The Top Ten Must Haves Every Investor Needs in Their Car!
December 16, 2014
Those who consistently make money in real estate know the market. They know the location and the history as well as what new developments are planned. They know the transportation, the schools and everything about the area where they invest. In short, they have to know it all.
As I was touring one of my Atlanta flips recently, I was heading upstairs into one of the bedrooms. Darkness ruled the upstairs as electricity had been turned off years before. This home had been unoccupied for the better part of a decade. As I walked blindly into one of the dark upstairs bedrooms, I felt the floor disappear. Luckily, I stepped back in time to observe a huge, gaping hole that allowed me to stare directly into the living room below! I was about 3 inches away from being seriously injured. Thank God that I stepped back in time.
After a quick laugh, I regained my composure and my heart slowed to it’s normal beat pattern. I had an epiphany – sometimes when you think you’ve got real estate investing by the horns, you realize that something as simple as a flashlight almost ruined your career! It was right then and there that I realized there is a list of important items that every real estate investor should have with them in their vehicle.
I have compiled a list of 10 items that every investor MUST have with them!
1. Mobile Office – portable lap-desk with storage for both files and tools
2. Hand Sanitizer – keep your hands clean
3. Camera – for taking photos when out and about looking at houses
4. Business cards, flyers, door hangers etc – great to have on-hand for marketing
5. Smart Phone- for it’s camera, video, web references like Redfin, Homescan, etc – also use for taking business calls, emails, and market research on the go
6. Ipad- TinyScan, EverNote, DocuSign: great tools for organization and executing business documents. Also use for scanning and e-signing
7. Blank contracts – always good to be prepared when talking to people and driving for dollars. Don’t pass up an opportunity to put house on contract on-site
8. Headphones – safe hands free driving, sound clarity, and noise reduction
9. Laser or tape measure – taking measurements when creating layout for house or trying to fit furniture
10. Blueprint paper, property analysis – important documents when building or adding square footage to property. good to analyze the numbers to determine if deal is profitable
I can assure you that if you keep this list of items with you at all times, you will never be behind the power-curve. Now, some of you may have caught-on, others not…but there is one last item that we should add to this list. Let’s call it the “Bonus Item”:
BONUS – a flashlight!
Proper planning will prevent sub-par performance. So take a few minutes and put together your mobile office. You’ll thank me later!
