Commercial Real Estate Investing

JACK CUMMINGS is owner of Cummings Realty, Inc., a real estate brokerage firm specializing in commercial and investment real estate. He is a widely published author and lecturer on the topic of real estate investing, 1031 exchanges, financing, and hotel development on an international scale.

• FOREWORD. INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER 1: How to Get Started Investing in Commercial Real Estate. Commercial Real Estate Defined. Investment versus Use. Comfort Zone. Setting Realistic Goals. How to Get the Most out of This Book. CHAPTER 2: Why Commercial Real Estate Is a Dynamic Investment. Invested Amount = Cash + Debt + Time. Other People's Money. Leveraged Cash Flow. Equity Buildup. Appreciation You Can Accelerate. Management Postures 1, 2, 3, and 4. Supply and Demand. The Seven Dynamics of Commercial Real Estate. How Not to Be Intimidated by Commercial Real Estate. The Four Real Estate Myths That Need to Be Unveiled. CHAPTER 3: What Makes Real Estate Value Go Up or Down. Community Planning. Departments of Transportation. Fire and Health Codes. Lack of Concurrency. Land Use Changes. Condemnation and Eminent Domain Proceedings. Building Moratoriums. Economic Obsolescence. The Rule of Small. Six Primary Factors That Make Real Estate Value Go Up or Down. CHAPTER 4: How to Build an Effective Commercial Real Estate Comfort Zone. Listing Services. FSBO. Active Listings. Tax Assessor. MapQuest. Zoning Maps. Elements Common to All Initial Comfort Zones. Key Factors to Becoming an Expert in Your Own Backyard. Learn How to Let Your Computer Lead the Way to Your Success. How to Choose Your Comfort Zone. CHAPTER 5: How to Accomplish Effective Due Diligence. Due Diligence by Definition. Letter of Intent. Formal Agreement. Inspection and Review Period. Environmental Inspections. Easements. Encroachments. Code Violations. Zoning Use. Allowed Use. The Eight Most Important Elements of Due Diligence. The Four Elements to Prepare for Due Diligence. Eight Things You Can Do When You Find Problems. CHAPTER 6: The Effects of Leverage. How Positive Leverage Works to Your Benefit. Cheap Money + Cash--Flowing Investments = Opportunities. Three Magical Factors to High Positive Leverage. How Constant Rates in Mortgages Work. How to Use the Annual Constant Rate Chart. How to Determine If Negative Leverage Is Bad. Six Elements for Maximum Leverage. Pitfalls in Highly Leveraged Mortgages. CHAPTER 7: How to Maximize Your Financing. Seller--Held Financing. Loan Officer. Wall Street Financing. Acquisition and Development Loans. Income and Expense Projections. Loan Draw Schedule. Seven Important Factors to Maximize Your Financing. CHAPTER 8: How to Become a Commercial Real Estate Insider. A Real Estate Insider Defined. Local Governmental Control over Real Estate. The Board of Adjustment. The Planning and Zoning Board. The Nine Stages of Becoming a Real Estate Insider. CHAPTER 9: How to Build Effective Contacts. Interim Goals. Fine--Tune Your Positive Attitude. Sharpen Your People Skills. Shorten Your Path to Becoming a Real Estate Insider. Recognizing Positive People. Negative Washing. Fluid Interim Goals. Building Self--Confidence. Effective Listening. Cutting out the Blah Blah Blah. Ten Ways to Effectively Build a Contact into a Profitable Relationship. Join Quality--Building Organizations. CHAPTER 10: The Three Most Important Words: Use, Location, and Approval. Access. Demographics. Traffic Count. Traffic Flow. School Districts. Plats. Why Zoning Ordinances Are the Key that Opens the Door to Use. The Power of Absolute Approval. CHAPTER 11: Future Vision. Land Use Master Plan. Current Uses Allowed. Already Approved Infrastructure Changes. Rezoning Possibilities. Project Economics. Economic Conversion. Discover the Magic of Economic Conversion. CHAPTER 12: The Six Most Powerful Negotiating Tactics. Rent Adjustments. Contract Negotiations. The Six Powerful Negotiating Tactics. Graduation Time. INDEX.