Success on 1st R.E investment, tips on doing it better the next?

Success on 1st R.E investment, tips on doing it better the next?

Real Estate Investor · OAKLAND, CA · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 30 votes

Hi to all BP friends!

After a year or more of grooming and learning everything I could about R.E investment, I've made my first purchase in Feb 2, 2018. It was a probate property, no court confirmation needed, and also tenant occupied. After 2 months of back and forth on negotiating with the lawyer/owner we come to agreement of $260k with contingency of tenant moving out before funded the deal. Originally asking price of $320k dropped down to $285k after initial negotiating without inspection of property. With all current comparable of 2/1 in the area with same sqft is around $385k-$400k, I converted to 3/2 with permits our contractor and I ran into many challenges with the city inspection and also tried to stay within budget. Our estimated was $45k rehab which end up at $72,550.00 project. We overcome all challenges and ended up with an appraisal valued of $459,000 when we did re-finance for better term/interest rate. I will post a complete Deal Detail below. At the end of it all it was well worth it, the house is now rented for $3115.00/month and the feeling our getting our first rent check is amazing! Thank you to all of BP members that been helping me answer all my questions in this R.E journey. Special thanks to @Account Closed

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Investor · San Jose, CA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
8y

Sunday,

Congratulations! You literally created something out of nothing. You had the guts to move forward. It's not easy, but it's worth it. 

The reason I agreed to meet you and plugged you into my network was because of your introduction. You have the right attitude and work ethics. I have more people inviting me to lunch and dinners than I know what to do with. See, I invited you to lunch and had someone paid for our lunch. ;)

I told Johnson I'd meet you regardless. You reminded me of someone who I met on BP. He's 5 years older than you who used to make $8.50/hour. After a few short years in real estate, he made $1M last year, and his wife bought him this car. He loves the roaring sound of this car. It's unfortunate I couldn't convince them to buy a Tesla.

It's true that your network = your net worth. It takes time and efforts to connect with the right people. When you do, the sky is the limit. Keep up the intensity. As Steve Jobs said "Stay hungry, stay foolish."

Cheers.

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  • Lender · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2017 · 38 posts · 13 votes
    8y

    Congratulations again Sunday! Awesome to see the detail from start to finish and how you overcame the challenges with budget and city inspection. This is just the beginning!! 

    Can you attach the before and after rehab pictures?  

  • Real Estate Investor · OAKLAND, CA · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 30 votes
    8y

    @Clayton Danly nice to hear from you again Clayton! How's it going? I attached pictures before and after below.. 

    before...

    after...

    BEFORE..

    AFTER...

    BEFORE..

    AFTER..

    BEFORE .. FIRE PLACE REMOVE AND MAKE AN ISLAND

    AFTER ...

    BEFORE..

    AFTER.. KITCHEN REMODEL

  • Oakland, CA · Member since 2017 · 1 post · 0 votes
    8y

    Hi Sunday

    Congrats on taking action on a property in the Bay Area!   I currently live in Oakland and working on expanding my network as well.  I liked your post and felt like we might be in similar mind sets regarding real estate.

    @Sunday Nguyen I will send you a private message too.

  • Real Estate Investor · OAKLAND, CA · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 30 votes
    8y

    @Jarett Park, Thanks Jarett. I'll sent you a P.M, looking forward to get in touch with you in person. 

  • Deland, FL · Member since 2017 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    8y

    50% over rehab estimate even with 9k for cement work seems like a lot

    Will you work with the same contractor or try to find a better one?

  • Real Estate Investor · OAKLAND, CA · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 30 votes
    8y

    @Michael Plante , 

    I agreed that it seem like a lot more than I had initially prepare for. At the beginning, we were only plan to do quick rehab on a 2/1 but the finish product is a 3/2. The additional room attached to the property, we were told that it wasn't legal by the owner's son(the owner passed away). 

    When we applied for kitchen remodeling i had the record pulled and found out that IT WAS LEGAL and permits were pulled in 1961. When I found out about that, we were almost half way through the project, so a change of plan we convert that ADDITIONAL ROOM into a bedroom with new bathroom built into the same sqft. When we pull permit for the additional bathroom, inspector delay signing due to some minor things like incorrect pipe material for the bathroom, electrical sub-panel is not up to date, central air heat certification needed, etc... All that plus more, those items we were trying to not get permits for, hopeful to fly under radar. Rookie mistake on my part that I should've pull all records on the house and not assume.

     I would continue to work with the same contractor next time around, he did a good job and his bid was more competitive than others.

  • Johnson H.Pro Member
    Investor · San Francisco, CA · Member since 2010 · 910 posts · 889 votes
    8y

    Congrats on your success Sunday!

  • Real Estate Investor · OAKLAND, CA · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 30 votes
    8y

    Hi @Johnson H., thanks! We should catch lunch again. Congrats on your big wedding day!

  • Oakland, CA · Member since 2017 · 4 posts · 5 votes
    8y
    Congrats Sunday! Very impressive for your first investment. I’m based in Oakland and would be very interested in learning more about how you approached this deal - I’ll shoot you a PM!
  • Investor · San Jose, CA · Member since 2012 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    8y

    Sunday,

    Congratulations! You literally created something out of nothing. You had the guts to move forward. It's not easy, but it's worth it. 

    The reason I agreed to meet you and plugged you into my network was because of your introduction. You have the right attitude and work ethics. I have more people inviting me to lunch and dinners than I know what to do with. See, I invited you to lunch and had someone paid for our lunch. ;)

    I told Johnson I'd meet you regardless. You reminded me of someone who I met on BP. He's 5 years older than you who used to make $8.50/hour. After a few short years in real estate, he made $1M last year, and his wife bought him this car. He loves the roaring sound of this car. It's unfortunate I couldn't convince them to buy a Tesla.

    It's true that your network = your net worth. It takes time and efforts to connect with the right people. When you do, the sky is the limit. Keep up the intensity. As Steve Jobs said "Stay hungry, stay foolish."

    Cheers.

  • Real Estate Investor · OAKLAND, CA · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 30 votes
    8y

    @Account Closed,

     Hi Minh,

     Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. I’m glad that you agreed to meet and given me a chance to get to know you and be part of your network. I’m admire your friend that he’d dedicated into learning and become big success( amazing wife and nice car!).

    When there’s another opportunity I’ll buy lunch next time. I realized that in just a few short hours with you guys I’d learned so much more than what I used to know about R.E Investment. Looking forward to be pro-active and possibly in a near future to have a chance to be working together.

  • Oakland, CA · Member since 2011 · 55 posts · 28 votes
    8y

    Congratulations!  That's a great story.  

  • Member since 2018 · 5 posts · 1 vote
    8y

    That's amazing. Congrats. I am new. I come to this when browsing bay area market.

  • Real Estate Investor · OAKLAND, CA · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 30 votes
    8y

    Thank you @Pychet T. , Lmk if I can help you answer anything.

  • Real Estate Broker · Oakland, CA · Member since 2010 · 9 posts · 2 votes
    8y

    Congratulations!!!! Dealing with the city of Oakland can be a pain. I have had some nightmare stories :) However looks like you did Great for your first deal.  It's always good to try to have the contractor come out and give you an estimate on the rehab costs even though something UN-expected can always come up. I always have my investors do at least a 7-10 day inspection period just in case we need to re-negotiate on the price after the contractor reviews the property.

    Once my contractor looks at the property they can kinda tell me what they think is going on with the property and also give me an estimate on re-hab costs we like to make sure the numbers make sense there is a certain profit margin we need to make on every deal. If my investor is flipping the property I always make sure I include the resale costs in order to have a more accurate bottom line number.

    We also always add 5k to 10k for misc repairs just in case. 

    I also grew up in Oakland it has a special place in my heart!! Again Condrads!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Real Estate Investor · OAKLAND, CA · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 30 votes
    8y

    @Markeshia Calimee, That great you're Oakland native, so you must know the market well.

    I love horror movies/stories, you can tell me all about it! 

    I just closed last month on a property in Oakland (lower dimond district area), currently doing rehab and excited to have the project completed. I would love a chance to pick you brain sometime. Thanks for the congrat

  • Oakland, CA · Member since 2015 · 246 posts · 127 votes
    8y

    Hey Sunday,

    Would love to connect. I just finished rehabbing my duplex in NoBe that rents at market. 

    Curious to pick your brain on your rehab process and maybe share notes. 

    Let me know if you’re interested!

    Thanks,

    Calvin

  • Rental Property Investor · Petaluma, CA · Member since 2015 · 151 posts · 143 votes
    8y

    Curious how you are finding your deals? 

  • Specialist · Oakland, CA · Member since 2014 · 83 posts · 28 votes
    8y
    @Sunday Nguyen wow. Oakland resident as well. You found a great project. Congrats!
  • Real Estate Broker · Oakland, CA · Member since 2010 · 9 posts · 2 votes
    8y

    I would love to chat regarding my horror stories :)  Yes I know the Oakland market extremely well.... I would love to connect with you.

  • Real Estate Investor · OAKLAND, CA · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 30 votes
    8y
    Originally posted by @Kevin Dang:
    @Sunday Nguyen wow. Oakland resident as well. You found a great project. Congrats!

    thanks Kevin. I feel like we ran into each other in the before, can't recall where..

  • Specialist · Oakland, CA · Member since 2014 · 83 posts · 28 votes
    8y
    @Sunday Nguyen No idea. But let’s connect sometime. Extending the invite to everyone else as well.
  • Real Estate Investor · OAKLAND, CA · Member since 2017 · 24 posts · 30 votes
    8y
    Originally posted by @Noel R.:

    Curious how you are finding your deals? 

    A friend once told me to get familiar with the market to the point that if a new property goes live on MLS i should instantly tell if it is going to be a deal. So i have notification on my phone and emails that alert me on new Listing. On the property in Oakland that i just close last month, the property was listed for about less than 1 hour and i contacted the Listing Agent. I guess it goes with the old saying"The early bird, get the worms"

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