Is real estate investing only for the wealthy? Can you buy with no money down? Do you have to know the "right" people? Let's answer by looking at some of the myths of real estate.

1. Real estate investing is for the wealthy. Money helps, but my first real estate investment was a $3,500 lot - which I sold for a profit two weeks after I bought it. Small deals, partners, low-down deals, or just putting aside $7 per day for a couple years until you have enough money for a downpayment - these are some of the ways to start with a little and invest in real estate.

2. "0 down" isn't possible. I sold a rental property for $1,000 down because I trusted the buyer to make the payments, and I wanted the 9% interest and higher price. He could have gotten a cash-advance on a credit card for another $30 per month and made it a "0-down" deal. "No money down" means none of YOUR money down, and yes, it happens.

3. "0 down" is the best way. If you don't invest some of your own money, you'll have higher payments. You'll also spend more time finding suitable properties, and pay more for them (generally cooperative sellers want more for their cooperation - I do). There are 0-down deals out there - they just aren't always worth doing.

3. You need experience. Experience helps, but you get it by investing. Start with common sense, ask how you can lose money, be willing to learn the numbers, and you can start where you are.

4. Some investors have a "knack" for making money. Sort of. More accurately, some just took the time and risk to learn the market and continue their education.

5. You need to know the "right" people. It helps, so start the process. Talk to investors, real estate agents, landlords, etc.

6. You have to be great negotiator. If you learn to run the numbers and make the offers based on them, you can be the worst negotiator and still do okay.

8. You need insider knowledge. Understand one deal, and you are on your way. Read and read more, but the best "insider" knowledge comes from experience.

9. Fixer-uppers are safe. People have the idea that doing the work themselves is the safest way to assure a profit. Not true. Mis-planned "fix and flips" have bankrupted even experienced investors. Most poorly purchased rental properties will only eat a little money every month.

10. The key is lowball offers. The numbers have to work, and you need a plan. You can offer MORE than the market price and make money investing in real estate, if you understand creative financing - and how to do the math.

If you?re looking at buying a house or investing in property and real estate, the U.S. government is a source for getting the necessary money for it. Being rich or poor is not the criteria for getting these government grants; it is awareness of the grant programs that are available that is most important.

Many people do not know about these grants that the Federal government is giving away. It could be for funding women?s issues, entrepreneurs, office rentals or real estate financing. Real estate investment includes homes, land, offices, hotels, and industrial, mini-storage and retail properties. There are a number of personal assistance companies who will walk you through the red tape required to receive these grants. You can get as much as $8,000 to $800,000, or even millions, to buy real estate. They also provide information about the inside workings of a government financial venture, new developments and loan grants. They can also aid you with direct applications for these grants. Low interest rates have made these loans easier to obtain, regardless of past bad credit or your income.

Government grants have made it easier to be able to buy that dream home or invest in real estate. The grant opportunities for real estate are vast. Homes for AIDS patients, public housing, rural community developments, housing repair for very low income groups, tribal universities, and Hispanic housing are a few among the many. There are also times that the government puts up land for sale to the public when it no longer requires it. This is the kind of real estate that is identified as excessive for the government's needs, and is considered more suited for private needs.

Online websites can help you shop for real estate, and even prove useful in giving a detailed explanation on how government grants for property investment function.

You may well have heard or read about the huge amount of money that many investors are making with real estate so why not you get a piece of the action?

Before deciding to jump in it would be wise to do some investigation in real estate investing and investing in general so you are sure that you know what you are doing and why.

Once you have decided to get involved with real estate investing or in fact, any type of investing then you will very soon discover that there is an unending quantity and variety of investing opportunities. Along with that, there can be a queue of people offering you ‘amazing’ investment choices that will provide you with a very high return on investment.

What to choose? In fact, although most investment vehicles can offer lucrative terms and ROI, there is also equally a very good chance of losing not only the potential profit, but also some or all of your capital. That’s not good.

One of the safest investments to take on is real estate investing. The reason is because although the market goes through its ups and downs the fact that your money is in bricks and mortar means that you can never lose your entire capital and if you do your homework, you can flip the property for a fast killing.

Alternatively, with real estate investing you can hold onto the property for years, even live in it, and then sell at a profit.

Real estate has national tendencies of either going up or down in value but within that there are many niches within the real estate investing market where you could do very well. Sometimes there may be a price drop in one house price bracket but an increase in another house price bracket. Or prices may be going down in one place but up in another.

Real estate investment is a great opportunity to earn profits and generate a cash flow. There is a slight difference between real estate investment and other types of investment. Real estate investment can be categorized as a long-term investment or short-term investment. Good real estate investor has ability to invest in real estate at right time.

Real estate investment requires proper knowledge and concentration to invest in good piece of land. Sometimes heavy investment gives wrong results in the future and sometimes with a small investment you can earn more. Investors should be alert at the time of investment in real estate.

If you’re going to rent your property you should have sufficient knowledge about tenant problems and requirements of tenants. You should be aware of all financial as well as legal requirements for your real estate. Investment goals are the primary factor for real estate investment. Decide your investment goals like what you want to do with your real estate.

Real estate market offers different types of strategies to invest in real estate. You should choose the best strategy as per your needs. Efficient real estate investors are able to make their fortunes in real estate business. People who invest in this business can live comfortably. They don’t have any tension about their survival. They can earn more and more profits with single right time real estate investment

Investment in real estate requires great commercial skills and knowledge like other businesses. Real estate business needs additional risk because sometimes you’re at risk in this business. Thats why a person with a great will power can easily handle this business. Forecasting in real estate investing can spoil your future so don’t overestimate your investment.

Step one in your best real estate investing program is to find a group of local investors to join, and start attending their meetings right away. Usually this group will be called REIA (Real Estate Investors Association), but it may be called something different in your area. The best real estate investing program puts you in touch with other local people who do the kind of investing you want to do. Start networking for the purpose of finding a possible mentor.

Step two in the best real estate investing program is beginning and nurturing a mentor relationship with one of the investors you meet at the investor’s group. Build a relationship with someone you think you could work well with, and ask them to help you. Emphasize that, in return, you’ll be willing to do a lot of the leg work they don’t have time to do.

Step three in the best real estate investing program is getting your education online. We live in such amazing times… an absolute ton of information is available to you on the internet, most of it free or for very low cost. Read and research your favorite real estate investing topics, and locate the very best free sites the internet has to offer. Once you find them, be sure to bookmark them and visit often!

Step four in the best real estate investing program is doing your very first deal. Even if it takes you several months, you’ll get here, and when you do you’ll want your mentor to walk you through it. This will give you a confidence boost, and help ensure you learn as much as possible.

This four step best real estate investing program may seem simple, but it works every time it’s tried! Don’t make the mistake of trying move too fast, and becoming confused. Also don’t make the mistake of taking no action at all. Read about how to do it, understand how to do it, then go do it!

I’ve known a lot of landlords in the time I’ve been investing in real estate for renting, and they seem to all have one thing in common- they hate being landlords! A bigger bunch of gripers and complainers you would not want to meet. They’re known as “tired landlords” or “don’t wanters”, and they are a big source of deals for folks looking for motivated sellers.

I asked myself, ‘Why do they hate it so much?’ If investing in real estate for renting is such a great way to make big money (and it is!), why do so many people spend so much time trying so hard to stop doing it?

It’s because of the way they approach investing in real estate for renting… in short, it’s because of the stance they choose. Rather than choosing to invest from a position of strength, they are investing in real estate for renting from a position of weakness.

Instead of deciding to be landlords, they should decide to be investors!

What’s the difference. Why does it matter how one approaches investing in real estate for renting? Plenty!

Simply put, choosing investing in real estate for renting as an investor rather than a landlord allows you to focus on those activities that put money in your pocket, rather than those that cause you the most headaches.

Choosing investing in real estate for renting from the strong position of investor, as opposed to the weak position of landlord, allows you to spend your valuable and limited time doing what really matters. By allowing other, more qualified people to take on the mundane tasks of landlording, you free yourself to truly engage in the highly profitable activities of investing in real estate for renting.

I just want to get you thinking about how you see your investing activities, because I believe it makes a huge difference in how you approach the problems that will inevitably occur when you are investing in real estate for renting. As an investor, you will make the wise decision to get the help you need, and you will avail yourself of the resources available to you. As a landlord, you will try to do it all yourself, as you try to make the best of investing in real estate for renting from a weak position.