McKellar Newsom, Author at The BiggerPockets Blog

Archive of McKellar Newsom

McKellar Newsom invests in single family properties in seven different markets. McKellar partners with investors who don't have time to devote to real estate investing.

McKellar has written 14 articles for The BiggerPockets Blog.

Real Estate

One Secret for Improving Your Real Estate Success

by McKellar Newsom December 21, 2012

My husband is an abstract artist. When he first started to paint, he was afraid to make a mistake and ruin a canvas. He was slow and tentative. He eventually overcame his fear by realizing that painting something was better than staring at a blank canvas. Starting out investing is like looking at a blank [...]

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Flipping Houses & Rehabbing

The Two Best Weeks to Make an Offer on a House

by McKellar Newsom December 3, 2012

This is it. The time is now. Don’t miss it. December 3rd to December 14th, 2012 is your time to make lower than usual offers. If you can get your bids in by December 14th, you still have time to inspect, check title and close by December 31st. At this time of year, the banks [...]

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Real Estate Investing

How to Choose the Right City for Buy and Hold Real Estate Investment

by McKellar Newsom November 11, 2012

Slave trade. When I told my parents that I planned to accompany my boyfriend of three months to Taipei, Taiwan, my father’s first reaction was: “We don’t know this boy yet. He’s probably going to try to sell you into the slave trade in Asia. Why are you going to Taiwan?” The questions went on [...]

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Real Estate News & Commentary

Five Not So Common Reasons Real Estate Beats Stocks

by McKellar Newsom October 25, 2012

Great news! You just got your yearly bonus or your Aunt Marge left you a tidy sum. The problem is that those extra dollars sitting in your account can add some stress. The stress typically revolves around needing to invest the money into something that earns you cash returns. For many of us, extra dollars [...]

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Real Estate News & Commentary

Why Real Estate Returns Are Higher than Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds

by McKellar Newsom September 29, 2012

Investing in rental property is like eating a hot fudge sundae. Buying stocks, bonds and mutual funds is like eating hot fudge with the occasional spoonful of ice cream. With real estate rentals, your returns include: 1. Cash Flow from Monthly Rental Income – A Huge Scoop of Your Favorite Ice Cream 2. Buying Money [...]

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Real Estate Deal Analysis & Advice

Six Reasons Why Real Estate Trumps Investing in Stocks and Mutual Funds

by McKellar Newsom September 9, 2012

I experienced a drug induced hallucination when I was 10. Laughing gas from my dentist caused me to visualize colorful puzzle pieces crawling all over the ceiling of the exam room. Hopefully, you have never endured this “wacky awake dreamlike state” but take my word for it, you feel out of control. To this day, [...]

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Real Estate Interviews

Violations and Vouchers: An Interview with a Section 8 Police Officer

by McKellar Newsom August 25, 2012

An elderly lady answered the door. I caught a glimpse of a couple of kids and sleeping bags on the floor before they hurried to shut the door. I heard fast footsteps as two other bedroom doors slammed shut. In the kitchen, another lady was cooking. Just how many people were living in my 1000 [...]

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Landlord Tenant

The Disadvantages of Section 8 Rentals

by McKellar Newsom August 10, 2012

It felt like I was walking into a cave. A dark, messy, smelly cave. I looked around at the walls of my Section 8 rental and saw black, only black. The tenants had decided to add some “color” to the décor. But seriously, who paints walls black? And poop? Who leaves dog poop all over [...]

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Landlord Tenant

The Advantages of Section 8 Rentals

by McKellar Newsom July 27, 2012

I felt out of place the first time I walked into the Section 8 office. It didn’t help that the line was long and the lady at the counter actually called me up from the way back to skip everyone and come to the front of the queue. Despite the awkwardness of my first visit, [...]

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Foreclosures

8 Tips for Bidding on and Buying REOs

by McKellar Newsom July 13, 2012

Many people visit Jamaica to see waterfalls, parrot fish and nude beaches. But the Jamaican scene that investors enjoy is the bustling marketplace where people are passionate about buying and selling. Want one of those wood figurines? Some jerk chicken? Ackee fruit? Well . . . time to negotiate. Investors thrive on haggling for the [...]

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General Real Estate

Crime Proof Your Properties: Lessons from a Gang Threat

by McKellar Newsom June 29, 2012

The phone call came late on a Friday night. My contractor told me that a neighbor had stopped by to pass on some news. A gang was targeting our almost rehabbed duplex. According to the source, a gang was waiting for all the “goodies” to be installed, then they planned break in and steal everything. [...]

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Real Estate Investing

DOs and DON’Ts for Buying from Turn-Key Companies: My $31,994 Dollar Mistake

by McKellar Newsom June 15, 2012

One weekend, I went to a guru seminar where the guru gave out his bestselling books and did a nice talk on the basics of real estate investing. On Sunday, he introduced two guys who gave a PowerPoint presentation explaining their turn-key process. Their concept seemed wonderful; I’d make better returns than I had been making [...]

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Real Estate

How to Systemize Your Initial Property Inspection to Avoid Surprises

by McKellar Newsom June 1, 2012

You just know it’s the one. The color scheme is right; the floor plan is open. You touch the granite countertop and see the kids practicing their multiplication while salmon broils in the stainless steel stove. If you are searching for the home of your dreams, focus on countertops and paint color. If, however, you [...]

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Real Estate Investing

The Outer Limits: How to Speed Up the Property Inspection Process on New Deals

by McKellar Newsom May 18, 2012

Is your passion hang gliding? Bull riding? Planking? No matter what your hobby is; forget it. If you are an investor looking for the perfect 10 rental, you won’t have time to do any hobbies if you aren’t efficient. Investors may need to look at tons of properties to find one keeper. To rule out [...]

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