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Heather Boren

Are you frustrated with the get rich quick schemes on house flipping and wish there was a course that explained the hidden secrets of auctions and how the process really works? This course examines single family homes as an investment property class, how trustee foreclosure auctions look like, what you need to know to successfully bid and compete with flippers and other investors, and how the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) got it right or maybe wrong. Using scientific research, case studies, along with my personal experiences this course will provide you with winning techniques and key insights.

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Are you frustrated with the get rich quick schemes on house flipping and wish there was a course that explained the hidden secrets of auctions and how the process really works? This course examines single family homes as an investment property class, how trustee foreclosure auctions look like, what you need to know to successfully bid and compete with flippers and other investors, and how the Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) got it right or maybe wrong. Using scientific research, case studies, along with my personal experiences this course will provide you with winning techniques and key insights.

By the end of the course, you will feel both confident and comfortable bidding, buying and investing in properties.

From 2009-2011, single family homes were for the most part a very new concept. There were no real BIG players. Then large companies started buying properties almost over night and traditional flippers started to get outbid at a very quick pace.

This course will teach you to understand the difference between how a flipper analyzes a property and how an investor analyzes a property. And more importantly, what this means on auction day and how to be prepared and win successfully against the competition.

If you are not a math wizard, no problem. Included with the course are materials to help you analyze properties easily and quickly, and handy check-lists for auction preparation and research.

Going once...going twice... SOLD. Come join me on Mastering Auction Properties.

“If I had a way of buying a couple hundred thousand single family homes I would load up on them. It's a very attractive asset class now. I could buy them at distressed prices and find renters." - Warren Buffett

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Spot the flipper v. investor at an auction
  • Think like a real estate investment pro
  • Attend and bid at an auction with ease
  • Master finding properties
  • Determine what's real v. fake on tv
  • Feel confident and comfortable investing in single family homes
  • Analyze properties with ease

Syllabus

Welcome

Welcome to the Course! I am going to provide a brief overview of the course and lectures.

Watch these on flipping and house hunting and see what you notice. At the end of the course, we will watch clips together and you will be amazed how far you have come and understand what is real, fake, a good buy or down right bad investment.

Through this introduction, I will cover the following:

(a) Why investing in single family homes is a new concept and why this new asset class gained momentum.

(b) Three key areas of this course including: auction buying process; what buyers and renters want; and how an investor v. flipper analyzes a property.

(c) My background and credentials.

I can't wait to have you. Let's get started.

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Additional materials and information is available here; however, the lectures are all you need to complete the course.

Property Wars case study on the bidding process and a sample property. At the end of the course, we will revisit the clips and you will be amazed at what you can tell is real v. fake. We'll also take a look at the end result of what the bidders uncovered.

Note: Please excuse the video and audio quality as it is from the show source.

Tips and tricks the professionals don't want you to know.

More bidding and buying hot tips I've learned for over 10 years.

Example Case Study from Lancaster, CA.

Example Case Study from Corona, CA.

People say location, location, location. Find out why it should really be research, research, research.

How to successfully find properties using online resources right at your fingertips. I will show you how to research properties and what features to review including Property Radar and Auction.com.

Check-list of what to bring for auction day.

Acceptable forms of payment/funds for buying properties.

What do most Buyers and renters really want when looking for a home? Based on research we'll look at what key features in a home have appeal and maximize value.

Based on research studies, what the typical Buyer/Renter looks like.

The best time to buy is ...

Summary sheet of profile and process.

What is an institutional investor and what do the major Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) players look for when building their portfolios.

How to successfully analyze a single family home as an investment.

What an investor really needs to think about when assessing a home.

Use this handy workbook to effectively analyze properties quickly.

Case study of a property going to auction. Who will win the flipper or investor?

Revisiting the Challenge from Section 1, we will go over what is real v. fake clip by clip based on the materials learned throughout the course.

Thank you for joining me. The course will conclude with my final thoughts including a summary of:

(i) Key Investment Pointers and

(ii) What the TV shows got right and made up. You'll be able to spot the difference.

An excerpt from a radio talk, discussing the main differences between residential and commercial property auctions and types of risks involved.

Bonus material foundations of real estate including different property types.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Explores the differences in how flippers and investors analyze properties, which is crucial for making informed decisions at auctions
Includes materials to help learners analyze properties quickly, which can save time and improve decision-making during the auction process
Examines single-family homes as an investment property class, which is a popular and accessible entry point for new investors
Includes case studies from Lancaster and Corona, CA, which may not be relevant to learners outside of those specific markets
Analyzes what buyers and renters want in a home based on research, which helps investors make informed decisions about property improvements
Compares residential and commercial property auctions, which may not be relevant to learners focused solely on single-family homes

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Reviews summary

Practical introduction to property auctions

According to students, this course provides a solid foundation for understanding the world of real estate auctions, particularly for single-family homes. Learners frequently praise the practical tips and strategies offered for bidding and navigating auction day, as well as the course's ability to demystify the process often depicted on television. Many found the analysis tools and checklists to be particularly helpful. While considered an excellent starting point for beginners looking to gain confidence, some more experienced learners noted that it serves best as an overview and may require additional, more in-depth research for those looking for advanced strategies.
Ideal for those new to real estate auctions.
"This course is a great starting point if you're completely new to property auctions."
"As a beginner, I found this course easy to understand and not overwhelming."
"If you have some experience, this might feel a bit basic, but it's perfect for novices."
"Gives a solid foundation if you're just dipping your toes into auction buying."
Compares course content to popular shows.
"It was fun to revisit the TV clips at the end and see how much more I understood about what's real and fake."
"Helped me critically evaluate what I see on house flipping shows."
"The course successfully shows the difference between TV drama and the actual auction process."
"I can now spot the realistic versus the made-for-TV aspects of property auctions."
Distinguishes different approaches to property.
"Understanding the difference between how an investor and a flipper analyze a property was a key takeaway for me."
"The course clarified the different mindsets and what that means for buying decisions."
"Helped me think more like an investor rather than just a quick flipper."
"Valuable insights into analyzing properties from a long-term investment perspective."
Provides resources for analysis and preparation.
"The analysis workbook and auction day checklists are incredibly useful tools."
"Having the handy checklists made me feel much more prepared for research and auction."
"I appreciated the materials provided to help analyze properties quickly."
"The templates provided save a lot of time when evaluating potential buys."
Explains the steps involved in the auction process.
"The explanation of the auction buying process was very clear and easy to follow."
"I finally understand how foreclosure auctions really work after taking this course."
"This course helped clear up a lot of confusion I had about buying properties at auction."
"A good step-by-step breakdown of the auction process from finding to bidding."
Offers actionable advice for auction day strategies.
"The course gave me practical tips on how to approach auction day and bidding."
"I learned specific strategies for bidding that I didn't know before taking this class."
"Really helpful information on what to do and expect when you actually go to an auction."
"The advice on competing with other bidders felt very useful and grounded in reality."
Serves as an overview requiring further study.
"While a great intro, I feel I need to do more detailed research on local procedures and risks."
"The course provides a high-level view but doesn't go deep into every potential issue or strategy."
"Think of this as your first step; you'll need to build on this knowledge."
"I would recommend supplementing this course with more specific legal and market research."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Secrets of Buying Auction Properties with these activities:
Review Real Estate Investment Fundamentals
Solidify your understanding of basic real estate investment principles to better grasp the nuances of auction property valuation.
Browse courses on Real Estate Investment
Show steps
  • Review key real estate investment terms.
  • Study different investment strategies.
  • Practice calculating ROI and cap rates.
Read 'The Book on Flipping Houses' by J Scott
Understand the mindset and strategies of house flippers to better compete with them at auction.
Show steps
  • Read the book and take notes on key concepts.
  • Identify the flipper's profit drivers.
  • Consider how to outmaneuver flippers at auction.
Analyze Auction Listings
Sharpen your property analysis skills by practicing with real auction listings to improve your speed and accuracy.
Show steps
  • Find recent auction listings online.
  • Estimate repair costs and potential ROI.
  • Compare your analysis with actual sale prices.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Develop an Auction Day Checklist
Create a detailed checklist to ensure you're fully prepared for auction day, minimizing errors and maximizing your chances of success.
Show steps
  • List all essential documents and tools.
  • Outline the steps for pre-auction research.
  • Include reminders for financial arrangements.
Read 'Real Estate Investing for Dummies' by Robert Griswold and Eric Tyson
Gain a foundational understanding of real estate investing principles to inform your auction bidding strategy.
Show steps
  • Read the book and highlight key concepts.
  • Focus on sections related to property valuation.
  • Consider how these principles apply to auction properties.
Simulated Auction Bidding
Practice bidding in a simulated auction environment to refine your strategy and build confidence.
Show steps
  • Select a few properties from recent listings.
  • Determine your maximum bid for each property.
  • Simulate the bidding process with friends or colleagues.
Attend Real Estate Investor Meetups
Connect with experienced real estate investors to learn from their successes and failures in the auction market.
Show steps
  • Find local real estate investor meetups.
  • Prepare questions to ask experienced investors.
  • Share your own experiences and insights.

Career center

Learners who complete Secrets of Buying Auction Properties will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Auction Buyer
An auction buyer specializes in acquiring properties at auction, often for clients or a real estate firm. This course directly applies to this role, as the entire curriculum is about understanding the nuances of buying properties at auction. An auction buyer will benefit from the course's focus on bidding strategies, understanding real versus fake information seen in media, and how to compete with other bidders. The course's checklists and tools for auction preparation will certainly enhance an auction buyer's success, and the course will help an auction buyer understand the difference between a flipper and investor mentality. This course would be highly helpful for those wanting to become auction buyers.
Real Estate Investor
A real estate investor identifies and purchases properties with the goal of generating profit through rental income, appreciation, or resale. This course on buying auction properties is directly relevant because it teaches the specific skills and knowledge needed to acquire properties at auction, a key method for investors to find undervalued assets. The course emphasizes analyzing properties from an investment rather than a flipper's perspective, which is crucial for long-term success as an investor. It also provides tools for quick property analysis and understanding the dynamics of auction day, enhancing an investor's ability to make informed decisions. Moreover, the course gives insights into how large real estate investment trusts operate, further helping a real estate investor.
Property Scout
A property scout searches for potential real estate investment opportunities. This course is designed specifically for identifying and acquiring properties at auction, making it an excellent choice for someone looking to become a property scout. The course's focus on researching properties, understanding auction dynamics, and learning what buyers and renters want is crucial for the role of a property scout. A property scout will be able to improve their ability to quickly analyze and assess properties at auction. The course material will assist any property scout in the early stages of property identification.
Property Acquisition Specialist
A property acquisition specialist is responsible for locating and securing properties for development or investment. This course is highly relevant for someone looking to become a property acquisition specialist, especially one focused on distressed properties found at auction. The course teaches the methodologies of how to research properties efficiently. It also explains how to analyze a property with a focus on the investor's needs, not just a flipper's, which is essential for a property acquisition specialist. Understanding what buyers and renters want, as covered in the course, allows a property acquisition specialist to make strategic recommendations. A property acquisition specialist would find the checklists and the course materials very helpful.
Real Estate Portfolio Manager
A real estate portfolio manager oversees a collection of real estate assets to maximize returns and manage risks. This course provides vital insights into a specific but important method for adding properties into a portfolio: buying at auction. A portfolio manager will appreciate the course's focus on analyzing properties from an investor's perspective rather than a flipper's and the distinctions between the two. The course's teachings on how major REITs analyze properties are directly relevant to a real estate portfolio manager's job. Through this course, a real estate portfolio manager may gain a stronger sense of how to make informed investment decisions.
Real Estate Analyst
A real estate analyst evaluates properties and market trends to advise investors and developers. This course, focusing deeply on auction property analysis, will help a real estate analyst gain a practical understanding of how properties are valued in a competitive bidding environment. The course also goes into how investors and flippers differ, which is an important insight that will allow a real estate analyst to better advise. The 'Rent v Flip' section of the course, covering how Real Estate Investment Trusts operate, is also especially relevant to a real estate analyst. The skills gained from this course may be useful for someone in a real estate analyst role.
Investment Property Manager
An investment property manager oversees the day to day operations of a property portfolio, ensuring profitability. This course, which teaches the key elements of buying auction properties, fits well for such a role. Crucially, the course reviews differences in how investors and flippers appraise properties, as well as what renters and buyers look for. These course materials will allow an investment property manager to make better informed choices, including more profitable ones. The course may be helpful for someone looking for a career as an investment property manager.
Asset Manager
An asset manager oversees a portfolio of assets to ensure they meet financial goals. A core part of this course is learning the ins and outs of single family auction properties, a useful area for an asset manager to consider. The course's analysis of how institutional investors assess properties, via Real Estate Investment Trusts, as well as a study of investor versus flipper mindsets, will allow an asset manager to further develop their understanding of the market. The skills gained from this course may be useful for someone in an asset manager role.
Real Estate Consultant
A real estate consultant provides expert advice on real estate investments and strategies. This course, which is centered on buying at auction, gives a real estate consultant a specific skill set for a consultant to draw from. The course will allow a real estate consultant to advise clients about the intricacies of auction buying, from property analysis to understanding competitor behavior. The course will give a real estate consultant a better understanding of the practical and tactical elements of real estate investing. While this course may be helpful for a real estate consultant, it is not as directly aligned as other career paths.
Financial Advisor
A financial advisor helps clients make informed decisions about their investments. The course's focus on how to analyze single family homes as an investment could be very valuable for a financial advisor, especially one advising clients interested in real estate. A financial advisor will find the course's investor perspective to be useful, especially when differentiating from the flipper's perspective. The course includes materials to help analyze properties quickly and efficiently, which could be helpful for a financial advisor. While the course is not a perfect fit for a financial advisor, it may be useful as an additional asset.
Private Equity Associate
A private equity associate analyzes investment opportunities and manages portfolio assets within a private equity firm. This course’s analysis of real estate auction dynamics will allow a private equity associate to understand a particular investment landscape. Specifically, the course will help a private equity associate understand the differences between investor and flipper perspectives. The course will teach a private equity associate the elements of property analysis, and the importance of market research. The course may be useful for a private equity associate.
Commercial Real Estate Agent
A commercial real estate agent facilitates the buying, selling, and leasing of commercial properties. This course, which focuses on single family home auctions, is not as directly applicable to an agent who focuses on commercial real estate transactions. However, understanding the mechanisms of property acquisition at auction, as well as the importance of property research, may be beneficial to a commercial real estate agent. While the general skill set of property valuation and analysis is relevant, the course's focus is not ideal for a commercial real estate agent. The course may be useful, but is not perfectly aligned.
Mortgage Broker
A mortgage broker helps borrowers find suitable mortgage loans. While this course focuses on buying properties at auction, and not the financing side of a transaction, it does provide helpful information about property valuation, which is helpful to a mortgage broker. A mortgage broker can use the information learned in this course to better understand how investors analyze properties. However, because the focus of the course is not on financing, the course may only be weakly useful to a mortgage broker.
Title Officer
A title officer examines property records to verify ownership and ensures clear title for real estate transactions. This course, although focused on property auction, touches upon some elements that are tangentially related to the work of a title officer, such as the importance of thorough research. However, the course focuses on the investment and buyer side of real estate, not the legal and title aspects, making it tangentially relevant. Because of the lack of alignment, this course may be weakly useful for a title officer.
Land Surveyor
A land surveyor measures and maps land boundaries. This course has little to no alignment with the work done by a land surveyor. Though there may be some tangential overlap in that a land surveyor may work with those who deal in real estate, the course on auction properties does not directly apply to the work done by a land surveyor at all. This course does not directly help a land surveyor in any way.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Secrets of Buying Auction Properties.
Provides a comprehensive guide to house flipping, covering topics such as finding properties, estimating repair costs, and managing projects. It's a valuable resource for understanding the flipper's perspective, which is crucial for competing at auctions. While not directly focused on auctions, it provides essential background knowledge on the house flipping process. This book is commonly used by those new to house flipping.
Provides a broad overview of real estate investing, covering various strategies and asset classes. It's helpful for understanding the fundamentals of property valuation and investment analysis. While it doesn't focus specifically on auctions, it provides a solid foundation for making informed decisions. This book is commonly used as an introductory text for new real estate investors.

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