"Buy low, sell high," it's a credo we have all heard before, and it sounds like a sure way to make money from your real estate investment, right? Well, it's harder than that quote makes it sound and you have to work diligently to ensure you see a great, high return. You need to keep costs and expenses down and you have to raise value and find appropriate suitors.

One way to reduce costs is by taking on the repair work on your investment by yourself. That doesn't mean skimping out on quality, because that will cost you even more down the line. If you can't handle something on your own, hire a professional, and preferably a friend or trusted referral who you know will do it well and do it cheaply. Often smaller companies with fewer employees can give you a better price at the same quality of work.

You can also save money right from the start by researching all of your loan and financing options. A loan from a big bank might seem safe and reliable, but smaller, less popular banks may try harder for the business and therefore offer better terms. Don't just accept random additional fees, and secure the lowest rate you can.

Another way to see a huge return is by researching all of the legal and governmental factors and processes. Not paying attention to these might seem like a time saver, but when you get hit with slowdowns and fines later, you'll be sorry.

It's important to be skilled in the subtle art of negotiation. Both parties want what's best for them, but negotiation is about concession and compromise. Looking out for the interest of the other party can see the same favor returned to you. Ultimately, being firm but knowing when to bend is the best way to succeed, see a big profit and keep everybody happy.

There's many other ways to save costs and increase profits. You can find real estate agents with lower commissions, or listing services with lower costs.

You also have to prepare a property to be sold. Clean it up and make it seem like there is a huge interest in it, to spur on the buying process from interested parties.

If you want to attract a good buyer, make sure as many potential buyers as possible are aware of the real estate investment you are selling. A larger pool to draw from means a higher potential selling price.