Learning Center

Landscaping Investment Properties: Where to Focus Your Money
The key to any successful landscaping project is to implement aesthetics with functionality. You want to maximize the property’s usable space while also making it look easy on the eyes. Here are our top recommendations when it comes to landscaping: 1. First Remove, Then Improve For the majority of home landscapes that have […]

Survey Results: Top 3 Renovations with the Highest ROI
We asked our investors a very simple question: Where do you put your money for the highest return on investment? Here are the top three responses: 1. Update kitchens and bathrooms for the greatest return on investment. With more open floor plans concepts where the family room and kitchen have become a blended […]

5 Things To Know About Hard Money Loans
Insert intro paragraph… 1. What is a private loan / hard money loan? Answer: In simple terms, any loan that is not originated by a bank is considered a private loan or hard money loan. Private lenders range from large companies to any individual willing to make you a loan. The term “hard” simply […]

How To Qualify For Fix & Flip Financing
You’ll find a wide variety of private lenders out there. That’s just the nature of our industry. Some will be able to offer money and actually close on-time, others will not. Some will help you grow to be very successful, others will not be as honest. I always suggest asking your local real estate investors. […]

Questions To Ask Before Buying Your First Rental Property
Asking the question, “Will the monthly cash flow be positive?” is vital. I’ve seen too many investors ignore cash flow analysis in recent years. They’ve watched others recklessly purchase properties at prices that lose monthly cash flow and depend on appreciation for an exit strategy. Don’t be a sheep, use common sense and stick to […]

Traditional Mortgage vs Hard Money Loan
If you are looking to invest in real estate and need financing, you might be thinking you have two options: a conventional mortgage or a hard money loan. Though most people understand the basics of a conventional mortgage, many may wonder, “what is a hard money loan?” Here are some common differences between the two […]

Which Landscaping Projects Are Most Likely To Increase Your Home Value?
According to the most recent study on this topic from the National Association of Realtors, here are the top landscaping projects that are likely to add the most value to your home: 1 – Landscape maintenance and overall upgrade (mulch application, pruning shrubs, planting flowers, upgrade worn-out functions) 2 – Standard lawn care service (fertilizer, […]

Everything You Wanted To Know About Private Equity Lenders
Recently, I had a conversation with a CPA about Deed of Trust Investing (investing in commercial notes) which is what our company Restoration Capital offers. His impressions (bulleted below) were fairly typical to the misconceptions I come across in the industry: People turn to private lenders when they cannot get a bank loan. Because the […]

Two Things To Consider When Renting Out Your Vacation Home
IRS Guidelines: How Many Days Are You Using the Home for “Personal Use”? In order to deduct the mortgage interest on your vacation home as “qualified home mortgage interest”, you need to use the vacation home for your own “personal use” for the greater of: 14 Days per Year or 10% of the number of […]

How To Invest In Real Estate Without Much Capital
The accepted belief is that you are going to buy a property near fair market value so to bring the loan-to-value (LTV) down to a safe level, most banks require 20% down regardless of the purchase price. That’s why you hear banks say that they will fund up to 80% of the lower of appraisal […]