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All Forum Posts by: Angel R.

Angel R. has started 2 posts and replied 24 times.

Post: What would you do, first time investor from NY?

Angel R.Posted
  • New to Real Estate
  • TX
  • Posts 26
  • Votes 5
Originally posted by @Calvin T.:
Originally posted by @Angel R.:

Hi, guys, I'm from NYC (Brooklyn). I know the NYC market is very expensive for newbies like myself and I feel like I may have to look outside of the city to get started.

I currently make $42k year and have 32k in savings for my first property. My dream is to get a duplex in NY to house hack/ rent out, but I understand this may not be possible due to my income, I have someone that can co-sign for me but their income is only 30k a year that wouldn’t be enough for NY prices, a house owner told me you need at least a 100k income to invest in Brooklyn. Most Duplexes are 800k in Brooklyn. Anyways, I’m not complaining! I’m eager to start investing. I’m tired of saving with so little returns! I wanna invest now that interest rates are low…

I’ve considered buying in Paterson, New Jersey, but I hear taxes there are more expensive than NY, so this leads to my other choice Hazleton, PA. This is a small town in Pennsylvania, 3 hours away from NYC and 2 hours away from Philadelphia, approx. 25,000 residents, the has population has decreased at -0.289% annually. Would you guys buy a cash flow positive property in a market where you haven’t seen big capital gains in the last 30 years?

* My sister lives there and is house hacking a duplex, she’s makes over $500 in profit every month.

Home prices in Hazleton (duplex)
Are around 250k
A Co-op in NY for a two-bedroom apartment is around 280k


Any ideas or feedback would be appreciated. I like that the duplex will give me cashflow. I always look at the larger area that feeds “smaller” towns, too. If I’m able to cashflow & keep the units rented than I think that works. But I’m also afraid because New York is New York.. the appreciation for some homes here is crazy I have a friend that bought a house for 500k in 2012 and he sold it last year for 700k you don’t see that kind of capital gains in Pennsylvania.

I would greatly appreciate you guys opinion, I apologize for the long text I wanted to give as much context as possible.

Thanks in advance,

NYC sucks due to eviction laws.  With your salary, you'd be financially in a bind going through one eviction in NYC.  The big boys are sitting on the sidelines in NYC right now until we know what's the status of this new BS rent law which is driving property costs down; especially in NYC.

Stay out of places outside of a metro area. Good areas to look into are Bridgeport, CT, Stratford, CT, Irvington, NJ (LTH - will be the next area to be revitalized such what Newark, NJ is going through. Hartford, CT, New Haven, CT, Philadelphia, PA, etc.

Are you going to self-manage or will you be hiring a property manager? Stay away from dying towns; especially in rust belt towns. Pittsburgh is fine, but many have missed the boat on that one. It was able to turn itself around. Hazleton is a dying town. If you are not local, it's not worth the headache.

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond @Calvin. I appreciate it.

I will be managing the properties myself, your comment is making me think, I'll do some research into those cities you've shared with me. I like that they all under a two-hour drive from NY.

Hazleton is bittersweet because every time I go there I see my sisters renting their homes and making a profit and many new faces but then again I could be biased. 

I just wanna make the best choice... I come from very low beginnings can't afford to mess this up.

Post: What would you do, first time investor from NY?

Angel R.Posted
  • New to Real Estate
  • TX
  • Posts 26
  • Votes 5

Thank you guys I appreciate the input! 

Post: What would you do, first time investor from NY?

Angel R.Posted
  • New to Real Estate
  • TX
  • Posts 26
  • Votes 5
Originally posted by @Scott Wolf:

@Angel R. would moving to Hazelton impact your job?  Do you work remotely?  

Great question! I forgot to mention that, yes I work completely remotely I'm a small business owner.

Post: What would you do, first time investor from NY?

Angel R.Posted
  • New to Real Estate
  • TX
  • Posts 26
  • Votes 5

Hi, guys, I'm from NYC (Brooklyn). I know the NYC market is very expensive for newbies like myself and I feel like I may have to look outside of the city to get started.

I currently make $42k year and have 32k in savings for my first property. My dream is to get a duplex in NY to house hack/ rent out, but I understand this may not be possible due to my income, I have someone that can co-sign for me but their income is only 30k a year that wouldn’t be enough for NY prices, a house owner told me you need at least a 100k income to invest in Brooklyn. Most Duplexes are 800k in Brooklyn. Anyways, I’m not complaining! I’m eager to start investing. I’m tired of saving with so little returns! I wanna invest now that interest rates are low…

I’ve considered buying in Paterson, New Jersey, but I hear taxes there are more expensive than NY, so this leads to my other choice Hazleton, PA. This is a small town in Pennsylvania, 3 hours away from NYC and 2 hours away from Philadelphia, approx. 25,000 residents, the has population has decreased at -0.289% annually. Would you guys buy a cash flow positive property in a market where you haven’t seen big capital gains in the last 30 years?

* My sister lives there and is house hacking a duplex, she’s makes over $500 in profit every month.

Home prices in Hazleton (duplex)
Are around 250k
A Co-op in NY for a two-bedroom apartment is around 280k


Any ideas or feedback would be appreciated. I like that the duplex will give me cashflow. I always look at the larger area that feeds “smaller” towns, too. If I’m able to cashflow & keep the units rented than I think that works. But I’m also afraid because New York is New York.. the appreciation for some homes here is crazy I have a friend that bought a house for 500k in 2012 and he sold it last year for 700k you don’t see that kind of capital gains in Pennsylvania.

I would greatly appreciate you guys opinion, I apologize for the long text I wanted to give as much context as possible.

Thanks in advance,