Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
Real estate investing is serious business where serious wealth is created. Creating that wealth is not magic. It takes planning. Specifically a solid business plan.
I've previously written about finding private investors for your real estate business. Private investors are out there but you need to demonstrate to them that you have a solid business plan. Here, I provide a few examples to give you a better idea what these investors are looking for.
The Critical Executive Summary
The executive summary is an overview of your entire real estate investment business plan. It needs to be one to two pages that convinces the reader that you run a competent business and have a bright future. Here is a short example.
"Western Real Estate is a California based real estate company offering deluxe rental units in the San Diego, California community. Western's condo-style apartments combine security, cutting edge features, and a positive atmosphere for all tenants. These rentals come with unmatched levels of customer service and attention. Profits are projected to exceed 18% for at least the next three years."
Another important section of your business plan to be included in the executive summary is the market that you serve. Here is an example.
"San Diego is expected to continue experiencing a shortage of apartments over the next 24 months. As of the last financial quarter, the average vacancy rate was a mere 4.5%. Population is forecast to grow 1.2% over the same 24 months, with approximately half of the new population being renters."
"This is an exciting time for Western Real Estate because the forecasted need is for an additional 9,300 rental units but only 1,800 are currently being constructed. Western Real Estate is convinced that our occupancy rate will remain above 97%, while simultaneously generating premium rents."
Other subjects your investment business plan summary needs to cover are:
- The business strategy
- A summary of the financial projections
- The management team
- The investment being sought
Without these sections of your business plan highlighted in the executive summary, you're not likely to gain the interest of potential investors.
What to Avoid in the Executive Summary of Your Business Plan
Your real estate investment business plan summary should be written in an interesting manner. It should not be a table of contents to the rest of the plan or a cut and paste from the major sections of your business plan.
The executive summary needs to stand alone as an introduction to your business. Excessive exaggeration and hype only serves to turn off serious investors that have read enough business plans to know when they are being given BS.
Author bio: Brian Kline has been investing in real estate for more than 30 years and writing about real estate investing for seven years. He also draws upon 25 plus years of business experience including 12 years as a manager at Boeing Aircraft Company. Brian currently lives at Lake Cushman, Washington. A vacation destination, a few short miles from a national forest in the Olympic Mountains with the Pacific Ocean a couple of miles in the opposite direction.
