Dan J. Harkey

Master Educator | Business & Finance Consultant | Mentor

Real Estate-Technical

Technical Real Estate Insight on the Issues that Move Value—Legally, Operationally, and Financially

Legal issues, valuation realities, operational pitfalls, and market shifts—explained in plain English.

Real estate isn’t just “location, location, location.” It’s contracts, compliance, conditions, valuation, and the little details that turn good deals into expensive lessons. My articles cover technical and legal issues, ownership and operations across residential and commercial property, and the market trends reshaping what works (and what doesn’t). If it affects risk, value, or performance, it belongs here.

Most deals don’t fail on the headline numbers—they fail in the details: condition, documentation, liability, tenant/legal exposure, and assumptions that don’t survive due diligence. I write about real estate the way it behaves, benefits, detriments, valuation methods, and the shifting landscape that changes your risk overnight.

Search Results

Property Insurance: Part I of III

Overview Of The Insurance Industry And Real Property Coverages

Should the Borrower Choose The Appraiser? Should a Lender Rely on the Contents?

The Answer Is A Resounding No!

Market Value vs. Appraised Value: They Are Not the Same

Making The Distinction

Loaning to Individuals, Trusts, Partnerships, LLCs, and Corporations

Individual Parties and Entity Borrowers

Private Money Loan Documents and Related Disclosures

Summary Overview of Loan Documents

Pension Plan Real Estate and Trust Deed Investor Must Comply With ERISA

Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA)

Private Money Lending: Licensing and Regulatory Oversight

On Overview Of The Private Money Industry

A Family Trust Cannot Hold Legal Title to Real Estate

Correct Understanding Of Holding Title For A Family Trust

Memorandums of Agreement (MOA) vs. Understanding (MOU)

Mutual Understand vs Binding Contract

Lien Priority-Recording Documents And Instruments

How The System Of Public Notice Recordation Works

Eliminate Time-Wasters In Sales Career

Focus On Gaining Efficiencies

Fuzzy Math In Income Producing Real Estate

Sometimes The Income Stream Is Exaggurated

Trust Deed and Mortgage Investments

An Investment Strategy

Private Money Credit Approvals

Is An Industry Standards Process

Loan Brokers and Agents

Have a Fiduciary Relationship With their Clients

Financial Services Providers: Networking

Are A Valuable Referral Source For Private Money Lenders

McMansion Blues

Decision To Move Down Into A Smaller Home

Private Money, Hard Money, Loan Originations

Best Practices

Strategies for Successful Loan Closings

Turn a Planned Strategy into an Action Habit

Speed Of Private/Hard Money: The Pivot

Private Money Lenders Can Close Loans Super Fast