| p>If you are thinking of getting started investing in | | | | and hone your property analysis skills over time. |
| apartment properties, one of your first steps will be to | | | | Committing to this rule will set you well above your |
| complete a solid business plan. This is also true for | | | | competition because I can guarantee that they will not |
| professional investors, as well, because it is something | | | | do this. |
| you will come back and revisit year after year to | | | | 3. Commercial Investment Property MARKET |
| update and adjust things as your investment business | | | | ANALYSIS |
| grows and matures. It is 100% accurate that that failing | | | | The next step is analysis of the apartment property |
| to plan is planning to fail. | | | | market in your target area. You need to know all the |
| How do you get started writing a business plan for | | | | essential elements of the market. What is the average |
| your apartment investment? What should be included? | | | | CAP Rate in the area for Class A, B, and C properties. |
| How long should your business plan be - how many | | | | What is the average number of days an apartment |
| pages? | | | | project is on the market? What are the average rents |
| I have some great news for you - especially if this | | | | for Class A, B, and C properties? |
| task seems a bit daunting. I have a 5-step process to | | | | 4. INVESTOR PERSONAL ANALYSIS And Team |
| help you write your business plan in a single night - | | | | Building |
| even if the last time you wrote something was in 9th | | | | Identify the the members that will be a part of your |
| grade English class. | | | | "Dream Investment Team." Specify which Appraiser, |
| Your business plan does not need to be several | | | | Attorney, Accountant, Bookkeeper, Broker, and |
| hundred pages, full of charts and graphs, etc. It will | | | | Property Managers you will be working with in your |
| serve you much better to have a laser-targeted | | | | market. Ask any successful apartment investor and |
| business plan that you will come back to again and | | | | they will tell you that their "Dream Team" is key to their |
| again in the future to make sure you are on-track. | | | | success. |
| Here is the abridged version of how to get started on | | | | 5. INVESTMENT PROPERTY ANALYSIS |
| your business plan for apartment investing: | | | | Finally, you will delve into the actual property analysis |
| 1. Mental Toughness And Commercial Investment Real | | | | itself. Identify all of the specifics of properties that you |
| Estate | | | | are targeting, including the CAP Rate, number of units, |
| This is arguably the most important section of your | | | | average rents, and vacancy rates. More importantly, |
| business plan because it all starts with your mindset | | | | what are the opportunities of the property? Can you |
| and what you truly want to achieve. What do you | | | | raise rents and lower expenses, thereby increasing the |
| want to achieve as a result of owning and profiting | | | | property value within the next 12 months? This is |
| from commercial investment real estate? What | | | | where you will get into the nitty-gritty details, and for |
| BENEFITS do you want as a result? Start Your | | | | some, this will be one of the most exciting parts of |
| Commercial Real Estate Journal Today By Entering | | | | your business plan. |
| What You Really Want Out of Commercial | | | | These are the key pieces to include in your business |
| Investment Real Estate and What You Really Intend | | | | plan for apartment investing. As you can see, you do |
| To Get Out of It. This is something that you need to | | | | not need hundreds of pages in your business plan - |
| do every day! | | | | and this can typically be done in a single evening |
| 2. The Three Properties Per Week Rule | | | | without interruptions. I suggest you find a quiet place |
| If you are truly serious about making a success in the | | | | where you will be able to work, uninterrupted on your |
| apartment and commercial real estate world, the best | | | | business plan. Unplug the phone, turn off the email, |
| way to get started is using my 3 properties per week | | | | Facebook, and Twitter updates. Lock the door and get |
| rule. Essentially it is this: if you look at 3 properties per | | | | to work, as this is a key ingredient to your success as |
| week, you will have looked at over 150 properties in a | | | | an apartment investor. |
| one year time frame. This, above all else, will sharpen | | | | |