First Investment Money Pit

First Investment Money Pit

Miami · Member since 2018 · 14 posts · 13 votes

Hello BP network,

I recently purchased my first single family, out of state property in OH with the intent of renting it out long-term but have come across some major road blocks. I overlooked a lot of details during the home inspection and assumed all of the point of sale violations on the home (~ 30 in total) at the height of the market 4-5 months back. I did most of the repairs myself but kept finding problems that didn’t come up on the inspection (water leak before the main line, gas leak). I’m about to finish all the repairs to get it rented and grand total in repair costs will be $7500. With a renter I will be breaking even after accounting for all expenses (prop mgr, small and large cap, vacant tenant, taxes etc.). This home is old (100yrs), old furnace and water heater on last leg and I’m worried anything the renter touches will break. With the current market being so unfavorable for sellers I’m at a standstill whether I should just cut my losses or whether I should buckle up, hold and ideally refinance in 2-3 years where then it may cashflow a little more or I can leverage the equity. Selling won’t financially break me by any means but it sure would burn.

Numbers

- Purchase price: $130,000

- Downpayment: $20,000

- Mortgage left: $108,000 7-1 variable ARM @ 7.5%

- Projectes monthly rent: $1300-1400

- Projected monthly profit: $0-100

- Assuming 7.5% small/large monthly cap, 10% property manager, 1 month vacancy, taxes, mortgage insurance

Any words of wisdom/guidance would be greatly appreciated 🙏🏻

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Investor · Greenville, SC · Member since 2016 · 5k+ posts · 13k+ votes
3y

Thanks for sharing.  The market is tough...with the return on cost at or below the interest rate in many markets.  We see very few real deals discussed on the forums these days.

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  • Investor · Costa Mesa, CA · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    3y
    Quote from @Matthew Hermenau:

    @Leo Ray very helpful feedback! Thank you 🙏🏻

    Unfortunately, I don't plan on moving to OH anytime soon. It's a C neighborhood overall where it's relatively safe and the street is nice but not super nice. I just pulled the trigger a little too soon and at an unfortunate time with the market. But I agree with the ARM recs… that gives me anxiety in and of itself. I think I'm going to just cut my losses and do something locally.

    The original intent of doing OOS in this part of OH was the low entry point price wise. I live in South Florida where the market is beastly and very difficult to enter into.

    A low entry point entices many new investors to buy OOS and unfortunately they often learn the hard way that there is a reason that the entry point is low. High maintenance and poor tenants. Better to buy in a better areas with better tenants and less headaches. Hopefully you can sell and move on. 
  • Miami · Member since 2018 · 14 posts · 13 votes
    3y

    @Eric Gerakos couldn’t have said it better. In the future I plan to just grind and pay more for the local rental opportunities here in S Florida. Like you said it’ll be more costly initially but worth it in the long run.

  • Real Estate Broker · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2011 · 5k+ posts · 6k+ votes
    3y

    @Matthew Hermenau in simplest form; you over-paid for a property, did the "today" repairs, are now sitting on a "Maintenance bomb" and are asking "what do i do?" correct. 

    Well, when we step back and look at it, doesn't the "sitting on a Maintenance Bomb" aspect kind of tell you right there? 

    Is there enough "green" in this to make it worth weathering the storm to come? Because it will, there is 0 doubt about that, bombs eventually blow-up, and so will this. So how will that impact things? 

    Personally, if I was into this, I would go Option C: rent by other means. 

    I would sell this on terms. 3-5yr term. That way you get a structure much like renting it out, BUT wash hands of the big negative of that maintenance bomb because it's transferred onto the tenant/buyers. AND they have a reason to weather such investing into the property. 

    In terms sale you can get better sale price then just selling, you get bigger up-front down then a security deposit, AND it's a win-win for both yourself and tenant/buyers. 

    Yeah, this seems a no-brainer for me, it's a perfect fit for terms liquidation. But then again I do terms deals all the time, I am not sure why but seems most never even think of such. 

    When I sell a 3yr term deal, I am selling based upon value at time of final close, ie 3yrs from today. 

    I would not sit long term on such a property, not a chance, I don't like cap-x robbing me year after year. And this thing sounds to have a ton of cap-x loaded and ready to shoot you right in the face. 

  • Nicholas L.Pro Member
    Flipper/Rehabber · Pittsburgh · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    3y

    We're all just speculating in this thread as we don't have fixed numbers.  There's no way to calculate monthly income with a rental range...

    @Matthew Hermenau

    Is it rented yet?  Or listed for rent?  What will your PM charge you?  Or do you not have a PM yet?

  • Miami · Member since 2018 · 14 posts · 13 votes
    3y

    @Nicholas L. Not rented yet. It is about to be listed for rent. Have engaged with a property manager and as above they take 10% monthly rent + 1 month rent up front to find a tenant.

  • Nicholas L.Pro Member
    Flipper/Rehabber · Pittsburgh · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 5k+ votes
    3y

    @Matthew Hermenau

    OK - 10% per month plus 1 month's rent to place a tenant is pretty standard for PMs.

    If / when you get it rented come back here and post the actual expenses against actual rents.

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