Andrew C. MacDonald, Author at The BiggerPockets Blog

Archive of Andrew C. MacDonald

Andrew is a Canadian real estate investor and analyst who works with Joint Venture partners to create long-term wealth. With a focus on buying and holding positive cash flow properties in Canada's Technology Triangle, Andrew makes the benefits of real estate investment available to those who lack the time or expertise to buy and manage property themselves.

Andrew has written 26 articles for The BiggerPockets Blog.

Real Estate Investing

The Win-Win Nature of Rent to Own

by Andrew C. MacDonald September 19, 2011

Win-win sounds so cliché these days, but in my mind there is no better way to describe rent to own. The simple truth is that when properly designed and executed, rent to own programs present a winning scenario for both the tenant-buyer and the investor. Of course, rent to own won’t work as an ideal [...]

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Real Estate Investing

Scuba Diving Principles for Real Estate Investors – Part 2: The Plan

by Andrew C. MacDonald August 22, 2011

In my first post I discussed the parallel between the most important rule in scuba diving and real estate. The most important rule is to breathe continuously and never stop breathing. In real estate, cash flow is like oxygen – it is what keeps us going. In this article I will explore another parallel between [...]

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Real Estate Investing

Scuba Diving Principles for Real Estate Investors

by Andrew C. MacDonald August 8, 2011

This weekend I started my SCUBA training and as an investor couldn’t help but draw a few parallels between the principles of SCUBA and those of real estate investing. Believe it or not, diving and real estate have plenty in common. In fact, the most important rule in scuba diving is very similar to what [...]

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Real Estate Investing

Getting Clear on Property Management Expectations

by Andrew C. MacDonald July 26, 2011

One of the first tasks landlords choose to outsource is property management. This is really the nitty gritty of being a landlord and if you don’t enjoy dealing with tenants or the day to day operation of your property, you might quickly look for some help from a property manager. Often times investors will just [...]

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Real Estate Investing

4 Steps to Determine Your Real Estate Investment Strategy

by Andrew C. MacDonald July 18, 2011

When starting out as a real estate investor, just selecting the “right” strategy can seem like a daunting process.Where do you invest? What type of property should you buy? Which strategy is right for you? For many new investors it is tough to know where to start. In this article we’ll go over 4 steps [...]

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Real Estate Investing

The Two Types of Rent to Own: Advantages & Disadvantages

by Andrew C. MacDonald July 11, 2011

Call it rent to own, lease to own, lease options, or whatever you like. The strategy has been gaining popularity thanks to the numerous benefits of rent to own for each party in the transaction. There are two fundamental approaches to putting these deals together; the tenant first approach or the property first approach. There [...]

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Real Estate Investing

Separate Your Real Estate Income

by Andrew C. MacDonald July 5, 2011

When we first start out as investors we just worry about getting our first deal done. Then we start to worry about getting our next deal done and often forget to consider the tax consequences. If you do different types of deals, you may want to separate your real estate income to net more dollars [...]

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Real Estate Investing

Real Estate Investors: Buying a Little Freedom

by Andrew C. MacDonald June 27, 2011

If you ask people why they invest in real estate, one of the top answers you’ll get is freedom. Contrary to this driving force of wanting more freedom, many investors self-manage and end up instead limiting their own freedom. Freedom Obstacles In my article Building Your Real Estate Investment Team – Part 7: Selecting a [...]

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Commercial Real Estate

Manufacturing Equity in Multi-Family Properties with The Rule of 150

by Andrew C. MacDonald June 20, 2011

This weekend I attended a Multi-Family Investing Bootcamp organized by The Real Estate Investment Network (REIN) and started to learn about how to acquire, manage and exit multi-residential properties. One of the key takeaways for me was the rule of 150 which I will explain here. There are some differences in the way single family [...]

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Real Estate Investing

3 Steps to Get Your Rental Property to be Rent Ready

by Andrew C. MacDonald June 13, 2011

When you first buy a rental property or an existing tenant moves out, you’ll need to get the unit “rent ready” to welcome your next tenant. The first impression of the tenant is important – you want them to know they have a landlord who cares. By getting the property rent ready for each tenant [...]

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Real Estate News & Commentary

Real Estate Bubbles: The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall

by Andrew C. MacDonald June 6, 2011

The real estate bubble that started at the turn of the millennium was the greatest we’ve seen in the past 120 years. As the saying goes, “the bigger they are, the harder they fall” and this is why we’re still seeing the effects today. In hindsight we can shed some perspective on this last bubble [...]

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Real Estate Investing

Leaving a Legacy With Real Estate

by Andrew C. MacDonald May 30, 2011

Real estate is a fantastic long term investment which makes it suitable to include as part of your family legacy. Have you ever considered what you would like to pass along to the next generation? In my case, Old MacDonald had a farm and it has been passed along from generation to generation. Passing along [...]

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Real Estate Investing

How to Automate Your Real Estate Bookkeeping

by Andrew C. MacDonald May 16, 2011

One of the least popular tasks for many real estate investors is bookkeeping. Whether or not it is your cup of tea, I have a couple simple tips for automating the process so you can free up your time for some of the other tasks you like better. This system isn’t quite fully automated, but [...]

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Real Estate

Celebrate Your Wins to Create More Success

by Andrew C. MacDonald May 9, 2011

It is no secret that success breeds success, so to keep the proverbial ball rolling, why not pour some fuel on the fire? A great way to do this is by celebrating your wins. Whether they are big or small, reward yourself as you make progress. Why Celebrate Your Wins? Making a conscious decision to [...]

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Real Estate Investing

Real Estate Investors: Stay Afloat With Cash Flow

by Andrew C. MacDonald May 2, 2011

I am currently studying to get my scuba diving certification through PADI and as part of that process have learned more about the physics of buoyancy. Divers use a BCD (buoyancy control device) to control their depth when diving. The cylinders that scuba divers wear on their back supply oxygen to the diver for breathing, [...]

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