August 2003

In this email, I have three items to share:

1. Upcoming Las Vegas Event – Learn How to Find, Negotiate, and Close Astounding Deals
2. New Book – Real Estate Investment & Management
3. Kitchen Renovation – Worth the Expense?

Learn How to Find, Negotiate, and Close Astounding Deals

I am teaming up with friend and business partner, Gene Burns, for an encore presentation of our 2-day mentoring program in the Hottest Real Estate Market in the USA – Las Vegas, NV.

This interactive and dynamic seminar takes place over two days at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 4th and 5th, 2003.

Included in the course is the following:

• Personal mentoring from myself and Gene Burns
• Live introductions to many of our personal contacts
• A copy of our “Golden Rolodex”
• Tools and shortcuts to find sellers
• Tips to quickly determine if a deal is good or bad
• Instructions on negotiating with pre-foreclosure sellers
• Guidelines on how to write offers
• The opportunity to actually make offers on properties in Las Vegas
• Special follow-through teleconference coaching calls with Gene Burns for one month after the event
• Workbook with all documents, checklists and how-to’s

The response to this event was overwhelming in both March and June and will undoubtedly be equally great for this week-end.

To sign up for the event or obtain more information on the event, please see the URL:

http://www.dolfderoos.com/events/2004-05-22-LasVegas.php

or call 702-658-2235.

Don’t miss out: Gene and I are renowned for sharing all our knowledge and contacts...this opportunity will fill up quickly.

Fellow Rich Dad’s Advisor Garrett Sutton, Esq., and I have released the book “Real Estate Investment & Management – Essential Advice for Serious Investors.”

This book is a thorough and practical guide to both investing in and managing your real estate. It is written in a clear and direct style that takes the guesswork out of the property investment process and leaves the reader informed and empowered in all aspects of real estate investment and ownership.

The book covers topics including Choosing the Right Property, Purchase Agreements, Closing on Properties, Landlords and Tenants, Money Matters and Maintenance – the entire process.

Whether you are a beginner looking to invest or an advanced investor managing multiple properties, this book will prove to be a valuable resource for you both now, and in the future, as you continue to expand your portfolio.

To order the book, please see our website at www.DolfdeRoos.com under the Books section, call (602)331-8882 to place your order over the phone, or go to Amazon.com.

If you were to take an honest look at your lifestyle as it relates to your house, how much time would you estimate you spend in your kitchen? Would it surprise you to hear that by some estimates people spend over 90% of their awake time at home in the kitchen? While you and I may not spend that much time in the kitchen, across the board it can be agreed that kitchens are a major focal and functional part of every household. Kitchens today are evolving into multi-function rooms, often connected to family rooms and eating areas as the trend continues for people to “nest” within their homes. What does this mean to a property owner? Quite simply, renovating an existing kitchen is often the single most cost effective upgrade that can be done to your property.

Current trends suggest that luxury kitchens are a top priority for buyers and renters alike. Whether buying houses upwards in price of a million dollars or on a smaller scale, residents are displaying a clear preference for modern, sleek kitchens.

What is “in” in terms of a designer kitchen? The list includes granite or corian countertops, hardwood or porcelain tile floors, maple, cherry or oak custom cabinets, and stainless steel appliances. Islands are still a popular feature and are growing in size in order to accommodate additional appliances such as warming drawers, wine refrigerators, and double sets of dish washers. Again, the island cabinetry is simple, sleek and polished.

Now as marvelous as this designer kitchen sounds, you may be wondering, “How much it will cost?”, and rightly so as kitchen renovations can be very expensive.

A good guideline to use when remodeling your kitchen is to plan on spending up to 25%, (of the total cost of the property), as you will more than likely recoup the expenditure when you sell the home.

There are ways to trim renovation costs for your kitchen. For example, replace your cabinets with stock cabinets rather than custom-built cabinets, or less expensive still, paint them rather than replace them. (Painting the interior is optional as you are only trying to make an impression.) Try to work with your current structural design, as well as existing plumbing and major appliances, if possible. And lastly, plan ahead! Any changes mid-way through your renovation could drastically impact, (i.e. raise), the price.

Whichever corners you may choose to cut, keep in mind that skimping on design and labor is a bad idea as these elements form the basis of the kitchen and therefore it pays to do it right the first time.

In summary, when considering a kitchen renovation, know that it may be costly however, you will most likely recoup your expenses and then some when you choose to sell or lease the property. To keep expenses down and the inconvenience to a minimum, planning ahead is essential.

And once your kitchen is in top form, you may be so pleased with the results that you are inspired to continue on in your home improvement streak. If so, a valuable resource will be my book “101 Ways to Massively Increase the Value of Your Property Without Spending Much Money.” Thankfully, the majority of the suggestions contained within this book will cost far less than your kitchen, while continuing to add value to your home.

Take care and remember, The Deal of the Decade comes along about once a Week.

Successful investing,

Dolf de Roos