Years ago, I spent several months backpacking around Guatemala. As my Spanish improved, I enjoyed going to markets to bargain for Mayan souvenirs or fresh fruit. My goal was to pay the same price as a local. I was having fun playing this little game until my new Australian friend witnessed me in action, bargaining for a beautiful hammock. As I was walking away because the vendor wouldn’t lower her price a little more, my friend said, “You realize that you are getting all worked up over what is about 10 cents. At home, you would pay 50 times that much for a hammock like that, so this is a great deal.”

My husband and I recently turned down a tenant’s request for blinds in the living room of one unit of a triplex. (They were unhappy with the “dirty curtains” on the window.) At the same time, we agreed to put a new toilet in another unit.

Real estate can be an instant wealth creator… as long as you learn a critical lesson about deal making. When my husband and I purchased a duplex, we instantly added $20,000 to our net worth and $500/month positive cash flow to our pockets. And we did it simply by getting to the heart of the seller’s problem and offering a perfect solution.