Kevin Guz
Like a Runner In a Marathon, Focus on Finishing ‘Best’
As I write this, it’s early September, kind of a turning point of the year heading into the fourth quarter and a change of seasons. And here in Dallas, where I am a real estate investor and HomeVestors franchise owner, we live in a very, very warm-weather climate, and another ...
You are the CEO of Your Real Estate Investing Business
Today I want to talk about how we, as small real estate investors or part-time real estate investors, should step back from time to time and don a CEO’s hat, because that mentality can positively influence your approach to real estate investing and the success you ultimately achieve, enjoy and ...
4 Ways to Start Small as a Real Estate Investor
The most common question that I’m asked as a real estate investor is, “How can I get started doing this?” I find that year after year, my answer to this question remains the same—regardless of the person with whom I am speaking, regardless of current market conditions and regardless of ...
Have it Your Way, Whether it’s a Single Investing Strategy or a Variety
I was recently listening to a podcast of a real estate investor, one who might even be considered a guru. In this particular podcast he was touting the benefits of a certain type of residential real estate investing, but he also was disparaging all other types of investing that didn’t ...
Are you one of those would-be investors sitting on the sidelines because you think you may not necessarily be qualified enough, you may not necessarily know enough and you may not necessarily be strong enough financially to invest in real estate right now? I was there once. Let me tell ...
Are You Going for the Gold, or Were You Not Even Invited?
As I write this, the summer Olympic Games are going on in Rio. And as I watch the competition, I can’t help correlating the Games to my life as a real estate investor in Dallas, Texas. At the Olympics, we see the top athletes from around the world competing at ...
As a Real Estate Investor, Are You a Jack-of-All-Trades or Master-of-One?
As a real estate investor, should you be a jack-of-all-trades or a master-of-one? It’s a very important distinction because it will influence what kind of real estate investments you make. In exploring this subject, probably the best place to start is with something relatively familiar—the concept of diversified investments. You ...
3 Characteristics That Define the ‘Active’ Investor
When talking about real estate investors, we generally put them into one of two categories: active investors or passive investors. In this post, we’re going to focus on the active, but first, let’s briefly touch on what is meant by “passive.” This could be a HomeVestors franchisee (as I am, ...
If This is So Easy, Why Doesn’t Everyone Do It?
“If real estate investing is so great, why doesn’t everyone do it?” is a question that many wannabe or future investors ask themselves. I certainly did. Whether you’re already a full-time investor, a part-time investor or someone just considering whether to become one, it’s a question that you’ll have as ...
Not Getting Enough Out of Your Appointments? You May Not Be Putting Enough In
I sometimes hear investors fretting that they’re not getting enough out of their investment efforts. Well, perhaps they’re not putting enough in. What I’m specifically talking about is the “buy” appointment, which is where I see many investors getting frustrated the quickest. And that’s unfortunate, because that is the most ...
It’s the Learnings that are Key to Your Earnings as a Real Estate Investor
In my 10+ years as a real estate investor—first as a part-time investor and now full-time as a HomeVestors franchisee in Dallas—I have accumulated plenty of earnings in the deals that have been successful for me. But equally as important have been the deals that didn’t go according to plan, ...
Want to Buy More Houses? Then Sell More Solutions
Successful real estate investors—whether part-time, full-time or transitioning into full-time—know that while they are in the business to buy houses, their success is really dependent on their ability to sell. And what a successful real estate investor is selling is a solution to the fear that so many sellers have ...
Why the ‘Fast Nickel’ is Better than the ‘Slow Dime’
Volume vs. velocity is a metaphor that I’ll admit I didn’t know, understand or appreciate when I started out as part-time real estate investor over 10 years ago. But as I’ve continued to expand and grow my investing business to the full-time endeavor it is now as a HomeVestors franchise ...
It’s Not Where—But What—You Buy That Matters
Today’s lesson is a valuable one that I learned early on as a real estate investor in Dallas, Texas. And it is simply to remember that it’s not where you buy that matters, as much as it’s what you buy. Many investors—whether you’re a part-time investor, a weekend investor, or ...
There are definite habits and traits that separate part-time and beginning real estate investors who are successful from those who are not. There are so many, in fact, that we can’t cover them all in one article. So let’s just focus on one contrast in particular. As is often the ...
You’re on the Road to Real Estate Investing, but is it the Right Road for Success?
As we hit the midyear point, it’s a good time for an investor to ask himself or herself some key questions: How do I find the road to real estate investing success? And, once I find it, what am I supposed to do? Before you can even find which road ...
Investing in Real Estate Improves Lives as Well as Property
This post’s topic is evergreen—always relevant—because there is always room for improvement in your real estate investing. It all starts with a state of mind. I base this on my own experience. I have been investing in real estate for over 10 years in Dallas. I started as a part-time ...
Real Estate Investing is Not All Black-and-White. Success is in the Gray Zone
To the outside observer, real estate investing may look fairly black-and-white. But it’s actually more complicated than that. There is a gray zone that both constitutes the reason real estate investors exist and is the area in which those investors provide their greatest value. Let me explain what I mean, ...
The part-time real estate investor is suddenly in demand
When I look at the successful part-time investors — and I draw on my own experience here in Dallas where I started as a part-time investor — I see them succeed when they treat it like a business. It is not a hobby or get-rich-quick solution, and it’s not a ...
Start with What You Have: Beginning to Invest in Real Estate
Are you one of those would-be investors sitting on the sidelines because you think you may not necessarily be qualified enough, you may not necessarily know enough and you may not necessarily be strong enough financially to invest in real estate right now? I was there once. Let me tell ...
Do You Want to Start a Part-Time or Weekend Business? Real Estate Investing Could Be the Answer
For those individuals who have a full-time career but are looking either for a little extra income or ultimately a whole new career, real estate investing could be the answer. Maybe I am even a little late to the party with this topic. There is so much excitement around real ...
Want to Buy More Houses? Provide More Solutions.
There’s one thing that we as investors often forget when dealing with distressed sellers. And that is: it is never about the house. Rather, it’s about the situation of that seller and the solution that you as a real estate investor can provide. It’s an important message to keep ...
What to Do When your Marketing Starts Generating Leads
Now That You're an Investor Looking to Buy Properties, Getting the Word Out is Only the First Step in Marketing One of the scariest aspects of the business to new real estate investors is when they get that first call generated from their marketing. It can also be scary to ...
Fewer is Better – When Renters Stick Around
Source your tenants carefully and treat them well, and they will help ensure your success. When I look back at my first rental property purchase more than 10 years ago, I am amazed at my good fortune. There were plenty of times, as a part-time real estate investor with a full-time ...
The Good News: Real Estate Is Booming. The Bad News: Real Estate Is Booming.
There’s little argument that the real estate market right now is hot. That’s good news for real estate investors, but it’s also bad—or let’s instead call it “challenging”—news. While the level of activity varies among different markets, we are seeing one of the highest residential real estate markets since back ...
