Real Estate Research By Talking

Real estate research might start with a look at the U.S. Census information about a town. It can include inspections of specific properties, too. There are many statical tools and information that can help, but don't forget one of the easiest and most useful research tools: talking. Let me explain with a true story.

My wife and I were on vacation, and stopped in Farmington, New Mexico for a few days. We were about to buy a house for a winter project. The plan was to fix it up and sell it in the spring for a profit.

Just prior to making an offer, we took a last walk-through. As the owner showed me around, my wife started to talk to the woman who was renting the home. She told Ana that half of the outlets in the home didn't work, as well as other useful information.

This got me thinking, and I went down to the basement for a second look at the wiring. Not only did the house likely need all new wiring, but I found a garden hose attached to a natural gas line. The owner shrugged and said, "You can just cut that off."

To this day, I don't know what that was about, but for these and other reasons, we didn't buy the house. It helps to talk to anyone you can when looking at a house or other real estate investment. Neighbors and renters are especially helpful.

Real Estate Research - Choosing a City

Talking to a lot of people isn't just useful for information on individual properties. It is also a great way to research a town. I once called the Chamber of Commerce of Deming, New Mexico. The chairman's casually commented that the city was using up the water faster than the aquifer was being replenished. They had no back-up plan. This was enough for us to cross Deming off our list.

If you want to know about a town, use the phone first. Find any excuse to call anyone from a real estate agent to a random resident. Ask about crime, whether the local government welcomes new businesses, what the climate is like. Have houses been sitting for sale for a long time, or do they go fast? What are the good and bad things about the town?

Before we moved to Tucson, Arizona, part of our real estate research was to call people in potential towns to see if they owned a snow shovel. If so, we crossed the town off the list. Two places can both get 45 inches of snow per year, but in some it stays all winter, and in others it melts before noon. The snow shovel question told us the truth behind the statistics.

Once you're in a town, a good local bar can be a great place to do your research. After a beer, patrons will tell you what big employers are about to move in or out of the town, how fast homes are selling, whether there are gangs, and much more. Talking to people is a good way to do real estate research, but verify what you hear. People do sometimes exaggerate.

Steve Gillman has invested real estate for years. To learn more, and to see a photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500, visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com

MORE RESOURCES:

Realtors Say Foreigners Hold Key to Real Estate Revival - FOXNews

Real Estate Market Slumps, Showhomes Soars - MarketWatch

Investment Regimes for Indian Real Estate Sector Explored - MarketWatch

Moody#39;s: Commercial real estate prices rise - CNNMoney.com

Architects see drop in real estate design contracts - Los Angeles Times

Target shareholder revises real estate proposal - The Associated Press

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUSTRE4AI5MH20081119cid=1271977767ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNGH0m9OxjNPQlvblMhtp6ozJXTwEAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=XVuA8yiQ2LIJimgurl=www.reuters.com/resources/r/%3Fm%3D02%26d%3D20081119%26t%3D2%26i%3D6876351%26w%3D192%26r%3D2008-11-19T193234Z_01_BTRE4AI1BTF00_RTROPTP_0_TARGET width=80 height=50 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Reuters/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-0fd=Rurl=http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5izZJX0Q9xiHBM5Mg3-Ee1B6sI8wQD94I9R8O0cid=1271977767ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNEA6vge35LVDxO_vTrAdQ_BdftJBATarget shareholder revises breal estate/b proposal/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fThe Associated Pressnbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Ackman unveiled a plan last month that involves creating a breal estate/b investment trust that would take ownership of the land Target owns underneath its b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-1fd=Rurl=http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2008/11/17/daily25.htmlcid=1271977767ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNHSV_7boFI9SHrQfsoNwcmcKojoMAPershing revises Target land spin-off proposal/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBizjournals.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-2fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/americasDealsNews/idUSTRE4AH7PD20081118cid=1271977767ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNGsAGjgwH0C4IwFIkoLeBgaeSk0HgPershing#39;s revised Target proposal out Wednesday/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-3fd=Rurl=http://blogs.reuters.com/reuters-dealzone/2008/11/19/troubled-retailerackman-5-bln-reit-ipo/cid=1271977767ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNGN5S778S2HKGY0ywHZt6J2sBQyAATroubled retailer+Ackman= $5 bln REIT IPO?/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters UK/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-4fd=Rurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8044333cid=1271977767ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNH8GME-g8rJ4JQ_CSQrhYRZBYPhPwnobrguardian.co.uk/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/5-5fd=Rurl=http://leapsinvestor.com/market-news/ackman-target-shares-worth-37share-726/cid=1271977767ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNELRiqpEcaTU8Hhp-9n5X1nWLRCxwnobrLEAPSInvestor.com/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1271977767hl=ennobrall 131 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

E-House Reports Third Quarter 2008 Results - MarketWatch

UPDATE 1-Dubai real estate suffers as distressed sales rise - Reuters

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7i-0fd=Rurl=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/constructionandproperty/3489393/Dubais-Palm-Jumeirah-sees-prices-fall-as-crunch-moves-in.htmlcid=1272482869ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNFsfHa2nvsKiw1tZF1F5kM93nzK-Aimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=bJ7NS7OHnQwJimgurl=www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01117/palm_1117796f.jpg width=80 height=50 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Telegraph.co.uk/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-0fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews/idUSLK52063320081120cid=1272482869ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNEQUFeE7Xc9TpGA4kadHLBvKu9PXQUPDATE 1-Dubai breal estate/b suffers as distressed sales rise/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fReutersnbsp;-/font nobr48 minutes ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1The once-booming breal estate/b sector of the emirate is showing signs of collapsing due to the global credit crisis, as prices fall sharply and buyers b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-1fd=Rurl=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/feedarticle/8045417cid=1272482869ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNFjNOY16Md-9OxtQGSNxVnlPs_00wDubai#39;s Palm property prices fall 40 pct - brokers/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrguardian.co.uk/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-2fd=Rurl=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/constructionandproperty/3489393/Dubais-Palm-Jumeirah-sees-prices-fall-as-crunch-moves-in.htmlcid=1272482869ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNFsfHa2nvsKiw1tZF1F5kM93nzK-ADubai#39;s Palm Jumeirah sees prices fall as crunch moves in/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrTelegraph.co.uk/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/7-3fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSLK188420081120cid=1272482869ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNGZnYh_-xEODPWe5y5g3gIUdWMIQwDubai distressed property sales rise as crisis bites/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272482869hl=ennobrall 21 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Artis Real Estate Investment Trust announces monthly cash distribution - FOXBusiness

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-0fd=Rurl=http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/finance/artis-real-estate-investment-trust-announces-monthly-cash-distribution-319904495/cid=1272287796ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNEIBQLwkI9tpLJTupvbVDt2SBmJvQArtis bReal Estate/b Investment Trust announces monthly cash distribution/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fFOXBusinessnbsp;-/font nobr10 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Artis is a growth-oriented breal estate/b investment trust focused exclusively on commercial properties located in primary and growing secondary markets in b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-1fd=Rurl=http://businessmirror.com.ph/index.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D2192:amid-global-economic-slowdown-investors-are-well-advised-to-train-their-sights-on-real-estate-%26catid%3D47:propertiescid=1272287796ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNGDECIqQCH2r7KcYFnRpT7NdevzMQ‘Amid global economic slowdown, investors are well-advised to b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBusiness Mirror/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-2fd=Rurl=http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2008/19/c2246.htmlcid=1272287796ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNF-OUihzTQzJGwwfbg_Vl4JoSpHiwCrombie REIT announces monthly distribution/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrCanada NewsWire (press release)/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-3fd=Rurl=http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/finance/investors-real-estate-trust-announces-increase-regular-quarterly-common-share-1154743513/cid=1272287796ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNF-Ob8NmtHuHRZ58FWh2bKysxWnwwInvestors bReal Estate/b Trust Announces Increase in Regular b.../b/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrFOXBusiness/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/8-4fd=Rurl=http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/finance/holloway-lodging-real-estate-investment-trust-announces-monthly-distribution-1482787386/cid=1272287796ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNEgS5DMKRnfHfuplFQtjxxMCsHPlwnobrFOXBusiness/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1272287796hl=ennobrall 24 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

Commercial Real Estate Debt Index Plummets - Wall Street Journal

table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-0fd=Rurl=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122703851606838297.html%3Fmod%3Dgooglenews_wsjcid=1271977795ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNFuia882VEiBKIAEtwDnJtRe9zsLACommercial bReal Estate/b Debt Index Plummets/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fWall Street Journalnbsp;-/font nobrNov 18, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1By PRABHA NATARAJAN WASHINGTON -- A commercial breal estate/b debt index plummeted Tuesday after a Credit Suisse research report warned that two loans included b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-1fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN1933428520081119cid=1271977795ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNFrec68UgYqVl2J8Xondk-1dK9E0wUPDATE 1-Economy, TARP conspire against commercial mortgages/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-2fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3Da7v3wNC8x9WA%26refer%3Dhomecid=1271977795ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNG0IXjdE7TRPXNT1kKeV8GcNp1tUQWestin, Promenade Commercial Mortgages Near Default (Update2)/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrBloomberg/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-3fd=Rurl=http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1826572220081118cid=1271977795ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNF7_XyoE-baGEPcEvlKsrsJAe4ONwUPDATE 1-Big CMBS loans seen near default, index yields soar/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrReuters/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-4fd=Rurl=http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122703851606838297.html%3Fmod%3Dspecial_page_campaign2008_mostpopcid=1271977795ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNG-a0ReElNZEZWFHtW_zpofv142lgnobrWall Street Journal/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=Tct=us/9-5fd=Rurl=http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news%3Fpid%3D20601087%26sid%3Da0GR3cE_UyEE%26refer%3Dhomecid=1271977795ei=W3YlSYT8NY6SygTjtaC6AQusg=AFQjCNGjn3K4cM3XSJEaMcFESbar4_6O7wnobrBloomberg/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1271977795hl=ennobrall 31 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table

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