Friday, December 21, 2007
Online Auction Listing Services
Creating an effective listing on eBay or Bid4assets can be difficult to do. Many people use listing services to make professional looking ads. While most of these services cost money, http://www.biggerbids.com/ offers free ad creation that turns your property description and pictures into HTML that you can use on eBay. This HTML can be edited to suit the preferences of the user (if the user knows what they are doing!) If you are interested in checking out other useful auction tools, go to http://www.auctiva.com/ (free and made for eBay), http://www.auction-builder.com/default.aspx (free), http://www.alienauctiontools.com/ (not free), or http://www.robshelp.com/. If you would like to create your own listing using HTML, there is a free editor called Sea Monkey that is fairly easy to use. You can download it here http://www.seamonkey-project.org/ and learn how to use it at this site http://www.lis.uiuc.edu/itd/tutorials/SeaMonkey/.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Online Auction Sites
Here are some online auction sites to get you started. There are many other sites out there waiting to be found. I came across these by researching counties and making phone calls; that is how you learn about them! Please make sure that you read all of the documentation on these sites before bidding! I will post more in the future on using these sites and maximizing our opportunities online.
New York State Auctions
Brzostek's NY Auctions
Michigan State Auction Site
New York State Auctions
Brzostek's NY Auctions
Michigan State Auction Site
Michigan State Leftovers
Indiana State Auctions
FL, AZ, MD Lien and Deed Sales
Nebraska Leftovers
California Online Auctions
Arkansas State Auctions and Leftovers Also use these two sites to help with research in AR: http://actdatascout.com/ and http://arcountydata.com/
New Jersey Lien Information
Texas Struck-Off Property
Texas Struck-Off Property 2
Indiana State Auctions
FL, AZ, MD Lien and Deed Sales
Nebraska Leftovers
California Online Auctions
Arkansas State Auctions and Leftovers Also use these two sites to help with research in AR: http://actdatascout.com/ and http://arcountydata.com/
New Jersey Lien Information
Texas Struck-Off Property
Texas Struck-Off Property 2
Texas Struck-Off Property 3
Alaska Leftovers (Click on "Buy Land")
Alabama Leftovers
Mississippi Leftovers
Wisconsin Leftovers
New Mexico State Auctions
Alaska Leftovers (Click on "Buy Land")
Alabama Leftovers
Mississippi Leftovers
Wisconsin Leftovers
New Mexico State Auctions
Grant Street (Several States, Includes RealAuction.com and LienAuction.com)
Bid4assets Tax Sales
eBay Live Auctions (Category: Real Estate)
Bid4assets Tax Sales
eBay Live Auctions (Category: Real Estate)
Other County Auction Sites
Apache County, AZ January 2009
Maricopa County, AZ January 2009
Butte County, CA June
Monterey County, CA April
Plumas Co. CA May
San Bernardino County, CA May, August
San Francisco County, CA April
Sonoma County, CA August
Ada County, ID May
Clay County, FL May
Lake County, FL May
Lee County, FL May
Leon County, FL May
Levy County, FL May
Pasco County, FL May
Polk County, FL May
Antrim County, MI September
Barry County, MI July
Bay County, MI July, August
Chippewa County, MI August
Genesee County, MI September
Ionia County, MI July
Jackson County, MI September
Kent Coounty, MI July
Lake County, MI July
Monroe County, MI August
Muskegon County, MI July
Saginaw County, MI September
"Thumb" Counties, MI August
Upper Peninsula Counties, MI August
Washtenaw County, MI August
Enviromapper
Identify Environment Concerns
Environmapper is a web site that is designed and maintained by the E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency) This allows investors to look up an area and see if it is next to an environmental hazard.
• Go to epa.gov/envirofw/
• On the left hand side in the middle under “Quick Start” Enter in a zip code in which you would like to search for.
• After a map appears: click under the map where it says “To view the above map interactively, click EnviroMapper”
• This will give you a map that you can move up and down, left, and right; You will also be able to zoom in and out.
• Click on the different colored squares that indicate regulated sites
o Black: Multi-activities
o Orange: Superfund
o Turquoise: Toxic Releases
o Red: Water discharges
o Blue: Air Emissions
o Green: Hazardous waste
• In the top of the right-hand corner there are 3 tabs called Features, Legend, and Facilities. You can click on all of the 3 tabs. If you place the cursor over the square then the name of the facility represented will appear.
• If you right-click any of the facilities then it will give you an address and well as 2 boxes to click on; One says “Map this facility” and the 2nd says, “EPA Facility Information”
• Click on the button that says “”EPA Facility Information” and this will give you tons of information about each facility
• At the bottom of the map you can zoom in and out, and you can also change the background from atlas map, aerial photo, and topo map.
• When you zoom in, it only zooms into the location in the middle of the map.
• You can find a lot of information about the environmental concerns in the area by using this site.
• Note down the longitude and the latitude of facilities that you would like to investigate more. We can do more research with topozone.
The Site should be used when investing in property you are unfamiliar with, but you will be surprised at what you can find in your own neighborhood. Be sure to do the due diligence necessary to verify the property is in a secure area away from hazardous area or facilities.
Environmapper is a web site that is designed and maintained by the E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency) This allows investors to look up an area and see if it is next to an environmental hazard.
• Go to epa.gov/envirofw/
• On the left hand side in the middle under “Quick Start” Enter in a zip code in which you would like to search for.
• After a map appears: click under the map where it says “To view the above map interactively, click EnviroMapper”
• This will give you a map that you can move up and down, left, and right; You will also be able to zoom in and out.
• Click on the different colored squares that indicate regulated sites
o Black: Multi-activities
o Orange: Superfund
o Turquoise: Toxic Releases
o Red: Water discharges
o Blue: Air Emissions
o Green: Hazardous waste
• In the top of the right-hand corner there are 3 tabs called Features, Legend, and Facilities. You can click on all of the 3 tabs. If you place the cursor over the square then the name of the facility represented will appear.
• If you right-click any of the facilities then it will give you an address and well as 2 boxes to click on; One says “Map this facility” and the 2nd says, “EPA Facility Information”
• Click on the button that says “”EPA Facility Information” and this will give you tons of information about each facility
• At the bottom of the map you can zoom in and out, and you can also change the background from atlas map, aerial photo, and topo map.
• When you zoom in, it only zooms into the location in the middle of the map.
• You can find a lot of information about the environmental concerns in the area by using this site.
• Note down the longitude and the latitude of facilities that you would like to investigate more. We can do more research with topozone.
The Site should be used when investing in property you are unfamiliar with, but you will be surprised at what you can find in your own neighborhood. Be sure to do the due diligence necessary to verify the property is in a secure area away from hazardous area or facilities.
Pre-Auction Letter
Pre-Auction Method Basics
The pre-auction acquisition method is a strategy by which you will be contacting property owners directly BEFORE a tax deed auction with the purpose of offering to buy the property directly from the owner.
If a property owner lets his/her property go to auction and it is sold there, in most cases the owner will receive nothing. So by offering to purchase the property before the auction, you will allow the owner to receive at least some compensation for a property that he/she would otherwise get nothing for.
There are a couple of main reasons why a property owner would allow a property to go to auction:
They can’t pay the taxes (financial reasons)
They don’t want the property (perhaps they inherited the property and live across the country and have no use for the property themselves)
Keep in mind that most people who want to keep their properties will do everything they can to redeem the taxes so that they don’t lose the property at auction. The pre-auction acquisition method targets that percentage of people who either cannot find a way to redeem the property or who otherwise don’t want to keep the property.
There are three huge advantages to using this strategy over waiting until the auction.
1) It eliminates most of the competition you would otherwise have at the auction. Auctions are starting to become more popular and more competitive as people realize there is money to be made.
2) You do not have to travel to the county to participate in the auction. The majority of counties require you to be present to participate in any auction for properties that are being offered for the first time. However, with the pre-auction acquisition method, you can buy properties BEFORE they are ever offered at auction in almost all DEED states and you will not have to travel to participate.
3) You get clear title to the property. Some tax sale properties have a litigation period associated with them where a property owner has a very slim chance of overturning the sale of their property. The time period varies from days to years depending on where you are investing. During this time there is a clouded title on the property; you own it but a bank won't lend money to someone trying to buy it from you. A title can be cleared by contacting the county and going through the required process they have in place, or it will just clear in time.
Be aware that the pre-auction acquisition method works best in TAX DEED states (which is GREAT if you want to get properties that you can turn around and sell quickly for a profit). In tax lien certificate states, owners have a 2-3 year redemption period and so they still have plenty of time to come up with the money to redeem their property before they lose it. So they have very little incentive to sell you the property right before the initial tax lien sale.
The first thing you will need to do is determine if the pre-auction method will work in the county you are interested in.
2 Strategies for the Pre-Auction Acquisition Method:
Shotgun Method – In this method, you contact many owners of properties on tax delinquent lists without doing any research on the property itself. When an owner expresses interest in your offer, then you do the necessary research to determine if you want to buy the property.
If you use the shotgun approach, you will complete your tasks in the following order:
Get a list of deed properties that will be available at a sale upcoming in the next 4-8 weeks (this allows you time to complete the process in most cases).
Send out a letter to the owner.
Follow up with a phone call a week later and arrange the sale.
Get the deed to the property from the owner after they sign it and get it notarized.
Research the property and its title.
Record the deed in your name (or your business name) and send the owner his/her money.
Redeem the taxes with the county.
Pre-research Method – In this method, you screen the property lists by doing your research before you contact any owners. You then contact only the owners of the properties you are interested in buying. This is the method John Beck uses.
If you use the shotgun approach, you will complete your tasks in the following order:
1) Get a list of deed properties that will be available at a sale upcoming in the next 4-8 weeks.
2) Research the properties and decide which ones you would like to purchase.
3) Contact the owners of the properties you are interested in and arrange the sale.
4) Get the deed to the property from the owner.
5) Research the property’s title.
6) Record the deed in your name (or your business name) and send the owner his/her money.
7) Redeem the taxes with the county.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods.
The advantage to the shotgun method is that you don’t have to spend a lot of time researching properties that may not even be available to you. You only spend time on the ones that are possible deals.
The advantage to the pre-research method is that you won’t be spending money on letters and postage or time creating deeds for properties that you ultimately won’t be interested in.
You need to decide which one will work best for you, or if you want to use both methods. Try both methods and see which one is most profitable.
THINGS TO KNOW
A list should be for an auction happening 4-8 weeks out – this gives you and the property owner time to complete the transaction before the auction. Keep in mind that if you want to get this done before the auction, you have to meet the county’s “drop-dead date” (the last date and time the property can be redeemed before the auction). Not only do you have to work things out with the owner, but you also must redeem the delinquent taxes before the “drop-dead date”.
Criteria for determining who should get a letter should be based on whether or not you can afford to pay the taxes and whether the property owner is a business or individual (go with the individuals).
Some people like to just send out letters to start with. However, calling the owner before the letter is sent can be very useful to determine their interest. If you get a voice mail, do not leave a message. Those calls are hardly ever returned. Try calling three different times. If you cannot reach them by the third try, send out the letter.
Example of a pre-auction letter:
Your Name
Address
Phone #
Date
Phillip Hinesworth
83 Possum Trot Dr.
Shelbyville, TN 58712
Dear Phillip,
My wife and I own several properties in Crabapple Lakes and we are interested in buying several more.
According to the official County records currently available to us, you own the following Crabapple Lakes lot:
Legal Description: Phase 1, Unit 3, Block 8, Lot 2, Crabapple Lakes
The records of the County Treasurer’s Office show that your property has three years of delinquent real property taxes and that it’s now eligible to be sold at the County’s next tax sale (e.g. real property tax deed foreclosure sale).
We know that because of delinquent property taxes and, especially the accumulation of many months of delinquent Crabapple Lakes Property Owner’s Association Maintenance Fees that many of the Crabapple Lakes property owners are abandoning their properties to the tax sale, and, consequently, receiving nothing for them.
If you are going to abandon your property and let it go to the tax sale, then we are interested in buying it. We will become responsible for your property taxes and, additionally, pay you $300.
If you want to sell your property then you must do the following:
1.Sign the enclosed deed, transferring title to your property from you to us in the presence of a notary public (an individual who can usually be found in any bank or financial institution). We will reimburse you the cost of the notary fee as well, which runs between $0 - $15, just let us know the amount.
2.Thereafter, send us the signed deed in the enclosed, self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Upon receipt of your deed we will have the title to your property researched to verify that you have clear title and that the property is buildable. Upon such verification we will send you a check for the $300.00 together with the cost of the notary fee.
If you need to contact us you can either call us at (888) 888-8888 or email us at yourname@gmail.com . If nobody answers the phone when you call then please leave a message together with your name, phone number, and the best times to call you back.
Sincerely,
Your Name
The pre-auction acquisition method is a strategy by which you will be contacting property owners directly BEFORE a tax deed auction with the purpose of offering to buy the property directly from the owner.
If a property owner lets his/her property go to auction and it is sold there, in most cases the owner will receive nothing. So by offering to purchase the property before the auction, you will allow the owner to receive at least some compensation for a property that he/she would otherwise get nothing for.
There are a couple of main reasons why a property owner would allow a property to go to auction:
They can’t pay the taxes (financial reasons)
They don’t want the property (perhaps they inherited the property and live across the country and have no use for the property themselves)
Keep in mind that most people who want to keep their properties will do everything they can to redeem the taxes so that they don’t lose the property at auction. The pre-auction acquisition method targets that percentage of people who either cannot find a way to redeem the property or who otherwise don’t want to keep the property.
There are three huge advantages to using this strategy over waiting until the auction.
1) It eliminates most of the competition you would otherwise have at the auction. Auctions are starting to become more popular and more competitive as people realize there is money to be made.
2) You do not have to travel to the county to participate in the auction. The majority of counties require you to be present to participate in any auction for properties that are being offered for the first time. However, with the pre-auction acquisition method, you can buy properties BEFORE they are ever offered at auction in almost all DEED states and you will not have to travel to participate.
3) You get clear title to the property. Some tax sale properties have a litigation period associated with them where a property owner has a very slim chance of overturning the sale of their property. The time period varies from days to years depending on where you are investing. During this time there is a clouded title on the property; you own it but a bank won't lend money to someone trying to buy it from you. A title can be cleared by contacting the county and going through the required process they have in place, or it will just clear in time.
Be aware that the pre-auction acquisition method works best in TAX DEED states (which is GREAT if you want to get properties that you can turn around and sell quickly for a profit). In tax lien certificate states, owners have a 2-3 year redemption period and so they still have plenty of time to come up with the money to redeem their property before they lose it. So they have very little incentive to sell you the property right before the initial tax lien sale.
The first thing you will need to do is determine if the pre-auction method will work in the county you are interested in.
2 Strategies for the Pre-Auction Acquisition Method:
Shotgun Method – In this method, you contact many owners of properties on tax delinquent lists without doing any research on the property itself. When an owner expresses interest in your offer, then you do the necessary research to determine if you want to buy the property.
If you use the shotgun approach, you will complete your tasks in the following order:
Get a list of deed properties that will be available at a sale upcoming in the next 4-8 weeks (this allows you time to complete the process in most cases).
Send out a letter to the owner.
Follow up with a phone call a week later and arrange the sale.
Get the deed to the property from the owner after they sign it and get it notarized.
Research the property and its title.
Record the deed in your name (or your business name) and send the owner his/her money.
Redeem the taxes with the county.
Pre-research Method – In this method, you screen the property lists by doing your research before you contact any owners. You then contact only the owners of the properties you are interested in buying. This is the method John Beck uses.
If you use the shotgun approach, you will complete your tasks in the following order:
1) Get a list of deed properties that will be available at a sale upcoming in the next 4-8 weeks.
2) Research the properties and decide which ones you would like to purchase.
3) Contact the owners of the properties you are interested in and arrange the sale.
4) Get the deed to the property from the owner.
5) Research the property’s title.
6) Record the deed in your name (or your business name) and send the owner his/her money.
7) Redeem the taxes with the county.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both methods.
The advantage to the shotgun method is that you don’t have to spend a lot of time researching properties that may not even be available to you. You only spend time on the ones that are possible deals.
The advantage to the pre-research method is that you won’t be spending money on letters and postage or time creating deeds for properties that you ultimately won’t be interested in.
You need to decide which one will work best for you, or if you want to use both methods. Try both methods and see which one is most profitable.
THINGS TO KNOW
A list should be for an auction happening 4-8 weeks out – this gives you and the property owner time to complete the transaction before the auction. Keep in mind that if you want to get this done before the auction, you have to meet the county’s “drop-dead date” (the last date and time the property can be redeemed before the auction). Not only do you have to work things out with the owner, but you also must redeem the delinquent taxes before the “drop-dead date”.
Criteria for determining who should get a letter should be based on whether or not you can afford to pay the taxes and whether the property owner is a business or individual (go with the individuals).
Some people like to just send out letters to start with. However, calling the owner before the letter is sent can be very useful to determine their interest. If you get a voice mail, do not leave a message. Those calls are hardly ever returned. Try calling three different times. If you cannot reach them by the third try, send out the letter.
Example of a pre-auction letter:
Your Name
Address
Phone #
Date
Phillip Hinesworth
83 Possum Trot Dr.
Shelbyville, TN 58712
Dear Phillip,
My wife and I own several properties in Crabapple Lakes and we are interested in buying several more.
According to the official County records currently available to us, you own the following Crabapple Lakes lot:
Legal Description: Phase 1, Unit 3, Block 8, Lot 2, Crabapple Lakes
The records of the County Treasurer’s Office show that your property has three years of delinquent real property taxes and that it’s now eligible to be sold at the County’s next tax sale (e.g. real property tax deed foreclosure sale).
We know that because of delinquent property taxes and, especially the accumulation of many months of delinquent Crabapple Lakes Property Owner’s Association Maintenance Fees that many of the Crabapple Lakes property owners are abandoning their properties to the tax sale, and, consequently, receiving nothing for them.
If you are going to abandon your property and let it go to the tax sale, then we are interested in buying it. We will become responsible for your property taxes and, additionally, pay you $300.
If you want to sell your property then you must do the following:
1.Sign the enclosed deed, transferring title to your property from you to us in the presence of a notary public (an individual who can usually be found in any bank or financial institution). We will reimburse you the cost of the notary fee as well, which runs between $0 - $15, just let us know the amount.
2.Thereafter, send us the signed deed in the enclosed, self-addressed, stamped envelope.
Upon receipt of your deed we will have the title to your property researched to verify that you have clear title and that the property is buildable. Upon such verification we will send you a check for the $300.00 together with the cost of the notary fee.
If you need to contact us you can either call us at (888) 888-8888 or email us at yourname@gmail.com . If nobody answers the phone when you call then please leave a message together with your name, phone number, and the best times to call you back.
Sincerely,
Your Name
PREPARING DEEDS
You will prepare the deed by going to www.vuwriter.com (you must sign up for this free site) and clicking on forms on the left-hand side of the page. Then you will see abbreviations for every state in the United States. Pick one of those states and there are several documents for each state, including deeds. These deeds have been prepared by a title company and have everything that the different states require for a deed. Find the quitclaim deed for the desired state and click on the deed. A document will appear and you need to copy the information and paste it into MS Word or another word processor so that you can manipulate the document.
You can also go to www.google.com and search for "quit claim deed (state name)" and find many professionally created "PDF" quit claim deeds that are free to download and use.
Selling Property Online
The Concept of Selling
On www.bid4assets.com there is an option of selling called The Easy Listing Process which is quick, easy and only takes a couple of minutes! It is ideal for sellers who want to list an asset with a basic description, a thumbnail photo and settlement terms.
Technical Specs for EZ Lister
·Do not use a Mac. EZ Lister works best on a personal computer or laptop running windows.
·It is strongly recommended that you use a recent version of Internet Explorer
On www.ebay.com you will want to list an item as an auction rather than a real estate listing. This will take you to the area of the site where you can begin your ad.
Creating a Title for the Property Listing
This section allows you to provide all relevant information on your asset, as well as inspection details, settlement terms, and any additional terms of sale.
It is important to choose an informative yet concise title for your asset.
TITLE: "California Land: 0.36 Acres of Vacant Residential Land in Los Angeles, CA”
SUBTITLE: “16.84 Miles from the Ocean, near Burbank, CA”
Basic Property Description
Real Estate: Remember to include the following information:
* APN Number (Assessor’s Parcel Number)
* Complete legal description (required)
* Size of property
* Zoning
* Annual taxes/dues
* Utilities available
* Improvements
* Appraised value
* Some comparables in the area
* The telephone number or website for the county (recommended), etc. POA (Property Owner’s Association) or HOA (Home Owner’s Association) dues.
* Enter any additional settlement terms, such as: "Payment must be received within 5 days of the close of the auction."
Auction Requested Timeline
It would be good to let the auction run from Wednesday to Wednesday OR Thursday to Thursday. This gives the buyer adequate time to research the property if they find the property on the weekend. Seven days is a good timeline for vacant land. If the property has a home or building then you might want to double or triple the timeline. (2 to 3 weeks)
Bid4Assets may review each asset listing before making it publicly available. This normally takes 1-2 business days. If your auction is released prior to the start date, it will appear on the site in preview.
On www.ebay.com it will be up to you to edit the listing, and they will not be reviewed. It is a good to have somebody else such as a friend or your coach edit your site because they will catch the imperfections on the site.
I would recommend that you end the auction at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time. This way you can give everybody in the United States a chance to bid on the property.
Pictures
I strongly recommend that you upload pictures (must be gif/jpeg) of your property if you have one available. If you can get some pictures of the property then you will sell the property for a higher amount. Pictures of the property help promote your item and make it more appealing to buyers.
If you do not have a picture of the specific property, you can upload pictures of the area by going to http://images.google.com/ and type the name of the area or the city. You will be given pictures of the area and then you can click on the picture and save it to your computer.
Adding Additional Pictures to the Auction Description
Adding pictures to your asset description is a free and easy way to increase the marketability of your auction. The EZLister enables you to add a main picture to your asset page, however, to include additional pictures, they must first be hosted (or stored) somewhere else on the Internet. Ask your Internet service provider if they offer any free web space. If not, there are many free picture hosting Web sites, such as:
* http://photobucket.com
* http://www.villagephotos.com
* http://www.imageshack.us/
* http://www.imagecave.com
Once your pictures are online and you have the URLs for them, click on the HTML tab and copy and paste the code (see below) into your asset description. Simply replace the text in blue with the address of your picture. If you'd like to center the picture, or align it to the left or right, simply click on the picture and click on the icon for align left, center, or align right.
Financial Terms
When you list an item on www.ebay.com or www.bid4assets.com then you must have a starting price. Make sure that you cover your costs with either the starting price or the reserve price. A reserve is a value that the buyer must reach before you are legally obligated to sell the property. ***You must cover yourself with one of these prices to make sure that you do not lose money on the transaction based upon what you paid for the property and based on the fair market value of the property.
Fees
Buyer’s Premium is ONLY for www.bid4assets.com, NOT http://ebay.com. A Buyer's Premium is a fee that is charged to the buyer to have the buyer cover your auction fees. It is a seller’s responsibility to add this fee to the winning bid amount and it is included in the total purchase price paid by the Buyer to the Seller. You should charge 10% of the final purchase price of the price to the client as “buyer’s premium or closing costs”.
A document preparation fee is the amount that you charge the individual for document preparation. You will prepare the deed by going to www.vuwriter.com (you must sign up for this free site) and clicking on forms on the left-hand side of the page. Then you will see abbreviations for every state in the United States. Pick one of those states and there are several documents for each state, including deeds. These deeds have been prepared by a title company and have everything that the different states require for a deed.
Payment Methods
You will need to fill in all required financial terms. On www.ebay.com you can use the merchant account called PayPal. Go to www.paypal.com and set up a Business/ Premier Account. This should be a free account, but it will allow you to take more than $500 per month. There will be instructions on how you can connect the PayPal Account with your checking account at your own bank. I recommend that you accept cashier’s checks, PayPal money, and credit cards through PayPal.
Disclaimers
There are certain disclaimers that you should include on each listing. The following are a couple examples that I have seen on the internet. Create something similar to include on your listing. These are not meant to be legal advice, and you should create a disclaimer that meets your needs.
Due Diligence: Before purchasing any property conduct your own Due Diligence. All properties are sold "as is, where is" and in the same physical condition as when we received them. All information on our properties comes from reliable sources such as Property Owner's Association (POA), county, state or other governmental agencies. Ask all questions before your purchase! All questions must be emailed or written. All correspondence is printed, logged and archived. Your bid is a legal agreement to purchase and indicates that you have completed all of the DUE DILIGENCE.
Payment: You are bidding on the FULL purchase price of this lot. This is Not a Down Payment Auction! This is not a tax sale or foreclosure. There are document preparation fees of $175.00 added to winning bid which covers deed preparation, recording fees, transfer taxes and notification to all relevant agencies. The time period for the deed transfer depends on the county, but we will do our best to have the deed delivered between 3-6 weeks after purchase. Payment must be made within 5 business days. Once payment is received and cleared by the bank, then a Quitclaim Deed will be issued and sent to the county to be recorded and then forwarded to you. We accept a cashier's checks, PayPal money, and credit cards through PayPal. There are no past fees or taxes for this Property. All fees and tax amounts are correct to the best of our knowledge. NOTE: If you have a feedback rating below 90% and/or less than 5, then payment must be received within 24 hours through PayPal. The overhead photographs ARE of the actual parcel, however the other photos are of the area and not the actual parcel for sale.
How to Sell on eBay
Follow these easy steps to sell on eBay.
Become an eBay seller.
1. Become a seller by providing a valid credit/debit card and bank account information. If you do not want to provide this information, become ID Verified.
Sign up to accept PayPal (optional).
If you want to use PayPal to accept buyers' credit card and electronic check payments online, we recommend signing up before you list your first item for sale. Register for PayPal.
2. Fill out the Sell Your Item form.
The Sell Your Item form is where you create your eBay listing. Here are some of the sections you will be asked to complete.
o Choose a selling format.
Are you selling through eBay's standard online auction format, setting a fixed price, using your own eBay Store, or listing an ad in the Real Estate category? More about selling formats.
o Select a category.
Explore eBay categories ahead of time to help you choose the most appropriate category for your item. Try searching for similar items and see what categories have been used.
o Write a title.
Be clear, complete, and descriptive. Your title should include words buyers would search for when looking for your item. View tips on titles.
o Select Item specifics.
This option is only available for certain categories. If you see it, fill in the details to help your item sell fast. More about item specifics.
o Write an item description.
Here's your chance to really describe and promote your item. Sometimes it is easier to write your description in a word authoring program first, and then cut and paste it into the item description area in the Sell Your Item Form. Be clear and complete. Be creative, telling the history of your item and why someone would want to buy it. Read how to write a good description.
o Add pictures.
Show off your item with pictures. You can use eBay Picture Services, which lets you add pictures straight from the selling form—and offers some attention-grabbing options. Or you can click Web Hosting to use your own hosting service.
o Choose pricing and listing duration.
How long do you want your listing to run? How many items are you selling? What will your starting price be? Would you like to use a reserve price or sell with Buy It Now? Answer these questions here.
o Provide item location.
Where is your item located? It’s a good idea to include the city and state where the item is located.
o Increase your item's visibility.
Explore the many listing upgrades that can help your item stand out from the other listings. Choose the options that are right for you.
o Enter payment and shipping information.
How will you accept payment from your buyer when your listing ends? eBay recommends offering PayPal--the fast, easy and secure way to accept credit card or checking account payment.
Where will you ship your item and who will pay for that cost? The more details you include on the Sell Your Item form, you will receive fewer questions from buyers and the end of your listing will be easier.
3. Review and submit your listing.
Now you'll see a preview of your listing and a summary of its details. Look this over carefully. If you're satisfied and finished, submit your listing.
Now your listing begins!
And when your listing ends...
4. Communicate with your buyer.
If you use eBay's Checkout service, when your buyer completes checkout, eBay will notify you by email. If you didn't specify shipping and payment details, the buyer can use checkout to request this information. You can also use checkout to send the buyer an invoice.
If you selected not to use checkout, you should contact the buyer directly using email or phone.
Important: You should contact the buyer directly if you have not heard from the buyer or the buyer has not completed Checkout within 3 days of your listing's end.
5. Receive payment.
If the buyer paid with PayPal, you will receive an email confirming payment. If you have not yet registered for the PayPal service, you will be prompted to register to accept the payment.
6. Ship the item to the buyer.
Pack it up well! Use bubble wrap or crumpled up newspaper to protect the item from damage during shipping. Make sure any parts of the item that are fragile are well padded and are located toward the center of the box if possible. You don't want damage from shipping to create problems for you and your buyer.
7. Leave the buyer feedback.
eBay's feedback system helps create a trustworthy community for everyone. Your feedback about your buyer is important information for other sellers.
Guidelines for Selling on Bid4Assets
Gather the information you will need before listing your asset, including:
* Description and specifications of asset(s).
* Due diligence information for bidders such as photographs, proof of ownership, appraisal, plat maps, maintenance records, financial statements, etc.
1 Select Sell an Asset
You must be registered to sell. You will be prompted to login or register after you click on Sell an Asset.
2 Select Start
Select the auction listing package that includes the products and services that best meet your needs.
3 Choose the option New Listing
if you are listing the asset for sale.
4 Choose a Channel
and assign your asset to the most appropriate category or sub-category available.
5 Enter Basic Asset Information
Title - To keep our Web site consistent and easy to follow for bidders we require the following standards and formats for auction titles:
* Sentence Case Please (No ALL CAPS)
* Real Estate: Location + Size + Description (Vienna, VA - 2 Acre Residential Lot)
* Personal Property: Quantity/Value + Description (1.5 CTW Diamond Ring)
* Financial Instruments: Face Value + Security + Performance + Description ($7 Million Secured Performing Promissory Note)
* Intangible Property: Sub-Category + Description (Domain Name: GeeWhiz.com)
Asset Description:
* HTML format – No Tags allowed
* HTML tables are restricted to 650 pixels wide
* Font size no greater than +2
* Images no greater than 320 Pixels (W) x 240 Pixels (H)
* (Hint: This recommended image size is for faster download time and enhanced user experience. Larger images require a much longer download time, making it convenient for users.)
* We recommend no more than (5) images to maintain manageable download time for users.
* All links within the asset description must open a separate browser window.
* We recommend that you include only pertinent information. Bidders may not read your description if it is too long.
* If only limited information is available, please state this clearly so that potential bidders are aware.
* Real Estate: Include APN Number/complete legal description (required), size of property, zoning, annual taxes/dues, utilities available, improvements, appraised value, telephone number for county (recommended), etc. For timeshares include the unit#, fixed/floating week and maintenance fees.
* Personal Property: Make, model, serial number, specifications, year/age/hours used, maintenance, size, cut, color, clarity, etc.
* Financial Instruments: Position of note, performance, origination amount and date, payments, balance of note, amortization schedule, etc.
* Intangible Property: Description of asset, registration date, etc.
6 Auction Requested Timeline
* Start Date: Monday - Friday during Bid4Assets' regular business hours (8am - 6pm ET)
* End Date: Tuesday - Friday during Bid4Assets' regular business hours (8am - 6pm ET)
* We do not recommend closing auctions on a Monday to ensure adequate time to respond to bidder questions from the weekend.
7 Select Financial Terms
* Bid4Assets recommends NO RESERVE auctions to encourage the most bidder participation.
8 Settlement Terms
* Choose the method(s) of payment you will accept.
* For Jewelry auctions, be sure to include your refund policy.
9 Listing Fees & Options
* Review the fees and promotional opportunities.
* Bid4Assets recommends selecting promotional opportunities to increase exposure of your auction.
10 Asset Listing Confirmation
* Review your listing.
* Agree to the Bid4Assets User Agreement and the auction listing guidelines.
* Click "Finish" (once you click "Finish" you will no longer be able to make any changes).
11 Congratulations
* Review listing by clicking on the link provided.
* Record Auction ID # for your records.
* Upload your due diligence materials using one of the following methods:
1. Include images and links to due diligence in your asset description using html:
o Example for image:
o All links must open in a separate browser window. Example for link:
link description to be hotlinked
2. Upload due diligence directly to the Bid4Assets Web site:
o Click on the link to edit your auction listing from the congratulations page, or go to sell and asset and select the option to edit your auction listing.
o Follow the directions to upload images (jpg or gif format) and documents (pdf format) for your auctions on hold.
3. Send due diligence to Bid4Assets (for Deluxe Listing Package only):
o Include your name, email address, asset title and auction id # with all communication.
o Email images or scanned documents to service@bid4assets.com with the auction id # in the subject line. We will post your photos/documents for you. Or,
o Fax hard copies of documents to (301)650-9194. Or,
o Mail photos/documents to Bid4Assets. Do not send originals.
Bid4Assets
Attn: Client Services
8757 Georgia Ave (Suite 1330)
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Important Quality Review:
Please allow 1-2 business days for quality assurance review and posting of due diligence once the information has been received (when applicable). For new sellers and for all assets valued over $1,000, we require a copy of your proof of ownership. This can be faxed to (301)650-9194. Your auction listing will remain in hold until we receive a copy of your proof of your ownership.
A dedicated Account Manager will contact you if more information is required and to get your approval of your auction listing before it goes live on the Web site.
Questions:
If you have questions, please contact Client Services at service@bid4assets.com or call us at 301-650-0003. Our business hours are Monday - Friday, 8am - 6pm Eastern Time.
Thank you for your business!
Disclaimer text: "The information contained herein is meant for educational purposes only. By presenting this information, Mentoring of America (MOA) and its employees do not render legal, accounting or other professional advice. It is your own personal responsibility to seek professional advice for any specific transaction or investment from those licensed to render such advice. If you require specific legal, tax or accounting advice, seek the advice of a qualified professional."
On www.bid4assets.com there is an option of selling called The Easy Listing Process which is quick, easy and only takes a couple of minutes! It is ideal for sellers who want to list an asset with a basic description, a thumbnail photo and settlement terms.
Technical Specs for EZ Lister
·Do not use a Mac. EZ Lister works best on a personal computer or laptop running windows.
·It is strongly recommended that you use a recent version of Internet Explorer
On www.ebay.com you will want to list an item as an auction rather than a real estate listing. This will take you to the area of the site where you can begin your ad.
Creating a Title for the Property Listing
This section allows you to provide all relevant information on your asset, as well as inspection details, settlement terms, and any additional terms of sale.
It is important to choose an informative yet concise title for your asset.
TITLE: "California Land: 0.36 Acres of Vacant Residential Land in Los Angeles, CA”
SUBTITLE: “16.84 Miles from the Ocean, near Burbank, CA”
Basic Property Description
Real Estate: Remember to include the following information:
* APN Number (Assessor’s Parcel Number)
* Complete legal description (required)
* Size of property
* Zoning
* Annual taxes/dues
* Utilities available
* Improvements
* Appraised value
* Some comparables in the area
* The telephone number or website for the county (recommended), etc. POA (Property Owner’s Association) or HOA (Home Owner’s Association) dues.
* Enter any additional settlement terms, such as: "Payment must be received within 5 days of the close of the auction."
Auction Requested Timeline
It would be good to let the auction run from Wednesday to Wednesday OR Thursday to Thursday. This gives the buyer adequate time to research the property if they find the property on the weekend. Seven days is a good timeline for vacant land. If the property has a home or building then you might want to double or triple the timeline. (2 to 3 weeks)
Bid4Assets may review each asset listing before making it publicly available. This normally takes 1-2 business days. If your auction is released prior to the start date, it will appear on the site in preview.
On www.ebay.com it will be up to you to edit the listing, and they will not be reviewed. It is a good to have somebody else such as a friend or your coach edit your site because they will catch the imperfections on the site.
I would recommend that you end the auction at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time. This way you can give everybody in the United States a chance to bid on the property.
Pictures
I strongly recommend that you upload pictures (must be gif/jpeg) of your property if you have one available. If you can get some pictures of the property then you will sell the property for a higher amount. Pictures of the property help promote your item and make it more appealing to buyers.
If you do not have a picture of the specific property, you can upload pictures of the area by going to http://images.google.com/ and type the name of the area or the city. You will be given pictures of the area and then you can click on the picture and save it to your computer.
Adding Additional Pictures to the Auction Description
Adding pictures to your asset description is a free and easy way to increase the marketability of your auction. The EZLister enables you to add a main picture to your asset page, however, to include additional pictures, they must first be hosted (or stored) somewhere else on the Internet. Ask your Internet service provider if they offer any free web space. If not, there are many free picture hosting Web sites, such as:
* http://photobucket.com
* http://www.villagephotos.com
* http://www.imageshack.us/
* http://www.imagecave.com
Once your pictures are online and you have the URLs for them, click on the HTML tab and copy and paste the code (see below) into your asset description. Simply replace the text in blue with the address of your picture. If you'd like to center the picture, or align it to the left or right, simply click on the picture and click on the icon for align left, center, or align right.
Financial Terms
When you list an item on www.ebay.com or www.bid4assets.com then you must have a starting price. Make sure that you cover your costs with either the starting price or the reserve price. A reserve is a value that the buyer must reach before you are legally obligated to sell the property. ***You must cover yourself with one of these prices to make sure that you do not lose money on the transaction based upon what you paid for the property and based on the fair market value of the property.
Fees
Buyer’s Premium is ONLY for www.bid4assets.com, NOT http://ebay.com. A Buyer's Premium is a fee that is charged to the buyer to have the buyer cover your auction fees. It is a seller’s responsibility to add this fee to the winning bid amount and it is included in the total purchase price paid by the Buyer to the Seller. You should charge 10% of the final purchase price of the price to the client as “buyer’s premium or closing costs”.
A document preparation fee is the amount that you charge the individual for document preparation. You will prepare the deed by going to www.vuwriter.com (you must sign up for this free site) and clicking on forms on the left-hand side of the page. Then you will see abbreviations for every state in the United States. Pick one of those states and there are several documents for each state, including deeds. These deeds have been prepared by a title company and have everything that the different states require for a deed.
Payment Methods
You will need to fill in all required financial terms. On www.ebay.com you can use the merchant account called PayPal. Go to www.paypal.com and set up a Business/ Premier Account. This should be a free account, but it will allow you to take more than $500 per month. There will be instructions on how you can connect the PayPal Account with your checking account at your own bank. I recommend that you accept cashier’s checks, PayPal money, and credit cards through PayPal.
Disclaimers
There are certain disclaimers that you should include on each listing. The following are a couple examples that I have seen on the internet. Create something similar to include on your listing. These are not meant to be legal advice, and you should create a disclaimer that meets your needs.
Due Diligence: Before purchasing any property conduct your own Due Diligence. All properties are sold "as is, where is" and in the same physical condition as when we received them. All information on our properties comes from reliable sources such as Property Owner's Association (POA), county, state or other governmental agencies. Ask all questions before your purchase! All questions must be emailed or written. All correspondence is printed, logged and archived. Your bid is a legal agreement to purchase and indicates that you have completed all of the DUE DILIGENCE.
Payment: You are bidding on the FULL purchase price of this lot. This is Not a Down Payment Auction! This is not a tax sale or foreclosure. There are document preparation fees of $175.00 added to winning bid which covers deed preparation, recording fees, transfer taxes and notification to all relevant agencies. The time period for the deed transfer depends on the county, but we will do our best to have the deed delivered between 3-6 weeks after purchase. Payment must be made within 5 business days. Once payment is received and cleared by the bank, then a Quitclaim Deed will be issued and sent to the county to be recorded and then forwarded to you. We accept a cashier's checks, PayPal money, and credit cards through PayPal. There are no past fees or taxes for this Property. All fees and tax amounts are correct to the best of our knowledge. NOTE: If you have a feedback rating below 90% and/or less than 5, then payment must be received within 24 hours through PayPal. The overhead photographs ARE of the actual parcel, however the other photos are of the area and not the actual parcel for sale.
How to Sell on eBay
Follow these easy steps to sell on eBay.
Become an eBay seller.
1. Become a seller by providing a valid credit/debit card and bank account information. If you do not want to provide this information, become ID Verified.
Sign up to accept PayPal (optional).
If you want to use PayPal to accept buyers' credit card and electronic check payments online, we recommend signing up before you list your first item for sale. Register for PayPal.
2. Fill out the Sell Your Item form.
The Sell Your Item form is where you create your eBay listing. Here are some of the sections you will be asked to complete.
o Choose a selling format.
Are you selling through eBay's standard online auction format, setting a fixed price, using your own eBay Store, or listing an ad in the Real Estate category? More about selling formats.
o Select a category.
Explore eBay categories ahead of time to help you choose the most appropriate category for your item. Try searching for similar items and see what categories have been used.
o Write a title.
Be clear, complete, and descriptive. Your title should include words buyers would search for when looking for your item. View tips on titles.
o Select Item specifics.
This option is only available for certain categories. If you see it, fill in the details to help your item sell fast. More about item specifics.
o Write an item description.
Here's your chance to really describe and promote your item. Sometimes it is easier to write your description in a word authoring program first, and then cut and paste it into the item description area in the Sell Your Item Form. Be clear and complete. Be creative, telling the history of your item and why someone would want to buy it. Read how to write a good description.
o Add pictures.
Show off your item with pictures. You can use eBay Picture Services, which lets you add pictures straight from the selling form—and offers some attention-grabbing options. Or you can click Web Hosting to use your own hosting service.
o Choose pricing and listing duration.
How long do you want your listing to run? How many items are you selling? What will your starting price be? Would you like to use a reserve price or sell with Buy It Now? Answer these questions here.
o Provide item location.
Where is your item located? It’s a good idea to include the city and state where the item is located.
o Increase your item's visibility.
Explore the many listing upgrades that can help your item stand out from the other listings. Choose the options that are right for you.
o Enter payment and shipping information.
How will you accept payment from your buyer when your listing ends? eBay recommends offering PayPal--the fast, easy and secure way to accept credit card or checking account payment.
Where will you ship your item and who will pay for that cost? The more details you include on the Sell Your Item form, you will receive fewer questions from buyers and the end of your listing will be easier.
3. Review and submit your listing.
Now you'll see a preview of your listing and a summary of its details. Look this over carefully. If you're satisfied and finished, submit your listing.
Now your listing begins!
And when your listing ends...
4. Communicate with your buyer.
If you use eBay's Checkout service, when your buyer completes checkout, eBay will notify you by email. If you didn't specify shipping and payment details, the buyer can use checkout to request this information. You can also use checkout to send the buyer an invoice.
If you selected not to use checkout, you should contact the buyer directly using email or phone.
Important: You should contact the buyer directly if you have not heard from the buyer or the buyer has not completed Checkout within 3 days of your listing's end.
5. Receive payment.
If the buyer paid with PayPal, you will receive an email confirming payment. If you have not yet registered for the PayPal service, you will be prompted to register to accept the payment.
6. Ship the item to the buyer.
Pack it up well! Use bubble wrap or crumpled up newspaper to protect the item from damage during shipping. Make sure any parts of the item that are fragile are well padded and are located toward the center of the box if possible. You don't want damage from shipping to create problems for you and your buyer.
7. Leave the buyer feedback.
eBay's feedback system helps create a trustworthy community for everyone. Your feedback about your buyer is important information for other sellers.
Guidelines for Selling on Bid4Assets
Gather the information you will need before listing your asset, including:
* Description and specifications of asset(s).
* Due diligence information for bidders such as photographs, proof of ownership, appraisal, plat maps, maintenance records, financial statements, etc.
1 Select Sell an Asset
You must be registered to sell. You will be prompted to login or register after you click on Sell an Asset.
2 Select Start
Select the auction listing package that includes the products and services that best meet your needs.
3 Choose the option New Listing
if you are listing the asset for sale.
4 Choose a Channel
and assign your asset to the most appropriate category or sub-category available.
5 Enter Basic Asset Information
Title - To keep our Web site consistent and easy to follow for bidders we require the following standards and formats for auction titles:
* Sentence Case Please (No ALL CAPS)
* Real Estate: Location + Size + Description (Vienna, VA - 2 Acre Residential Lot)
* Personal Property: Quantity/Value + Description (1.5 CTW Diamond Ring)
* Financial Instruments: Face Value + Security + Performance + Description ($7 Million Secured Performing Promissory Note)
* Intangible Property: Sub-Category + Description (Domain Name: GeeWhiz.com)
Asset Description:
* HTML format – No Tags allowed
* HTML tables are restricted to 650 pixels wide
* Font size no greater than +2
* Images no greater than 320 Pixels (W) x 240 Pixels (H)
* (Hint: This recommended image size is for faster download time and enhanced user experience. Larger images require a much longer download time, making it convenient for users.)
* We recommend no more than (5) images to maintain manageable download time for users.
* All links within the asset description must open a separate browser window.
* We recommend that you include only pertinent information. Bidders may not read your description if it is too long.
* If only limited information is available, please state this clearly so that potential bidders are aware.
* Real Estate: Include APN Number/complete legal description (required), size of property, zoning, annual taxes/dues, utilities available, improvements, appraised value, telephone number for county (recommended), etc. For timeshares include the unit#, fixed/floating week and maintenance fees.
* Personal Property: Make, model, serial number, specifications, year/age/hours used, maintenance, size, cut, color, clarity, etc.
* Financial Instruments: Position of note, performance, origination amount and date, payments, balance of note, amortization schedule, etc.
* Intangible Property: Description of asset, registration date, etc.
6 Auction Requested Timeline
* Start Date: Monday - Friday during Bid4Assets' regular business hours (8am - 6pm ET)
* End Date: Tuesday - Friday during Bid4Assets' regular business hours (8am - 6pm ET)
* We do not recommend closing auctions on a Monday to ensure adequate time to respond to bidder questions from the weekend.
7 Select Financial Terms
* Bid4Assets recommends NO RESERVE auctions to encourage the most bidder participation.
8 Settlement Terms
* Choose the method(s) of payment you will accept.
* For Jewelry auctions, be sure to include your refund policy.
9 Listing Fees & Options
* Review the fees and promotional opportunities.
* Bid4Assets recommends selecting promotional opportunities to increase exposure of your auction.
10 Asset Listing Confirmation
* Review your listing.
* Agree to the Bid4Assets User Agreement and the auction listing guidelines.
* Click "Finish" (once you click "Finish" you will no longer be able to make any changes).
11 Congratulations
* Review listing by clicking on the link provided.
* Record Auction ID # for your records.
* Upload your due diligence materials using one of the following methods:
1. Include images and links to due diligence in your asset description using html:
o Example for image:
o All links must open in a separate browser window. Example for link:
link description to be hotlinked
2. Upload due diligence directly to the Bid4Assets Web site:
o Click on the link to edit your auction listing from the congratulations page, or go to sell and asset and select the option to edit your auction listing.
o Follow the directions to upload images (jpg or gif format) and documents (pdf format) for your auctions on hold.
3. Send due diligence to Bid4Assets (for Deluxe Listing Package only):
o Include your name, email address, asset title and auction id # with all communication.
o Email images or scanned documents to service@bid4assets.com with the auction id # in the subject line. We will post your photos/documents for you. Or,
o Fax hard copies of documents to (301)650-9194. Or,
o Mail photos/documents to Bid4Assets. Do not send originals.
Bid4Assets
Attn: Client Services
8757 Georgia Ave (Suite 1330)
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Important Quality Review:
Please allow 1-2 business days for quality assurance review and posting of due diligence once the information has been received (when applicable). For new sellers and for all assets valued over $1,000, we require a copy of your proof of ownership. This can be faxed to (301)650-9194. Your auction listing will remain in hold until we receive a copy of your proof of your ownership.
A dedicated Account Manager will contact you if more information is required and to get your approval of your auction listing before it goes live on the Web site.
Questions:
If you have questions, please contact Client Services at service@bid4assets.com or call us at 301-650-0003. Our business hours are Monday - Friday, 8am - 6pm Eastern Time.
Thank you for your business!
Disclaimer text: "The information contained herein is meant for educational purposes only. By presenting this information, Mentoring of America (MOA) and its employees do not render legal, accounting or other professional advice. It is your own personal responsibility to seek professional advice for any specific transaction or investment from those licensed to render such advice. If you require specific legal, tax or accounting advice, seek the advice of a qualified professional."
Researching
Most county tax sale lists can be rather extensive. At times they include in excess of a thousand properties! Screening through a large list should NOT be a bad experience. The purpose of this step is to find properties that could be researched further to see if the property may be profitable.
Once you have acquired a list, it is important to screen through the list according to the aspects of the property that fit your criteria. The following topics are suggestions of what to use to screen a list.
1. Price – Look at the minimum bid column and if the property is within your price range, set it aside or mark it some how.
2. Location – If you are familiar with the location and its area, identify which properties are in good areas. If you are not familiar with the area then move on to the next topic.
3. Assessor’s Office
4. Zoning Department
5. Recorder’s Office
Contact County Offices
After a list is acquired and properties have been selected to be researched further, the next step is to contact the County Assessor to find out more information about each specific property. The purpose of this step is to find out some detailed information about the property and its location if possible.
The County Assessor generally is the one that determines the value of each property in which the county will base their taxes off of. In order to determine an accurate assessed value, the county must know some of the basic information about the property. The County Assessor should be able to provide the information on a property. After all they do determine the assessed value.
• Call the County Assessor’s Office and ask the following.
1. How the assessed value determined?
2. What is the address of the property? (Street address, legal description, or APN #, Assessor’s Parcel #)
• How can you find a parcel map? (GIS)
3. Lot Size? (Acreage or Square Footage)
4. Dimensions of the property?
5. Is there a building or any improvements on the property?
• Do the improvements still exist?
• Is the building vacant?
• Age of the building?
• Square footage of building?
• How many bedrooms and bathrooms in the home?
• Call the Zoning/ Planning Department and for the following.
1. What is the property zoned? (Residential, Commercial, Agricultural, Rural, Industrial, Estate, and Forestry)
a. What does that mean? or…What can you do with the property?
2. What would it take to re-zone the property? (e.g. From Agricultural to Residential)
3. Is the property buildable? →
a. What are the setbacks? (Distance from the curb to where you can build)
i. Frontage/ Side-yards (distance)/ Back-yard (distance)
b. Are there any easements?
i. Utilities easements: Power lines, water lines, & Gas lines
ii. Easements by Necessity: Point of access to a land-locked parcel
c. Are there any Utilities on the property? [Gas, Power, Water, Sewer, Septic]
d. Is the property in a flood zone? (You may not be able to purchase flood insurance)
4. Are there homes on either side of the property? (If they have utilities then it’s easier)
5. Ask them if there are any projects in the county or the city such as shopping centers, grocery stores, malls, or anything else that would raise the price of the property?
• Recorder’s Office (Or wherever the deed is recorded in the county)
a. Once you have done all of your due diligence on a property including researching the county’s own website, you can call the Recorder’s office to find out the following information:
a. What is the current owner’s name and contact information?
i. Are there any back liens or encumbrances?
b. Is there anything else that they can help you with?
Once you have acquired a list, it is important to screen through the list according to the aspects of the property that fit your criteria. The following topics are suggestions of what to use to screen a list.
1. Price – Look at the minimum bid column and if the property is within your price range, set it aside or mark it some how.
2. Location – If you are familiar with the location and its area, identify which properties are in good areas. If you are not familiar with the area then move on to the next topic.
3. Assessor’s Office
4. Zoning Department
5. Recorder’s Office
Contact County Offices
After a list is acquired and properties have been selected to be researched further, the next step is to contact the County Assessor to find out more information about each specific property. The purpose of this step is to find out some detailed information about the property and its location if possible.
The County Assessor generally is the one that determines the value of each property in which the county will base their taxes off of. In order to determine an accurate assessed value, the county must know some of the basic information about the property. The County Assessor should be able to provide the information on a property. After all they do determine the assessed value.
• Call the County Assessor’s Office and ask the following.
1. How the assessed value determined?
2. What is the address of the property? (Street address, legal description, or APN #, Assessor’s Parcel #)
• How can you find a parcel map? (GIS)
3. Lot Size? (Acreage or Square Footage)
4. Dimensions of the property?
5. Is there a building or any improvements on the property?
• Do the improvements still exist?
• Is the building vacant?
• Age of the building?
• Square footage of building?
• How many bedrooms and bathrooms in the home?
• Call the Zoning/ Planning Department and for the following.
1. What is the property zoned? (Residential, Commercial, Agricultural, Rural, Industrial, Estate, and Forestry)
a. What does that mean? or…What can you do with the property?
2. What would it take to re-zone the property? (e.g. From Agricultural to Residential)
3. Is the property buildable? →
a. What are the setbacks? (Distance from the curb to where you can build)
i. Frontage/ Side-yards (distance)/ Back-yard (distance)
b. Are there any easements?
i. Utilities easements: Power lines, water lines, & Gas lines
ii. Easements by Necessity: Point of access to a land-locked parcel
c. Are there any Utilities on the property? [Gas, Power, Water, Sewer, Septic]
d. Is the property in a flood zone? (You may not be able to purchase flood insurance)
4. Are there homes on either side of the property? (If they have utilities then it’s easier)
5. Ask them if there are any projects in the county or the city such as shopping centers, grocery stores, malls, or anything else that would raise the price of the property?
• Recorder’s Office (Or wherever the deed is recorded in the county)
a. Once you have done all of your due diligence on a property including researching the county’s own website, you can call the Recorder’s office to find out the following information:
a. What is the current owner’s name and contact information?
i. Are there any back liens or encumbrances?
b. Is there anything else that they can help you with?
Introduction
Welcome!
Congratulations on making the decision to change your life through real estate. My name is Ben Gunn, and I am a tax sale, real estate consultant. If you have purchased the John Beck program, I have been selected to be your mentor for all of the sessions that you have purchased with our company. I will do everything in my power to help you make money as soon as possible, but keep in mind that this is a business and success depends on your determination. I am excited to be able to work with you, and below is my contact information so that you can reach me if you need to do so.
Ben Gunn
Real Estate Consultant
Mentoring of America
taxsalesonline@gmail.com
John Beck’s Coaching Hot-line 1-888-733-7615
Customer Service 1-800-266-5664
Customer Service will be able to help you with account issues such as logging in to your Property Vault account. The Coaching Hot-line is a valuable resource, available to you throughout your investing career. Specialists in our office will help you one on one and can answer most of the questions you will have. The Hot-line is free!
1st Week’s Assignments:
1) Foundation
a) Begin reading John Beck's Amazing Profits (green CD). Watch the Quick Start video/ DVD that came in the initial infomercial package
Answer the following questions while watching the DVD:
i) What is a tax lien certificate and how is it different from a redeemable deed?
ii) What is a tax deed?
iii) What states would I like to work in?
iv) What are some of the different ways I can buy properties from a county?
b) Register as a buyer and a seller on http://www.ebay.com/
c) Register on http://www.bid4assets.com/
d) Buy Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens, by Larry B. Loftis, Esq. (Optional, but very helpful!)
e) Go to http://johnbecksamazingprofits.com/ and become familiar with the site
f) Visit http://www.johnbeckspropertyvault.com/ and log in using your customer ID and the word "PASSWORD" in capital letters for your password.
g) Contact your county about their tax sale process. Find out when the next auction will be and if you will be able to bid online or through the mail. Ask about leftover properties.
Congratulations on making the decision to change your life through real estate. My name is Ben Gunn, and I am a tax sale, real estate consultant. If you have purchased the John Beck program, I have been selected to be your mentor for all of the sessions that you have purchased with our company. I will do everything in my power to help you make money as soon as possible, but keep in mind that this is a business and success depends on your determination. I am excited to be able to work with you, and below is my contact information so that you can reach me if you need to do so.
Ben Gunn
Real Estate Consultant
Mentoring of America
taxsalesonline@gmail.com
John Beck’s Coaching Hot-line 1-888-733-7615
Customer Service 1-800-266-5664
Customer Service will be able to help you with account issues such as logging in to your Property Vault account. The Coaching Hot-line is a valuable resource, available to you throughout your investing career. Specialists in our office will help you one on one and can answer most of the questions you will have. The Hot-line is free!
1st Week’s Assignments:
1) Foundation
a) Begin reading John Beck's Amazing Profits (green CD). Watch the Quick Start video/ DVD that came in the initial infomercial package
Answer the following questions while watching the DVD:
i) What is a tax lien certificate and how is it different from a redeemable deed?
ii) What is a tax deed?
iii) What states would I like to work in?
iv) What are some of the different ways I can buy properties from a county?
b) Register as a buyer and a seller on http://www.ebay.com/
c) Register on http://www.bid4assets.com/
d) Buy Profit by Investing in Real Estate Tax Liens, by Larry B. Loftis, Esq. (Optional, but very helpful!)
e) Go to http://johnbecksamazingprofits.com/ and become familiar with the site
f) Visit http://www.johnbeckspropertyvault.com/ and log in using your customer ID and the word "PASSWORD" in capital letters for your password.
g) Contact your county about their tax sale process. Find out when the next auction will be and if you will be able to bid online or through the mail. Ask about leftover properties.
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