I would like to know how investors analyze each deal when they buy rental property.
What do you look for?
How you know someone would rent it ?
How do you determine if this gonna be good investment?
Can you trust housing data in MLS?
I did some research and comparison analysis on mls around my area but im not sure im in the right path. How would you buy your first investment property if you have 70k right now?
Roseville, CA · Member since 2018 · 29 posts · 40 votes
7y
@Kornkot Dechanukul I just bought my first rental last month and just got my first rent payment on the 1st. I am in escrow with the second rental now. So time will tell if I made the right choices.
I spent about 6 months learning everything I could about the area I wanted to invest in. I subscribed to an email version of the local paper(I invested out of state in the KC area) . I had several conversations with friends and family in the area. And I would often check on homes for rent in the area. This gave me an idea of what was available, how many rentals were available, and what the competition was like.
All the signs of growth were there. Businesses were hiring, a new hotel and conference center were built, etc.
Then I calculated everything and was very conservative with my estimations. Math is math but you have to be realistic when inputting your expenses. The numbers made sense. I was patient and passed on a couple of houses and then stumbled on to my first property via a family friend. It was an off market home and had been a rental for several years. The owners were in their 80’s and had decided they didn’t want to be land lords anymore. It was nicer and cheaper than anything else I had looked at up to that point so I bought it.
There are several videos on BP about analyzing a deal and of course there’s the BP calculator. Good luck to you
New to Real Estate · Fredericksburg, VA · Member since 2019 · 10 posts · 5 votes
7y
@Kornkot Dechanukul. Check out the Property Analyzer under the Tools section on Bigger Pockets. I think you can use it 7 times for free or unlimited if and when you upgrade to a Pro account.
Roseville, CA · Member since 2018 · 29 posts · 40 votes
7y
@Kornkot Dechanukul I just bought my first rental last month and just got my first rent payment on the 1st. I am in escrow with the second rental now. So time will tell if I made the right choices.
I spent about 6 months learning everything I could about the area I wanted to invest in. I subscribed to an email version of the local paper(I invested out of state in the KC area) . I had several conversations with friends and family in the area. And I would often check on homes for rent in the area. This gave me an idea of what was available, how many rentals were available, and what the competition was like.
All the signs of growth were there. Businesses were hiring, a new hotel and conference center were built, etc.
Then I calculated everything and was very conservative with my estimations. Math is math but you have to be realistic when inputting your expenses. The numbers made sense. I was patient and passed on a couple of houses and then stumbled on to my first property via a family friend. It was an off market home and had been a rental for several years. The owners were in their 80’s and had decided they didn’t want to be land lords anymore. It was nicer and cheaper than anything else I had looked at up to that point so I bought it.
There are several videos on BP about analyzing a deal and of course there’s the BP calculator. Good luck to you
@Jerry Brown I only see number analysis. My main concern is data analysis. Let’s say you have 5 properties to choose in 5 different area and all numbers work out very well. What would determine the best property that you will actually make a purchase?
@Michael Ryland Wow! Congratulations I would love to start my first right now. I will check out those video. Do you trust any housing data on the MLS? What critiria you use to choose this property over the rest?
Vacancy rate ?
Rented percentage?
How long did it take you to get your first property rent? Did you hire property manager?
Im looking at 2 areas in Baltimore MD
Cherry hill
Only one house is listing for rent on MLS.
Only one house is listing on selling.
Rented at 64%
Owned at 28%
Rent vacancy 8.1%
Quiet neighborhood
Close to hospital and ship yard
No abandoned house
House are very cheap30k-50k
Rent for $750-$900
Morrol park
5-7 house listing for rent and sell
Rented 49.5%
Owned 49.5%
Rent vacancy 11.8%
Busy neighborhood
Close to downtown, football stadium, warehouses
Car park in front of every house
House are 50k-75k
Rent for $900-$1200
Should I go to less competition area? Does that mean not a lot of people rent the house or the opposite?
What else should I know before making my decision Michael?
Rental Property Investor · mid atlantic · Member since 2017 · 197 posts · 106 votes
7y
Kornkot - One thing you could do is have a property manager confirm the rent estimate, and even walk the property for you before you buy it.... just to give you more insight on the rent you can expect. We do this a fair amount for clients.
Cherry Hill is an interesting neighborhood. It's been a a little rough in the past -- but a lot of local folks are optimistic about the long-term prognosis of the neighborhood.
Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2008 · 17k+ posts · 13k+ votes
7y
@Kornkot Dechanukul yes I trust the info on the MLS but no data is going to be 100% up to date. Frankly I go more by my gut feel than data. Baltimore can change block by block so data for a neighborhood may not apply to the block you are buying on. However it is no secret, you only need to drive from one block to the next to see if it is similar or a big change.
You mentioned a car in front of every house. Yes that is one indicator of a decent neighborhood; people can afford cars. Also look at the landscaping, are there overgrown weeds everywhere or is everything neatly maintained.
Finding tenants has not been a problem for us. If you are in a decent neighborhood you should be able to get tenants.
Roseville, CA · Member since 2018 · 29 posts · 40 votes
7y
@Kornkot Dechanukul I agree with @Ned Carey when he says go with your gut. You’re data looks good but data alone can be misleading. I also believe talking to a property manager is a great idea. In fact talk to a couple of different property management companies. A property manager will give you insight as to what the rental market is really like.
Here’s the link the the video for analyzing rental properties.
@Account Closed All these area that i'm looking at right now are all cash flow but will someone rent it. That's my question. Do you have any good potential property listing in your pocket?
@Ned Carey That's my problem I do the drive around but i'm not sure what I should be looking for. where do you invest right now?
You do know what to look for. Is a street with well manicured lawns and flowers a good street? Is a street with overgrown lawns, half torn down fences, gutters falling off with lots of boarded up properties a great street? Within a neighborhood you will see subtle and not so subtle clues as to what blocks are better.
You are not going to learn the whole city in a few weeks.
I am investing in what I described above, neighborhoods that are in the $100-150 range.
Rental Property Investor · Durham, NC · Member since 2016 · 7k+ posts · 7k+ votes
7y
@Kornkot Dechanukul. I start with brought rules (mainly 1 or 2 percent rule) and then go from there. What’s the marker value, what can I get it for? How much deferred maintenance? Can rented go up? Can I decrease taxes? Find a value add and over time it becomes pretty straight forward
@Ned Carey That's very helpful. I almost buy one home that seem to be good in data and numbers but in a lots of boarded up home neighborhood. Thank you.