Show me the money. The math. The facts. The comparables. The tax ramifications. The net operating income. The costs to build & build out. The NNN exactly. The trends. The best financing. Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?
This is the way it is in 2009! I am an optimistic agent with a market research background, so it is not difficult for me to respond to these demands. One has to be responsive and pro-active because there is often no money in it for me until a successful transaction comes together. So, I makes sure I am ready with the right properties, comparables, spreadsheets, formulas, creative accounting, professional connections and legal ideas to respond to your inquiries.
There are very few agents helping small and medium-sized buyers and sellers in the 128 to 495 suburban belt. And now there is over a trillion dollars on hold from smaller investors who have been paralyzed in the market and finance panic. There are great deals for those with the money, the solidity, and the guts to make a move in 2009 - it could be the best time to acquire real estate in recent history! You can stand on your real estate. It has always been a great investment at the right price. There are such great deals out there but you need to find where they are and have a current, solid understanding of the market trends, legalities, tax considerations, and available financing in order to make the best moves.
We must be mindful of your comfort zone, and tax ramifications and legalities and permitting and be creative and connected to professionals who protect our deals. For example, I just became an agent for helpinghandsofamerica.com (new real estate and protection programs with charitable ties to Meals on Wheels, Sacred Heart, ALS, and the Association for the Blind where 50% can be written off gross income vs. 30% for a straight charitable donation). We make sure that you are working properly within the 1031 exchange laws to minimize capital gains exposure. This works best on properties that have been on the market too long and who need to sell even in the current environment. The property could be worth more as a partial charitable donation in a bargain sale working with an auctioneer.
It is not easy to make your way through the available properties. Many are not marketed. Prime parcels and buildings owned by municipalities and the state could be available at great prices. Maybe there is a sign but more often - the file is in a file cabinet somewhere and no one is charged with making a sale. It pays to use all available search tools, websites, and listing services to locate and conduct valuations on properties and businesses. I cannot wait until New England and New York Real Estate Journal's online database and CREmunity are live. (commercial real estate community). I am a beta-site tester for them now. I am a five star broker and my trade show booth is online with rejournal.com. I subscibe to all the sites and use them for marketing as well as search. Loopnet is good, Catalyst is good, MLS has a small commercial contingent, CCIM, recyber and remax intranet are great for making connections, BizBuySell, Bizquest, cityfeet, demographics, IRESagents for international search - they are all good for a niche and a certain number of property listings - but properties are not online in one place and analytics are not easy! And it is not easy now to be confident in properties appreciating so the numbers are more important.
My power team meets once a week. Attorney Olivier Kozlowski comes up with creative ideas and keeps them in line with a town's planning, zoning, and conservation. He has experience before many local boards, and over 12 years of experience serving on his local Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning Board and Housing Authority. Local zoning and planning boards are experiencing a fairly quiet period right now. Now would be a great time to get your subdivision approved, zoning variance or special permit you need to move forward with your plans for 2009 and beyond.
"Purchasers of real estate can gain tremendous tax benefits by using cost segregation studies. Buyers obtain an engineering report that segregates assets into four categories: personal property, land improvements, building components and land," said Andy Koffman, Esq. and CPA.
Bob Barlow, principle and director of MBA Mortgage always has great programs for buyers. "In the most challenging lending environment we have had to face in some time, it is imperative that we actively stay on top of every possible program out there. The flexibility of having access to every lender as well as the resolution to constantly research the ever changing landscape, allows us to accurately give clients the information they will need to succeed. Knowing the various lending options available to you, will give you that edge you need to advantage of the many money making opportunities in 2009!"
It is an ever shifting landscape! When you are ready to make a move - and that should be on or about now - get all your issues addressed and ducks lined up with your power team.

Christy May is the strategic planner at RE/MAX Landmark, .Westwood, Mass.