Another Rental Property! (This time a townhouse)

Another Rental Property! (This time a townhouse)

Dawn AnastasiPro Member
Rental Property Investor 路 Milwaukee, WI 路 Member since 2013 路 6k+ posts 路 4k+ votes

Okay, so I just posted back a couple of months ago regarding a 3 bedroom single family I bought on July 15th.  But, I had the opportunity to buy a 3 bedroom townhouse.

This deal actually started back in May! I visited the property as the owner had purchased from an older woman and basically wanted to flip it. So he listed it on Craigslist for $20,000. I went through, and saw that the property needed some work and the HVAC was older as were the appliances, so I offered him $16,000. He said no and that he would list it on the MLS.

So June goes by, he hasn't sold it yet. 

July goes by and he hasn't sold it yet.

August comes about and I follow up with him and let him know that I'm still willing to buy it for $16,000.  He says no, but offers it to me for $18,000.  I say no can do.

September rolls around and I again email him and offer $16,000.  He said he would do it for $16,500.  I stand firm and say no, $16,000 is my price.  (I wasn't budging even for $500!)

Now October rolls around and he says he will agree to my price of $16,000.  So we get everything arranged with the title company. There was a slight delay on closing because the condo association didn't get the paperwork to the title company in time, but it wasn't that much of a delay.

After closing I got the contractor in to get the work done that needed to be done (flooring, trim around the door, and some drywall fixes).

Now I'm having some showings (I have one tonight actually).  My goal is to get it rented on or before December 1st.

Here are some photos:

Kitchen - stove and fridge were included

Basement - washer/dryer were included

Half bath on main floor

The unit is 1,054 square feet and all 3 bedrooms are large enough to fit king sized beds.  The windows are all newer double-pane vinyl.  The carpeting is older, but other than being cleaned it should last several more years.  The windows all came with blinds or curtains.

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Chris K.Pro Member
Investor 路 Baltimore, MD 路 Member since 2012 路 1k+ posts 路 655 votes
11y

Good for you for having the discipline to stick to your numbers! I'm always jealous of the deals you come by. That is a great house for $16k.

This is what $16k might get you in my area if you don't lose it to a multiple offer situation....

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  • Dawn AnastasiPro Member
    OP
    Rental Property Investor 路 Milwaukee, WI 路 Member since 2013 路 6k+ posts 路 4k+ votes
    11y

    Just thought I'd follow up to this post since it was a while ago.  I was highly optimistic about getting a renter for December 1st, and I would have had one too, had I not a bit of bad luck.  (Goes to show, there can be bad luck and good luck too.)  Partially I am to blame.

    I had a renter all lined up for December 1st.  I submitted all the docs to the management company for the condo association.  Little did I know they were "reorganizing their employees" and it took 12 days to get that person approved.  Needless to say, after about 5-7 days of waiting, the applicant decided to go somewhere else.  I feel like around day #5 I should have been more persistent and started following up every day, but I don't want to be a "pest" about it.

    In December I took a 2 week vacation, and since it was around Christmas and the new year, I held off looking for anyone for January.

    So I had someone else lined up for February 1st, and they were approved in only 9 days, but then the applicant's car died and they took the money they were going to give me for a security deposit to fix their car.  So they backed out.

    I was able to get a tenant for February 15th though.  This is a Rent Assistance tenant which is my first one.  She actually had income at the 39% mark (where 33% is 3x rent for gross income and 40% is 2.5x).  She had a full time job and a part time job.  She has one son.  She was approved (with me being a little of a pest but the management's issues resolved by this point) and she moved in on February 12th. She paid the February rent and security deposit.

    The Housing Authority inspector came by and the unit passed.

    I'm waiting on March's check from the Housing Authority as the first one is via a check versus direct deposit. But April and going forward should be direct deposit.

  • Real Estate Investor 路 Chino Hills, CA 路 Member since 2014 路 47 posts 路 19 votes
    11y

    Thanks for the addendum to this thread @Dawn Anastasi ! In retrospect, making sure you got in at the price that you wanted, rather than stretching yourself, seems all the more wise given the bit of "bad luck" that followed the purchase.

    Despite the slight hiccups in securing a tenant, this still looks like a long-term winner of a deal!

  • Bulawayo, Zimbabwe 路 Member since 2015 路 1k+ posts 路 253 votes
    11y

    Thanks for sharing and the update

  • Toronto, Ontario 路 Member since 2014 路 615 posts 路 172 votes
    11y

    @Dawn Anastasi 

    Congratulations. Sure persistence pays but also the seller was highly motivated and no one offered a better price...

    Good stuff!

  • Dawn AnastasiPro Member
    OP
    Rental Property Investor 路 Milwaukee, WI 路 Member since 2013 路 6k+ posts 路 4k+ votes
    11y

    Another update on this thread. So far the Rent Assistance (Section 8) tenant is working out great.  She keeps the place very clean, she insists that people take their shoes off when they enter the place.  The kitchen and bathrooms are also clean when I've been there.

    I've had a couple contractors go out since the rental.  I had an A/C issue which didn't surface until it was warm enough to run the A/C.  And had to fix an outlet in the kitchen and change out a flapper in the upper toilet.

    Also since then I've switched out the ceiling fan in the kitchen to one more modern.  ($45 for the fan and $25 for the labor.)

    The Section 8 tenant has paid their portion on time, in fact early. Last month I got it on the 26th of the previous month and for July I got the tenant's portion today (June 24th).  The Section 8 portion is direct deposited to my account and arrives on the 1st.

    So far I'm glad I bought the place.

  • Real Estate Agent 路 Chicago, IL 路 Member since 2017 路 715 posts 路 138 votes
    9y

    @Dawn Anastasi great article looking to get out there in the Milwaukee market. Looking for cash flow. Thanks.

  • Surveyor 路 Hemet, CA 路 Member since 2015 路 797 posts 路 112 votes
    9y

    @Dawn Anastasi amazing work once again! As I was telling you I am working on the sale of that commercial property. The problem is we only have 180 days to make purchases so I won't have the time to wiggle the deals like you did. That's one problem I am seeing. We have to have properties identified by 45 days.

  • Rick SteinPro Member
    Investor 路 Austin, TX 路 Member since 2014 路 248 posts 路 181 votes
    9y

    nice going on the purchase price. Maybe I am missing something, but, if your taxes are about $300mo, your insurance is about $ 20/ mo and your HOA is $200/ mo.= $520 ( not including reserves )! rent $725-$520= $205/ mo positive cash flow. Where are you getting $300/馃槤Mo

  • Rebecca KnoxBusiness Member
    Specialist 路 Milwaukee, WI 路 Member since 2014 路 1k+ posts 路 1k+ votes
    9y

    Great info Dawn and congratulations!! Nick and I are working on buying one at 10k on the NW side but it needs a little more cosmetic work than yours.

    Captain Save-A-Home LLC
  • Surveyor 路 Hemet, CA 路 Member since 2015 路 797 posts 路 112 votes
    9y

    10k?!?!?! Holy smokes!! 

  • Dawn AnastasiPro Member
    OP
    Rental Property Investor 路 Milwaukee, WI 路 Member since 2013 路 6k+ posts 路 4k+ votes
    9y
    Originally posted by @Rick Stein:

    nice going on the purchase price. Maybe I am missing something, but, if your taxes are about $300mo, your insurance is about $ 20/ mo and your HOA is $200/ mo.= $520 ( not including reserves )! rent $725-$520= $205/ mo positive cash flow. Where are you getting $300/馃槤Mo

     Taxes are per year, not per month. 

    Wow, I didn't know someone would re-visit this old thread!

    As an update, I still have it rented to the same tenant but now the rent is $750/mo.

  • Rick SteinPro Member
    Investor 路 Austin, TX 路 Member since 2014 路 248 posts 路 181 votes
    9y

    $300per year? That's amazing. That would be monthly here in NJ. ,

  • Surveyor 路 Hemet, CA 路 Member since 2015 路 797 posts 路 112 votes
    9y

    Are there still properties to be had about 20k for a town home? As I was telling dawn a few weeks ago I am getting ready to sell a commercial property in California and will be on the hunt for deals for our first set of rentals! Any pointers anyone has i am all ears.  Dawns been killin it!

  • Surveyor 路 Hemet, CA 路 Member since 2015 路 797 posts 路 112 votes
    9y

    @Dawn Anastasi  I was just reading an article last night that if you raise the rent let's say 20 hours a week once a year. Can you do that for 10 years  that will get you the reward of $10,000 a year more in rent unbelievable to me ! I really want to get into rentals now after seeing that and I'm curious about these great deals on maybe you have some connections back there that would like to know more investors.  I am curious about obtaining property back there to our portfolio. Thank you dawn.

  • Dawn AnastasiPro Member
    OP
    Rental Property Investor 路 Milwaukee, WI 路 Member since 2013 路 6k+ posts 路 4k+ votes
    9y

    The Milwaukee market has gotten very tough lately to find deals. (Because of course, everyone is competing for the same resources.)  They're still out there, you just have to dig deeper.  I just bought a 3 bedroom single family back in March for $30,000.

  • Surveyor 路 Hemet, CA 路 Member since 2015 路 797 posts 路 112 votes
    9y

    Unbelievable! I better start calling some realitors out there. 

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