Should I keep my pickup truck or sell to buy our first duplex?

Should I keep my pickup truck or sell to buy our first duplex?

Member since 2019 · 110 posts · 80 votes

Hi Bp hope everyone’s doing well today it’s been a while since I’ve been on here!

I own a 2011 Toyota Tundra. It’s a beautiful truck that’s lifted 6”. I made a previous post about paying it off a while back. It’s my dream truck I get compliments all the time from folks saying wow I can’t believe it has 182,000 miles on it it looks good! I love this truck and do plan on using it to help rehab property’s and even plan to have a truck to plow snow and maintain my units once build up my portfolio. but I read j Scott’s book on set for life and he calls me an idiot haha for driving said vehicle. For which he is right it’s pricey on gas and maintenance compared to a beater car. And since I don’t actually own my first property yet I’m doing anything i can to get there!

My girlfriend and I have an 8 year old boy and also we’re expecting a boy in a couple months!! I’m so excited. It’s more important now than ever for me to start working towards building up rentals to free me from my miserable 9-5 job and be able to live a better life and be home more with family someday. I plan to work hard and from 30 to 40 years old go all in in my real estate.

I am working on saving up money for us to use a low down owner occupied loan on our first 2-4 unit rental property. So far I have no debt at all and I have $500 saved. She has some money saved too which is good and I really don’t know if I should sell the truck which is valued at $15-20k. If I sell it, it will be the equivalent of me saving for like 2 years! I only earn about 30k a year as an auto body technician. I don’t want to sell the truck but I have mentally prepared myself to do whatever means necessary to build wealth and escape the rat race ASAP! I would love to be my own boss managing rehabs and maintaining properties!

So should I sell the truck and buy a cheap beater car like a Honda CR-V or should I keep the truck knowing that in a few years I’ll want to buy another one? I don’t need much to be happy and having a nice truck really is all I wanted. I remember when I had breakdowns everyday trying to get to work 5 years ago and I decided then to sell my old keep i was driving and sell my nice race bike, a street bike to buy the truck because I envisioned at the time ide have a family and want a truck to haul things with for my family. It’s been the most reliable vehicle and still is. I could make and last 8 years as it’s not rusted and it’s good daily driver sitting in it now as a matter of fact!

Lastly Are there creative ways I could buy our first rental without selling my truck such as owner financing or something along those lines? All of the banks are telling us even with an fha low down type loan here in ny we will still need to bring 15-20 k to cover all fees costs and taxes and everything.

Let me know what you think I should do and are any of you in a similar predicament!? Thanks!

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Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
4y

Yeh, sell the truck. 

You need to increase your income. According to a quick Google search, the average income for an auto body technician is over $45,000. Either you're new at the job or somebody's not paying you appropriately. I would continue looking for new jobs that increase your salary. Or get an economical car and a side hustle like Door Dash in the evenings instead of watching TV.

Check out "Set For Life" to get some great ideas on side hustles, budgeting, and saving up for an investment. Scott provides very practical advice that anyone can understand and follow.

Things will only get more expensive when the baby comes, and it won't stop for at least 18 years!

The DIY Landlord Book4.7248 Reviews
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  • Joshua JanusBusiness Member
    Realtor · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2021 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    Sell it and get the CRV. Might at well get to your goals quicker, right? No sense wasting time until then. 

  • Lender · Phoenix, AZ · Member since 2018 · 440 posts · 256 votes
    4y

    @Daniel Fitzroy Sell the truck. Owning and driving your dream truck is something you do after you've hit your goals. When your family is set, that's when you enjoy the fruits of your labor. When your cashflow can pay for it, buy the biggest baddest truck around. 
    Congrats on your new baby, my wife and I just had our second boy as well. Real Estate is a great way to build a lasting legacy and wealth for them.

  • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
    Moderator
    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    4y

    Yeh, sell the truck. 

    You need to increase your income. According to a quick Google search, the average income for an auto body technician is over $45,000. Either you're new at the job or somebody's not paying you appropriately. I would continue looking for new jobs that increase your salary. Or get an economical car and a side hustle like Door Dash in the evenings instead of watching TV.

    Check out "Set For Life" to get some great ideas on side hustles, budgeting, and saving up for an investment. Scott provides very practical advice that anyone can understand and follow.

    Things will only get more expensive when the baby comes, and it won't stop for at least 18 years!

    The DIY Landlord Book4.7248 Reviews
  • Joe SplitrockPro Member
    Moderator
    Rental Property Investor · Sioux Falls, SD · Member since 2015 · 9k+ posts · 18k+ votes
    4y

    @Daniel Fitzroy it sounds like you could sell the truck and drive something more practical for your current life situation. A lifted truck just makes it harder to load kids in and out. That being said, the truck is used and it could easily cost you over $10K to find a reliable CRV.

    I think your best option is increase your income. Don't take this wrong, but $30K for an auto body technician is a low wage. Our local Walmart is hiring overnight stock people for $18 an hour starting. That is $36K a year for unskilled labor. I would suggest applying at other body shops or consider asking your boss for a raise.

    I had a friend years ago that worked at a body shop. To make money on the side, he purchased salvage cars, repaired them and flipped them. He made $5K a car and eventually quit his job to do it full time.

    Bottom line, you can have your truck if you fix your income problem. 

  • Member since 2019 · 110 posts · 80 votes
    4y

    @Joe Splitrock

    Thanks everyone for the feedback! I have to clarify and correct my income it is not 30k that was actually the last few jobs it’s got to be more than that. I actually nagotiated a $2 pay raise over my last job and am now earning $20 an hour. I work about 40-42 hours during the week and they pay me $100 cash for 4 hours Saturdays. I work most Saturdays. I haven’t done the math yet to see what that would be annually. Been here 3 months and I like it I learn a lot here but work with a couple of Debbie downers and I just want to get into real estate in the long run. I appreciate the feedback though and I’m also not buying a newer crv. I’m buying a used suv like a 2000 Toyota 4Runner or an old beater civic or crv late 90’s. For under 5k

    Looks like it’s a resounding sell the cool truck and buy something more practical although I will miss the 4wheel drive as New York can get snow. But I don’t have any problem with ego downgrading as I used to drive an old 96 corolla that had 350,000 miles on it and I didn’t care even when my family made fun of me haha. I’ll do it again if that’s what it takes to get the first property.

    Also I like the idea of buying a new used truck later on. With the money my property would be producing that sounds like the right way to do it!

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