October 2003

In this email, I have three items to share:

1. New Product Release - The Great Real Estate Investment Adventure Course
2. Australia and New Zealand Tour Dates
3. Your Realtor - The Questions to Ask, the Answers You Want to Hear

Together with my personal friend and business partner, Gene Burns, we have finished our "52 Homes in 52 Weeks challenge" and can't wait to share our experience with you. In January of this year, we set our sights on purchasing one home every week for a full year, hence the 52 homes in 52 weeks. As the months passed, we found ourselves well ahead of schedule and, in fact, have completed our challenge in less than one year. Now we are sharing all the details of our quest in our Workbook and Audio Course entitled "The Great Real Estate Investment Adventure Course."

The Course is a live recording of a two-day event conducted by Gene Burns and myself. Drawing from our experience of acquiring 52 homes in 52 weeks, we reveal our proven methods for creating wealth through real estate in the 10 CD set as well as a manual full of in-depth investment information.

You will learn:
* To design and implement a sound investment strategy
* How to find, negotiate and close on the right investment property for you
* To legally protect yourself and your investment

The manual includes:
* Legal documents
* Letter templates
* Voicemail scripts
* Sample ads

For additional information or to order the course, click on the picture below.

It's that time of year again and I am heading back to Australia and New Zealand for a series of events which will begin in mid-October and carry through to early December.

I will be visiting a number of cities including: Tauranga, Christchurch, Auckland, Brisbane, Sydney, Perth and many more. The seminars range from evening events to 2-day events providing something for everyone.

I am certain to enjoy my time "Down Under" and am looking forward to seeing many of you in attendance along the way.

For more information on any of these upcoming events, please contact the event promoter via their contact information which may be found on the website, under the Event Schedule.

You've done your reading, you've heard the presentations, you've listened to the advice and now you're ready to get in the game. It's time to purchase that real estate. The most effective way to go about this is to form your team to assist you in all aspects of the investment process. One of the key players on your team will be your realtor, which means you need to choose wisely in order to protect your investment future. The only question is: "How do I choose?"

There's no shortage of realtors in the marketplace. Flip open the phone book and you'll see pages of advertisements promising your best investment options. How do you know who to believe? While there is no fool-proof plan for selecting the best real estate agent, there are a few questions to ask that will give you an edge when picking through the masses.

"Are you a Full or Part-Time Realtor?" As the real estate market changes constantly, it is in your best interest to work with a Full Time realtor who is on top of the changes.

"How much Business Experience do you have?" The number of years in business does not necessarily give you the most accurate picture here. What you should be interested in is the realtor's record for the past 12 months. S/he will have a list for that time period, and I recommend you ask to see it, as well as any subsequent testimonials to better gauge the success rate of the realtor.

"How well do you know my intended investment area?" Again, refer to the realtor's listings to determine if s/he has a working knowledge of the market within the areas you are considering. This will save everyone time and effort and ensure you are receiving the focused service you require.

"Will you be handling my transaction in its entirety or do you have a team or assistant you delegate to?" If you are using a realtor with many clients, (not necessarily a bad thing as the best are often the most efficient), you will want to be in touch with their assistant and/or team as a knowledgeable team will be exceedingly helpful.

"Do you have much knowledge/experience with Financing Institutions?" It is helpful if your realtor is able to recommend specific lenders who will be able to assist you in your particular situation, especially if you have any sort of credit problems.

Naturally, you will be seeking a business partner who is honest and possesses integrity as well as very good communication and interpersonal skills, (especially for the negotiation stages). While there are no specific questions to ask regarding these attributes, between the testimonials you will receive and your basic "gut" instinct, you should be able to make a sound judgment.

Make no mistake, choosing a realtor is a time consuming process. It is in your best interest to interview a sampling of people to ensure you find your best fit. A word of caution, just because your brother's cousin's neighbor's sister is a realtor, doesn't mean she has to be your realtor! Put these questions to use for each potential candidate to be certain you have made your best decision.

The bottom line is every professional realtor you meet with should have three things: a resume, an aggressive marketing plan and knowledge of the market you are considering - as a potential client, it is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with each of these points.

You won't know until you ask.

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

Successful investing,

Dolf de Roos