfied with. Without taking care of the investor, there is no way that any of this works. In your current market, there are also people who are hacking the real estate market. I will show you how you can add value to their lives as well as them adding value to yours. You both are after the same prize, so if you work together, it can be achieved faster. Many estate hackers are proficient in acquisitions but could be struggling in their disposition department. What that means is, if you have a strong disposition unit, you can step in and help them with their problem. They have a contract that needs to be fulfilled and, with your network of investors, you may be able to bring a solution to the table.

Put a big emphasis on helping others, and I promise you will never have to worry about money again. When others in the marketplace see you as dependable, helpful, and reliable, the deals will fall at your feet. Far too often, I see so many get started in this industry with a “me me me” approach, and they never really get much done. There’s only so much value that one can circulate in and out of oneself; however, when you exchange value with a mutual party, you both have each other‘s best interest at hand to receive the reward. It is up to you to create these deals so that in actuality, you are creating an opportunity for yourself. Put yourself out there as a solution provider for property owners that need to sell. Contact investors and introduce yourself as a company that sources deeply discounted properties for people like them. Reach out to other estate hackers in your market and analyze their deals to see if it is something that your investors would be interested in. Circles connect, and as you see the ends coming together, be prepared to receive greatly for the opportunities that you have created for yourself.

Whenever I am dealing with a homeowner, my ultimate goal is not to make money or lock their property up under contract. With my method, that comes as a default. My main objective with a property owner is to be the most helpful and informed individual that they have spoken to thus far—more informed than any real estate agent they may have spoken with, as well as any other estate hacker in that market. I do this by studying their market and being prepared to provide value. I also have more tools on my belt than the average real estate agent or fellow estate hacker. By being able to offer more options than my so-called competition, I am now in a league of my own. This is essential because many home owners are delusional in regard to the price that they can truly get for their property. The majority of the time, these sellers have not been educated by the people who are making offers. More times than not, their price would either depend on what they think that they should receive, or how they feel emotionally toward the property. I have had homeowners tell me things such as, “I grew up in that house,” or, “The property has sentimental value to me.” Unfortunately for them, we deal with a market that doesn’t monetize any emotional attachment to a...