There is a company called City Capital Corporation that has developed a program that allows investors just like you to invest in property in urban areas, using the funds in their self-directed IRA or their good credit.

Since City Capital is looking for both IRA investors AND credit investors, their program is a good fit for almost everybody. Ephren Taylor, CEO of City Capital, has a passion for rebuilding urban neighborhoods, and providing safe, affordable housing for working class families.

There is most likely a role you can play… and quite a profitable role at that. At the very least you owe it to yourself to get the facts. Visit Socially Responsible Real Estate Investing, and sign up for the free webinar. Just for attending, you’ll receive a FREE copy of Taylor’s book, “Creating Success From The inside out,” a hardbound volume detailing Taylor’s own motivational and encouraging story.

If you would like to learn how you can invest in real estate in a socially conscious way, with none of the hassles or risks of traditional investing methods, and keep the profits for yourself, check out Socially Conscious Investing right now!

A couple of points at the outset are important to understand. First, no cash doesn’t necessarily mean no cash from any source. Rather, it means no cash of YOUR OWN. That’s an important distinction.

Second, what we’re really talking about here is also known as “no-money-down” investing, a topic which has received lots of attention, and had lots of books and articles written about it. That’s the reason it’s a real estate investing FAQ. I’m not going to try to cover it in detail here… just give you the broad brush strokes.

To answer the question, of course there is such a thing as cash free real estate investing – but it’s not as common or as easy as the gurus would have you believe.

First of all, investing with no cash of your own requires something other than cash, such as equity, or credit, or some other kind of leverage. Other people’s money, be it bank, partner, or third party, typically doesn’t make itself available until there is a darn good reason, like a smoking deal (equity), someone willing to hold paper (credit), or a combination of these and other “leverage” tools.

Think about that word “leverage” for a moment. It comes from the root word “lever,” which is a small tool used to move a great weight. That’s what real estate investing leverage does, controlling big, expensive properties with a loan or mortgage, by using the principles of high equity and good credit.

So you see, you can buy properties with little or no cash, as long as you have some tool for leveraging. If you find a great deal, that’s leverage. If you have excellent credit, that’s leverage too. And, if you have a boatload of cash available, you may not need to use it because just having it can act like a lever as well.

Partners and other entities can provide cash in certain situations, and often they are the best form of leverage for cash free real estate investing. A company like City Capital Corporation, and their Socially Responsible Real Estate Investing Program, can provide a risk-free, hassle-free, cash-free vehicle to leverage multiple real estate deals, and best of all you keep all the profit.

We’ve looked at just a few cash free real estate investing alternatives, and admittedly we’ve only scratched the surface. Stay tuned for more real estate investing FAQ.

First, the real estate investing FAQ I hear more than any other is, “How can I get started in real estate investing?” By itself, this wouldn’t be such a tough question, but it usually comes attached to a second – but no less important – question… “With little or no cash or credit?”

Ah, there lies the real problem. For somebody with a good supply of cash, credit, or both, real estate investing is not all that tough to get started in. But once you throw in the combined difficulties of zero cash and a poor credit rating, things become measurably more difficult. So, here’s the answer I usually give to a would-be investor asking this real estate investing FAQ.

First, I tell them to be encouraged, because thousands of investors have gotten started without cash or credit.

Second, I advise them to find and join their local Real Estate Investing Club or Organization. Most major metro areas have one, and even if you have to travel to get there, it’s well worth your time and effort. In most areas, this will be a REIA group (Real Estate Investing Association) and you can probably find them on the internet with a little diligent searching.

Failing that, start by talking to several of the local Realtors in town, and try to find one who works extensively with investors. Once you find that realtor, he or she will be able to tell you where the local investor’s club meets. Go to a meeting and start talking to other investors.

If you live in a small town or rural area where there is just no club, you will need to be a little more pro-active. Start your own group. Let your new Realtor friend know you would like to do this, and ask him or her to help you. You only need a handful of investors to get a group started, and it first, it can be a very informal set-up. Just pick a place to meet, let people know by word of mouth, and start. Take action, and you’ll be amazed at what happens!

At the meeting, meet as many investors as you can. As a rule, we’re a pretty friendly bunch, and you’ll soon find somebody you can talk to, who has some experience you can learn from. What you’re looking to do is form a loose partnership with this person, and often the best way to do that is to offer to help them find properties, called bird-dogging. Basically, you will locate properties for them and they will pay you a fee for doing so.

This is a great way to break into real estate investing, get some valuable experience, and build your reserves of cash for your own future investing. Don’t worry, your new investor friend will tell you what to look for, and where they like to buy. If they don’t share information, find a different investor to work with. After all, this is your education we’re talking about.

I can’t emphasize this enough… there really is no substitute for finding other investors to build relationships with, work with, and learn from. If your real estate investing FAQ is “How do I get started in real estate investing… with little or no cash or credit?” you need to get connected to the active investors in your area FIRST.

Hopefully, I’ve given you a good first step. If you don’t act on it, it will be worthless to you. Remember though, it’s only the first step. There are others, and future articles in this series will cover other real estate investing FAQ.

Here’s my list, which I will add to as time goes on:

• How do I get started with no cash or credit?
• How do I fund my deals?
• What’s the best education in real estate investing?
• What are the best investment properties for beginners?
• Is there a good real estate investment guide?
• What’s the best REIT to invest in?
• How can I engage in socially responsible real estate investing?
• Where can I find private money for real estate investing?
• Is there cash free real estate investing?

Even though there are a lot more questions, these are the ones I hear most often. Visit the links to get more information, and I will update this page as I add more answers to this site. Stop back often!