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Who is FinCEN? FinCEN (Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) is a bureau of the U.S. Treasury tasked with protecting the financial system from money laundering, terrorism financing, and other financial crimes.

 What’s Happening on December 1, 2025?

 What Does It Cover?

• Non-financed (cash) purchases of 1–4 unit residential properties
• When the buyer is a legal entity (LLC, Corporation, or Trust)
• Includes sales, gifts, and some transfers unless exempt

 What Must Be Reported?

• Property address and details
• Name of the buyer (transferee) and their beneficial owners
• Purchase price and payment method
• Name of the seller (transferor)

 When Is It Due?

• 30 days after closing, or
• The last day of the following month

 Why It Matters to Realtors

• Entity buyers may need extra time to gather documentation
• Title or closing agents may request info from you or your client
• Understanding the rule helps prevent delays and confusion

 What Realtors Should Do Now

• Ask early: “Is your buyer using a trust or LLC?”
• Inform clients that ownership details may need to be disclosed
• Partner with title companies familiar with FinCEN rules
• Stay updated as more ... Read More…

10 reasons why the real estate market could weaken in the next 6–12 months, leading to more foreclosures and more motivated sellers

By: Loreal Loftus

1. High Mortgage Rates Stay Stubborn

• Mortgage rates are stuck in the 6–7% range. This keeps monthly payments high, pricing out buyers and putting pressure on sellers who need to move.

2. Rising Inventory

• Active listings are already up 20%+ year-over-year. More homes on the market = more competition = sellers forced to cut prices or offer concessions.

3. Job Market Softening

• If unemployment ticks up, more families will struggle to make mortgage payments, which often leads to delinquencies and foreclosures.

4. Flat or Declining Home Prices

• Home prices have cooled. If values drop just a little, some homeowners who bought recently with low down payments could be underwater (owe more than the house is worth).

5. Expensive Operating Costs

• Insurance, property taxes, and repair costs keep rising. For landlords and owners with tight budgets, this squeezes cash flow and creates more motivated sellers.

6. Wave of Adjustable-Rate Resets

• Borrowers who took ARMs or short-term financing a few years ago are now facing higher payments when their loans reset, creating distress and possible defaults.

7. Credit Tightening

• Banks are pulling back on lending—especially for commercial real estate. This makes it harder for h ... Read More…

 In a recent development, Massachusetts has introduced a new law aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the landlord-tenant relationship. The law, which was passed recently, brings in a series of measures that seek to provide tenants with greater visibility into their rights and the responsibilities of their landlords.

Among the key provisions of the law are requirements for landlords to provide more detailed information to tenants regarding rent increases, lease agreements, and security deposits. Additionally, the legislation mandates that landlords must share project cost estimates with tenants before initiating any major renovations or repairs that may impact their living conditions.

These new regulations are designed to empower tenants by ensuring they have access to vital information that can help them make informed decisions and protect their rights. Landlords in Massachusetts will need to adjust their practices to comply with the new law and ensure that they fulfill their obligations towards their tenants.

Overall, the passage of this law reflects a positive step towards promoting transparency and fairness in the state's rental market, benefiting both landlords and tenants alike. Stay tuned for more updates on how this new legislation will impact the real estate landscape in Massachusetts. 

I want to introduce you to some of the best kept secrets to get more motivated sellers contacting you. But can you keep a secret? 

Getting motivated sellers to contact you first is essential to any successful Real Estate Investor’s business. A truly motivated seller is the key to a good deal; the more motivated the seller, the better the deal. You will find very quickly, as I did, that you will be able to buy a lot more houses at much better prices if you target the right sellers. You will also more likely get the terms and at the price you want when the seller contacts you first, especially in some of today’s really hot real estate markets. You’ll want to target the kind of sellers who truly need to sell as opposed to those who just want to sell, including those sellers in pre-foreclosure. 

Marketing to sellers is also a numbers’ game. The more motivated sellers you are able to locate, the more motivated sellers you will have contacting you, and the more opportunities you’ll have to make good deals. The secret is in learning how to find the truly motivated sellers that no one else knows about. 

Whom exactly are you going to be marketing to? Motivation comes in many forms. Sellers need to sell for a variety of reasons. Some reasons have to do with the sellers themselves, such as age, health status, job situations, personal situations, financial difficulties, change in family size or change in marital status. 

Other reaso ... Read More…

O.K., so you have gotten it into your blood, mind, and soul that you want to be a Rehabber. Take that ugly, smelly eyesore and turn it into the gem of the neighborhood. No problem, right? After all, you’ve watched all the shows on HGTV and Magnolia Network. You know all about what countertops to choose…what color schemes will wow your buyers…and, that bathroom layout you have etched into your mind is killer….

Well, there may be just a bit more to it than you think.

In this article, I want to address some of the areas you will want to start with before ever lifting a hammer or paintbrush. Some of the things which, if done correctly ahead of time, will make your project run infinitely smoother, save you time and money and allow you to keep any hair you currently have.

What Needs to be Done?

Believe it or not, this is one of the areas where most of us…even experienced Rehabbers…have some of our biggest challenges. Do I replace the windows? What about the furnace? Should I use Home Depot countertops…Corian…mid-range? There are a myriad of things to consider here, and the more experienced and wiser you become, the closer you will be to “guessing right”.

For instance, one of the first things you must consider is: Who is my end buyer/user – are you rehabbing for a landlord or for a retail buyer? Vinyl flooring in a rental unit is just fine, but a retail buyer will really be impressed by ceramic tile in t ... Read More…

Co-living—once a niche concept—is now a thriving lifestyle choice for many seeking affordability, community, and flexibility. Whether you're a real estate enthusiast, a social entrepreneur, or just someone passionate about creating intentional living spaces, Ohio offers fertile ground for launching your own share house.

Here’s how to get started.

🏠 What Is Co-Living, Really?

Co-living is more than just roommates sharing rent. It’s a lifestyle built around shared values, communal spaces, and often, curated experiences. Think private bedrooms with shared kitchens, living rooms, and maybe even co-working areas. In Ohio, this can range from informal arrangements to structured group homes with services.

📍 Why Ohio?

Ohio is a hidden gem for co-living ventures. With its mix of affordable housing, vibrant small cities, and supportive business ecosystems, it’s ideal for launching a share house. Cities like Tipp City, Cuyahoga Falls, and Bowling Green offer safety, charm, and community—all essential ingredients for successful co-living.

🧾 Legal Basics You Need to Know

Before you welcome your first housemate, make sure you’re on solid legal ground:

• Occupancy laws: Ohio requires at least 70 sq ft per person in single rooms and 50 sq ft in shared rooms.
• Zoning rules: Some cities limit the number of unrelated people who can live together. Columbus, for example, caps it at three.
• Licensing: If your co-living space offers services (lik ... Read More…

Your credit report contains vital information about your financial history, including the credit accounts you hold, your payment history, and other related data. It’s essential to review this report periodically to ensure all the information is accurate and to detect any possible signs of identity theft or fraud. Fortunately, laws mandate that you’re entitled to one free credit report every year from each of the major credit reporting agencies. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to obtain yours.

Step 1: Understand Your Rights

• In the U.S., the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires each of the major credit reporting agencies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—to provide consumers with a free copy of their credit report once every 12 months.
• You’re also entitled to a free report if:
  • You’re unemployed and planning to seek employment within 60 days.
  • You’re on welfare.
  • Your report has been updated due to adverse actions stemming from information it contained.

Step 2: Go to the Official Website

• For U.S. residents, the only official website authorized to distribute the free annual credit reports is AnnualCreditReport.com. Beware of imposter sites.

Step 3: Fill Out the Request Form

• Once on the site, you’ll need to fill out a form with personal information, including your name, address, social security number, and date of birth.

Step 4: Choose Your Reports

• You can request reports from one, two ... Read More…

Many people have been taught that land is risky, expensive, doesn’t cash flow, and takes a long time to convert into profit. But there’s one phrase I hear over and over again that really irks me:

“Land doesn’t cash flow.”

While it’s technically true that land doesn’t cash flow like a rental house does, there are several clear and effective ways to make land generate monthly income—and not just from traditional income land like farmland, billboards, or cell towers.

Beyond Billboards and Parking Lots

Sure, you can make steady income by renting a piece of land in a city as a parking lot or storage space—or putting up a billboard or cell tower. Some investors buy rural land near highways and rent the surface space to businesses using trailers or old trucks as mobile billboards. Some of them make more monthly income than most people earn at their jobs.

But that’s not the type of land cash flow I focus on.

My Strategy: Seller Financing

What I’m talking about is how to make land cash flow through seller financing—my way.

Here’s what makes my strategy powerful:
You often get all your investment back the moment you sell the property—and every monthly payment after that is pure profit.

If you’re looking for high return on investment with less hassle, this might be exactly what you’re after.

Let’s Compare

Traditional Seller Financing Example:

• Buy for $100,000
• Sell ... Read More…

When you’re doing your first few deals—or doing your first few deals in a strategy that you haven’t explored before—you need help.

Maybe it’s help evaluating the deal. Maybe it’s help with negotiation or contracts. Maybe it’s help understanding how to ‘price’ the rent or sale price. Maybe it’s help understanding how the financing will work. But you’ll find yourself needing advice from people who’ve ‘been there, done that, got the T-shirt’ over and over again throughout your real estate career.

This is no small matter; it’s easy to lose a deal (or worse yet, do a bad one!) because there’s ONE hangup. ONE question that needs to be answered or ONE problem that needs to be overcome

1:  EVERY Friday morning at our online Haves and Wants meeting. It’s very common for members to attend with the “Want” of “I need someone to walk me through how to do this subject to deal I found” or “Can someone help me with evaluating a property I’m trying to buy?” and to get assistance either then and there, or later in the day from someone who volunteers to help out.

2:  At our monthly online General Membership Meetings. Each begins with an informal early bird session where you can ask questions, introduce yourself, and find out who does what.

3: At our monthly in-person Chapter meetings. If you happen to live in the Columbus, Cincinna ... Read More…