Rental Property Investor · Alexandria, MN · Member since 2018 · 45 posts · 44 votes
Here I am one month away from my first full year of being a real estate investor/landlord! Last year in Sept. I took a leap and bought my first duplex. Then in Feb. I purchased my second duplex. Two months later I found a 4 unit and picked that one up. Now this month I closed on another duplex. I jumped all in and what a year it has been. It’s been smooth at times and this summer I’ve been on a rollercoaster of issues. Lows and highs but I’m loving it. A bit much at times as I work full time and my wife and I have a 3 yr old and a 7 month old. But I have the drive and determination to keep on going! Now it’s getting harder as I’m out of my down payment money and I have people approaching me with more off market deals. Time to keep learning, networking, and pushing foreword.
Here I am one month away from my first full year of being a real estate investor/landlord! Last year in Sept. I took a leap and bought my first duplex. Then in Feb. I purchased my second duplex. Two months later I found a 4 unit and picked that one up. Now this month I closed on another duplex. I jumped all in and what a year it has been. It’s been smooth at times and this summer I’ve been on a rollercoaster of issues. Lows and highs but I’m loving it. A bit much at times as I work full time and my wife and I have a 3 yr old and a 7 month old. But I have the drive and determination to keep on going! Now it’s getting harder as I’m out of my down payment money and I have people approaching me with more off market deals. Time to keep learning, networking, and pushing foreword.
Aaron Harren
Awesome news keep moving forward and try the BRRRR method in order to get capital back through the refinance. Im am sure you are dealing with some tenant issues like all of us right now. In the meantime, you can join a property owner (landlord) association like I did in order to educate yourself on state laws and procedures. Its also important to have a good landlord/tenant attorney in your back pocket with that many units. My law firm specializes in repping landlords and can straighten anything out "aka" My Muscle
Here I am one month away from my first full year of being a real estate investor/landlord! Last year in Sept. I took a leap and bought my first duplex. Then in Feb. I purchased my second duplex. Two months later I found a 4 unit and picked that one up. Now this month I closed on another duplex. I jumped all in and what a year it has been. It’s been smooth at times and this summer I’ve been on a rollercoaster of issues. Lows and highs but I’m loving it. A bit much at times as I work full time and my wife and I have a 3 yr old and a 7 month old. But I have the drive and determination to keep on going! Now it’s getting harder as I’m out of my down payment money and I have people approaching me with more off market deals. Time to keep learning, networking, and pushing foreword.
Aaron Harren
Awesome news keep moving forward and try the BRRRR method in order to get capital back through the refinance. Im am sure you are dealing with some tenant issues like all of us right now. In the meantime, you can join a property owner (landlord) association like I did in order to educate yourself on state laws and procedures. Its also important to have a good landlord/tenant attorney in your back pocket with that many units. My law firm specializes in repping landlords and can straighten anything out "aka" My Muscle
Aliso viejo · Member since 2017 · 6 posts · 0 votes
7y
Hey Aaron that’s great to hear how well you are doing so quick! Keep it up! Would love to know how you found your deals in the early stages? Also any challenges with the loans that taught any lessons?
Job well done! For curiosity sake, I am getting my ducks in a row to start making similar leaps at the end of 2020 when I get back to the States and wonder a.) How much down payment money did you start with? And B.) do you have a target per unit can flow and are you achieving it?
The financing is the thing that I think is going to be the part that I am most unsure about, so would be interested in your perspective on that.
Once again congrats and have fun with the young ones. One of the memories that my daughters often bring up was when we were working on unfreezing pipes under a rental that I had bought back the first time I tried to be a real estate tycoon :-) They just thought it was fun to be hanging out with Dad (I am sure the treats afterward were not a bad deal either ;- )
Flipper/Rehabber · 91103 · Member since 2017 · 56 posts · 35 votes
7y
@Aaron Harren that's fantastic. Are you investing in MN? Would you mind letting me know what area? I've been looking at, and plan to fly out soon to look at NE Minneapolis for 2-4 plexes.
Rental Property Investor · Windsor, CO · Member since 2018 · 26 posts · 21 votes
7y
@Aaron Harren HI Aaron, great job and thanks for sharing. Read your profile and noted how you've done the financing, but you didn't mention how you're buying compared to market prices and whether you're doing any rehab at all to increase the value.
It sounds like you've done a version of Traditional Tom in the BRRRR book, and now have to wait until you can replenish your cash holdings to fund further deals. Is that correct? And have you been buying at retail off the MLS, or did you have another way?
Rental Property Investor · Minneapolis, MN · Member since 2015 · 31 posts · 15 votes
7y
Great work Aaron! I feel like I am exactly a year behind. Just starting out and trying to get my first property with a goal of 3 properties by the end of next year. One of my concerns has been buying too expensive a place and locking up all of my down payment money. I'm hoping to start with something smaller/cheaper to build some confidence then look into BRRRRing. Good luck out there!
Rental Property Investor · Erie, PA · Member since 2018 · 6k+ posts · 9k+ votes
7y
Good job man I did nine my first year and it was rough to say the least ! It’s a wonderful accomplishment. Sometimes it’s scary how fast you can move when you put it all on the line and go for it . Be careful about spending and keep healthy reserves held back .despite what gurus teach ive found it’s possible to move too quickly
Realtor · Oakland, CA and a Real Estate Investor with Multi-Family Units and a Self Storage Facility · Member since 2016 · 2k+ posts · 2k+ votes
7y
@Aaron Harren Awesome story man.... and very relatable. Oftentimes people here about so and so who did 100 units in a 100 weeks or a 100 deals in a 100 days and it is completely unrelatable to 99% of the audience. Dig deep and sometimes that many deals that fast does NOT mean they were very profitable.
I’d rather keep doing what I’m doing with buy and hold at a slower but profitable pace then trying to win a “doors” race.
Rental Property Investor · Wahpeton, ND · Member since 2019 · 25 posts · 4 votes
7y
@Aaron Harren
Congrats on the success! Good to see success stories in my neck of the woods. How long were you thinking about doing real estate before diving in headfirst?
Rental Property Investor · Alexandria, MN · Member since 2018 · 45 posts · 44 votes
7y
@Jake Vice 2 of my first four properties were off market deals! Network network network. And a little bit of luck as well. Make contact with realtors to keep you in mind when they hear of opportunities. Drive around neighborhoods looking for that for sale by owner sign. Respond to rental postings on line to see if they want to sell. Be creative!
Rental Property Investor · Alexandria, MN · Member since 2018 · 45 posts · 44 votes
7y
@Kent Clawson thanks for your message! I took out a HELOC on our primary house and have been using that for down payments. Here where I am 25%-30% is required down. If d definitely is the scariest portion I believe. As I am actually financing 100% of all of these properties. But after all is said and done I am cash flowing on all of them anywhere from $100 a door to $200 a door.
Rental Property Investor · Alexandria, MN · Member since 2018 · 45 posts · 44 votes
7y
@Darrin Taylor two of my 4 I purchased off market for below retail and the other two I was able to buy right as I bought “as is” and did some rehad/updating to the properties.
Here I am one month away from my first full year of being a real estate investor/landlord! Last year in Sept. I took a leap and bought my first duplex. Then in Feb. I purchased my second duplex. Two months later I found a 4 unit and picked that one up. Now this month I closed on another duplex. I jumped all in and what a year it has been. It’s been smooth at times and this summer I’ve been on a rollercoaster of issues. Lows and highs but I’m loving it. A bit much at times as I work full time and my wife and I have a 3 yr old and a 7 month old. But I have the drive and determination to keep on going! Now it’s getting harder as I’m out of my down payment money and I have people approaching me with more off market deals. Time to keep learning, networking, and pushing foreword.
Aaron Harren
Just re-read this post, and Man what a story! Very motivating to hear what can legitimately be done by someone who has the "drive and determination to keep on going!" I would love to see you post updates as you find additional opportunities and how you deal with them. Keep up the good work @Aaron Harren!