How to start a foreclosure cleanup and property preservation company
A new article on June 3, 2009 by MSN Money writer Michael Brush indicates that there is a third wave of foreclosures still on come to be prime borrowers (ie those previously "safe-borrower" with sound credit and fixed-rate mortgages) as a result of job losses by the deterioration of the economy ( "coming: a third wave of foreclosures").
The article states that "In the first quarter, the share of borrowers who were on their mortgages behind or had doubled in foreclosure over the previous year, by almost 6%" and goes on to say that "credit Suisse analyst Rod Dubitsky predicted last week that 8.1 million mortgages, or 16% of all mortgages go into foreclosure over the next four years. A weak economy further declines in housing prices and rising delinquencies among prime borrowers ensure all but that foreclosures are " steadily higher march, "he says." Not so interested is good news for the economy, but good news indeed for the entrepreneurs from a foreclosure cleanup business start homes for the banks to clean and repair foreclosed.
To put this in perspective, this means that it will be more than 2 million foreclosures per year and more than $ 2.025 billion for grabs in money that will be spent on clearing up these foreclosed properties (since the average bill is $ + 1000 clean one of these properties to the top).
Let us take a look at how you can to position in this upcoming foreclosure movement
Set up your company properly use
If you want to be hired for the cleanup or conservation work, you need to operate your business as a professional company. The good news is that you can quickly set up a business and cost, and usually on their own. Many people choose an LLC (Limited Liability Company), because how fast set up and easy it can be done, but you will want to check with your accountant or other business professional to select the type of business entity, the right for your personal situation ,
If you decide to start an LLC, you can all the documents that you need from the government website of your state to find online usually. Normally the store is you will search designated the "Industrial Commission" or "Corporation Commission" or the like. Try typing "start a business + ______ (your state)". Anything ending in ".gov" is a good start as a rule, since it indicates a government website.
Once your business is established, you are an Employer Identification Number (EIN) need, which is like a SSN for your business. You can apply for online registration: Enter the online registration link to find in a search engine in "IRS" and "ON".
Once you have your EIN (you can go online immediately usually), you can open a business account for your business. This step is very, very important. In the excitement of the things that many people get into the day-to-day handling of running a business and use their personal accounts for business costs caught to pay. Not only does this present a billing nightmare at the end of the year, but it could be with the IRS represent problems for you if you do not talk about your personal and business finances separate.
Once you set up your business legally, you may need to register your business with your county or city to work to obtain a business license. You can make inquiries by calling City Hall or the office of the county clerk if you need a city / county / state to start business license and if so, how to get one.
So to recap:
1. Legally set up your company
2. Set up your EIN # Get and a business bank account
. 3 apply for a business license
4. If you want to do conservation work, determine whether you need a contractor license
Get Insurance
absolutely have a commercial liability insurance and workers' compensation insurance, in order to run your business. Not only is the insurance important to protect themselves from liability and those who work for you in a work-related injuries to protect, but many asset management companies, if you do not meet any business with you their minimum insurance requirements.
insurance probably be one of your biggest start-up costs, but most insurance companies allow the premium on a monthly pay (and not per year) basis, which makes this cost affordable definitely.
policy General liability insurance can following include: bodily injury, property damage, contractual liability, personal and advertising injury, professional liability (also known as Errors and omissions (E & O) insurance, this coverage protects you and your business from lawsuits by charges of professional negligence or error caused your job duties), rented car and perform non-motor liability and umbrella liability.
you will want to speak with your insurance agent a better idea of the extent of the special by its policy provided to obtain cover and one that best suited for your individual needs is
workers' compensation insurance is required in most states, if you have W2 employees, and some states also need your insurance to cover your 1099 contractor also. Workers' Compensation ( "Workers Comp") covers your employees medical and disability expenses in connection with work-related illnesses and on-the-job injuries.
would in the states where you are required not to cover your 1099 contractor you need to prove that they carry their own workers' compensation insurance. Although tempting to shift the financial burden of maintaining a policy on your 1099 contractor, in all reality, you are likely to take workers' compensation more than the cost of all employees (all W2 employees and 1,099 contractors). The reason for this is that it is difficult to find only independent contractors who have their own policies. Moreover, this industry has such a high turnover, that if you set this restriction on independent contractor, you are trying precious time and lost revenue, to find replacement in a hurry.
Here's a good tip: sometimes you can "pay-as-you-go" get insurance, accident insurance where your employees are based premiums on your actual billing, rather than an estimated amount. This is ideal for businesses that are just starting out or have a fluctuating workload. Enter "go pay as you Workers Comp" in a search engine for the results in your area.
The second peak, we Farmers Insurance for years and always had excellent customer service and reasonable prices. Just Google "Farmers Insurance" for an agent in your area.
foreclosure cleanup vs Property Preservation Services
As the name suggests foreclosure cleanup as a company, you are all the junk in the house cleaning to be (also called a "TrashOut or" clean junk out "), and the interior of the house. you may also be on the property to remove vehicles required. are generally foreclosure cleanup companies also responsible for a basic landscape to do cleanup, which comprises of the tow any junk from the front / backyards that / trim cutting grass and trees shrubs.
property cleanup is the extent of the services offered by a foreclosure cleanup business, while a property preservation company in which participates "fuse" property and the "preservation" of
here property are some of the services that can provide a preservative company (note that a property preservation company will usually offer also Cleanup services).
Backup of property
o Initial vacant property inspection
o Lock changes
o boarding of windows and doors
o Temporary roof repairs
o secure of pools
conservation of
o Outer soil removal
o Abandoned vehicle removing property (cars, boats, etc.)
o inside debris removal (junk out)
o Hazardous waste removal
o interior cleaning including carpet cleaning
o window cleaning / removal of graffiti
o window replacement
o pool services (drainage, acid washing, maintenance, etc.)
o pesticides
o gardening / landscaping
o Distance snow
o winterization
o Gutter cleaning
o pressure Washer
o carpet removal and replacement
o Tile / floor repair
o painting
o Sheetrock / drywall repair
o repairs Carpenter
o Plumbing fixtures repairs & spare
o Fire & mold remediation
o fence repair
here are observed a few things when the scope of services Determine want to provide:
a Contractors' License is not for foreclosure cleanup companies generally required, but probably for preservation companies require work over a certain dollar do value (usually $ 500 - $ 1000 +). Sometimes this license may be obtained by a course and successfully pass a test, while other states require prior, verifiable industry experience.
The insurance premiums are to be generally higher in companies that provide for the conservation, since they are considered a "general contractor". However, the sales potential is significantly higher than for the preservation of the rule of a few thousand dollars upwards instead of $ 800. run - $ 1,500 for each cleanout.
Usually what people do is first only the foreclosure Cleanup Services provides start and then when things pick up, they will add conservation elements in the list of services they offer. This they let their foot in the door to get without having to spend a lot of money in advance if their company up.
source the right equipment and tools
begins The great thing about a foreclosure cleanup business, is that the initial costs are as much of the equipment is quite low and Tools needed for cleaning foreclosures can probably be found in your own garage:
o cleaning chemicals (eg all-purpose cleaners, disinfectants, toilet cleaners, glass cleaners)
o detergent (brooms, mops, scrub pads)
o Vacuum
o garbage bags and shovels
o work gloves and disposable plastic gloves
o lawnmower & lawn tools
o Wheelbarrow
For the smaller members who do not do obvious check your local dollar store. The prices can not be beat, and they usually have the same chemicals and cleaning agents such as those of other retailers. Once you start doing some volume, you should for your supplies at Sam's Club or Costco purchase your keep costs down.
You can also find used equipment in great shape (eg vacuum cleaner), by going to your local Saturday morning garage / yard sales to go. If you have a "re-use" center or Salvation Army, you can also consider it checked, as they often have vacuums and other small appliances or yard tools for sale.
for junk hauling, you are big enough to need to pull it some sort of trailer and a vehicle. If you do not have a truck and a trailer, you can always borrow a friend's truck and rent a trailer U-Haul or just go ahead and rent a moving truck from U-Haul. (You think, however, that it will provide a daily rate charged and a per-mile rate when you rent a moving truck while if you use your own trucks and hire only the pull-trailers, you are only the daily rental arise for the trailer.)
Sometimes you are to clean a property required that has neither electricity nor water. In the event that power is not there, you need a generator to operate the vacuum cleaner and other electrical equipment. These can be rented at Lowe or Home Depot and is a much better option to buy one outright, unless you are going there on a regular basis to use (it is a new run about $ 500 +).
to save on costs, it is best to rent equipment at the beginning.
Once you get up and go, it may be worthwhile, in the search equipment of your own purchase. Check the online classifieds ads (like Craigslist, Kijiji and Backpage) for used trailers, generators, etc. You can also use U-Haul should check that they have sold some of their excess truck from late.
to stay safe on the job
As an entrepreneur you are responsible for your employees to keep safe while working on the job. safe work for the health of your employees and your company's reputation comes first (and also keeps your insurance premiums low). It is imperative that you security questions before making any work on the Job check - you need to provide both classroom and on-the-job safety training for all new hires.
Now, it has no desire to be anything; to answer 30 minutes reviewing the security policy, safe work practices and questions and then you will be done - you can spend 20! Make sure you sign people per se and have from the meeting and that you document that a security meeting was held.
It is also very important that you make with OSHA and safety standards as well as the health and safety risks associated with this industry familiar, so you can keep your employees safe, avoid accidents and costly fines. You can download the OSHA Pocket Guide to find Construction Safety (it's a short and easy to read) on the main site (OSHA DOT gov), by looking for the report name.
Another option, your employees and your business to protect, it must be ensured that you check references before you hire someone. Insist that they list unrelated references (ie, not mother, sister or best friend) and instead list references from former employers or someone they know in their professional activities. We also do drug tests and background checks - it may sound, some paranoid, but the safety of our employees, our customers property and our company's reputation is too important, no more than $ 20 on a background check or drug test to spend take risk.
price your services right
In this industry, the lowest price ever bid wins (unless, of course, the lowest bidder has a horrible track record not finished work and is totally irresponsible and unprofessional, in which case the company just engaged "call-suicide" has and will never be granted again). Lenders do not want to spend more money than they have on these properties, so you are sure that you want your benefits to make price comparable to the current market price (but at the same time so that you can still make, price, win big and do not leaving money on the table).
For foreclosures cleaning out, most banks of $ 500 expect to spend anywhere - $ 1500 for a Repossessions (TrashOut, clean inside and first landscape cleanup), but it could be a little more or a little less, depending in your neighborhood. It is important to know that most lenders have prescribed "price caps" for the maximum amounts that they pay for services.
You too are the preservatives when providing a great place we That's've used before our prices to be determined to do repairs Www.CostEstimator.com for the market rates for the building costs - do you
can get a free 30 day trial (enter no need credit card - it's really free!). There are more than 3,000 cost positions for more than 210 local, geographic regions adapted to create your listing, you can add so many others as needed. If you want to register after the trial, it's only $ 15 / month.
Market your services
It's true - "nothing happens until somebody sells something" ... and you will there need to get and sell sell, sell your business. Once you have done some work, you will be the word of mouth advertising and recommendations are available provide a large pool of new jobs available for you, but in the meantime you need to do everything possible to customers know you exist ,
Much of the work coming out of the relationships you build with real estate agent ( "Realtors"), the bank-owned homes (often referred to as REO listings) list. They are often the task of cleaning and repair of new items of the asset management companies offer given, so you want to make the agents in your environment, be sure you know that your company deals with this kind of work.
A good way to find out what to go Realtors in your area list REOs online to the bank, is the REO websites and "data mining" the contact information for the listing agent (name, e-mail, phone numbers). It can be tedious work, but definitely worth it.
Here is an example of a bank REO websites brokers information to collect the entry
WELLS FARGO (managed properties of Premier Asset Services): pasreo.com/ pasreo / images / pas_logo.jpg
Note to agent information, select the status and click to access search. Then select individually each entry and click "Print Property CVS Report". Each collection and appropriate information (such as Agent name, phone #, and email) will be created in an Excel spreadsheet. You can access the page
Remember to track call with a phone a few days later. Do not be afraid to ask about the broker, if he / she has to provide any jobs for you, either - most of them are very accommodating and willing to give a new company the opportunity to estimates.
The other fashion jobs offer by large asset management company (even as a marketing & management companies which, REO Field Service Company and Property Management Companies). Essentially the lender says, "ok - I have thousands of properties to get rid of this national ABC Asset Management Company: clean, repair and sell these properties for us.". And the national asset management company will be awarded to companies local foreclosure cleanup and property conservation work. In order to work for these companies, you need to register your company as a potential vendors generally. Many times this can be done online.
There are both positive and negative, that work with the larger companies. On the plus side, you will probably be given a few projects to work at a time, so you are relatively busy. On the negative side, they usually want you to offer "wholesale prices" and do not pay until 30 - 60 days after you ask for work in accounting. Working for one of these companies, however, will give you the experience you need to go for more work.
Other potential customers include wholesale real estate investors (groups of investors who buy foreclosed homes at auctions and then sell at a wholesale price for small investors), investors, landlords, property managers, real estate brokers and so on.
You should also consider your local network as the Chamber of Commerce hold attending events meetings and all local investors' meeting to distribute your card and network with potential customers. The more you give, the better the chance you save some big, long-term customers!
This is definitely an exciting industry and a very profitable for those of you who do not mind not getting your hands a little dirty! Good luck!
