Ethical values in real estate business

Everyone talks about hammering sellers to get the best price – about getting every dime you can out of a transaction. Last week a friend of mine was bragging about how he got this old lady to sell her house to him at 50% of it’s value! He’s going to make a big chunk of money on it too. Here’s my question, HOW DOES HE SLEEP AT NIGHT??? Maybe I’m just “too nice” and maybe I’ll always be just a working stiff, but I don’t want to do business that way. It seems like to be an investor, you have to be a real shark these days. Does anyone do business in way they wouldn’t be ashamed tell their Mom or their kids about?

Unfortunately, this is how the business world is these days. In order to get ahead, you have to be both selfish and devious or someone else will either take your business or get the promotion that you deserve. It is very difficult to be 100% honest in business these days when most people are not like this. I am very interested in hearing other responses to your question.

You are right – buying properties “subject to” is an amazing way to invest. I just started doing it 4 months ago and I already own 12 houses with positive cash flow plus I made between $4k and $10k upfront on everyone of them. Once you know how to structure the deals, the only trick is knowing what kind of lead to go after and how to market to them. It takes a little practice, but it’s really paying off and I’m finally getting serious about quitting my day job and doing this full time. And don’t worry about “due on sale” clauses, I work for a bank and they don’t foreclose on properties where the payments are being made – especially in this real estate market – they don’t need any more foreclosures. But don’t take my word for it, here’s a VERY long article on how to do deals like this. It was written by the guy that taught me.

Maybe the guy that taught the second linken can just introduce the two of them since they're on the same network (ip addresses astoundingly similar)...

I think you found the missing "link" in their posts! :p

I need some product placement.

More like, HOW DO SPAMMERS SLEEP AT NIGHT? :)

Unfortunately, this is how the business world is these days. In order to get ahead, you have to be both selfish and devious or someone else will either take your business or get the promotion that you deserve.

Yes, I agree with you and that's the fact how people do business in these days.

However, it also depends on personal mentality. Few of us want success and money at any cost and we can say them as selfish.

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Sam Thomas
Real Estate Agents (http://www.buyersagent.net)