All Forum Posts by: Berenger Greer

Abad,

As part of due diligence you can request income statements, rent roll, reports from VRBO and AIRBNB as well as an expense report of repairs if they have one. 

You can use AIRDNA for a good estimate for what the units will go for on a daily rate, or you can go to airbnb itself and find similar properties to compare prices to/check their availability for vacancies. 

I usually go the manual wrote to ensure properties are being leased consistently and the area is a good spot for a STR.

Best of luck with the aquisition,

Berenger

 Of course it's okay! I'll send you a message with my contact and we can connect when you're available. 

Thanks,

Berenger.

Sorry you’re dealing with that. Since you already have a court-approved settlement agreement, your next step is to turn that into something enforceable like a judgment if it isn’t already. In Florida, once you have a judgment, you can record it, garnish wages, levy bank accounts, and in some cases place liens on property. If the settlement was just an agreement and not entered as a judgment, you may have to go back to court to get it converted.

Once you have a judgment, you don’t actually need a collection agency that only works with property managers. You can either hire a collections attorney who works on a contingency or hourly basis, or you can handle some of the enforcement yourself through the court system. Many Florida landlords hire local “creditors’ rights” or “collections” attorneys for this exact reason, they can handle wage garnishment paperwork, bank levies, and judgment liens.

As for getting it on their credit report, most individual landlords can’t directly report to bureaus. A collections attorney or agency with reporting capabilities can do that for you. Some landlords also sell the debt to a collections company for pennies on the dollar just to get it reported.

If you want to keep the full amount, I’d start by calling attorneys in Marion County who handle post-judgment enforcement. Search for “Florida judgment collection attorney” and specifically ask if they do wage garnishment and bank levies. If you can garnish, Florida allows you to take up to 25% of disposable income unless the debtor qualifies for certain exemptions.

Sounds like you’ve got a solid spread built in here with both the interest rate bump and the larger down payment. A wraparound mortgage can work in Georgia, but it has to be structured carefully so you don’t trigger legal or title issues.

First, I’d line up a Georgia real estate attorney who’s actually done wrap transactions, I know Bagwell and Associates is a larger firm with lots of experience in this area.. Not every closing attorney or title company will touch wraps, so you want someone who understands seller financing, Subject-To, and the balloon provisions. They can draft or review your wraparound note and security deed so it complies with state law. They can also make sure you handle disclosures properly, especially since there’s still that underlying bank loan.

Paperwork-wise, you’ll need a promissory note and a wraparound security deed that clearly references the underlying debt, plus the correct wrap disclosures for Georgia. There’s no single state-issued “wrap” form, so an attorney is your best bet for getting these right.

On the underwriting side, make sure the buyer’s payment covers your existing debt with room for your desired cash flow, and stress-test it for vacancies or late payments. Since your balloon is just under 10 years, you’ll want to match or slightly shorten the buyer’s balloon so you’re not caught paying off your underlying loan before they pay you off.

If you don’t already have one, I’d start calling investor-friendly attorneys in Atlanta and asking directly, “Have you closed wraparound mortgage deals in Georgia?” You’ll weed out a lot of folks who don’t know the process.I would start with Bagwell and Associates, then work your way down from there. 

Welcome and thank you for your service. One of the easiest ways to start using other people’s money as a beginner is to leverage seller financing or a private lender for part of the deal while you handle the management and value-add side. That way you’re putting in sweat equity and strategy instead of all the capital.

Since you have VA loan eligibility, you could buy a multi-family property up to four units with zero down, live in one unit, and rent the others. The rental income from those units would help cover your mortgage and you'd still be building equity. That's a great way to use OPM because the bank is funding the purchase and your tenants are paying it off.

Personally, I'd leverage the VA loan and figure out what sort of investing you'd like to do. For the most cashflow, you should go straight to a padsplit on a single family, or a househack where you can force appreciation with a remodel. Your first one doesn't have to be a slam dunk off market fixer, but can be your primary home that you purchase under market and wait a year to use that equity for your next project.

Welcome Idris. I’m also based in the Atlanta area and work with a lot of investors here, so I can tell you house hacking ITP, especially on the westside, can be a solid move if you buy in the right pocket. Pay close attention to neighborhood trends street by street because values and rents can change fast here.

For lending, I’d suggest finding a local lender who has experience with investor-friendly loans and understands how to count rental income from a house hack. I personally recommend Jan Wagner with BankSouth, or Barry Butler with Cross Country Mortgage. For contractors, word of mouth is everything. The best ones are often not found on google, as they get enough business from their consistent clients and referrals. You can always check with local real estate investor meetups and you’ll get more reliable referrals than just Googling.

Inspections here can be eye-opening, especially with older westside properties, so definitely hire someone thorough who knows the area’s common issues like older plumbing, foundations, and outdated electrical. Once you find a solid team, you’ll be in a much better position to repeat the process in other markets.

I've sold many house hacks in the Atlanta area, and have purchased many great ones myself. Would be happy to get on the phone and discuss the strategies I have used to become successful. I am an agent/property manager currently based in Smyrna, but I serve the entire metro area. I can definitely get you the contacts you need to get started on the right foot. 

If it were me, I’d use the redemption period to gather information and prepare so you’re ready to move the moment March 2026 hits. I’d start by confirming the exact redemption date with the Pulaski County clerk or tax assessor and making sure I understand what the current owner needs to pay to redeem. I’d also clarify what rights you have before the redemption ends. In the meantime, I’d be documenting the property’s condition with timestamped photos and videos from the street every month or so, and researching surrounding parcels in the county property records to see exactly who owns them and whether there are any easements or restrictions attached to your property.

Given the vandalism, I’d prepare for the possibility of hostility and factor in costs for legal work, eviction if needed, and repairs. I’d also take this time to build a local team — an attorney familiar with tax sales in Giles County, a realtor or property manager who knows the market, and reliable contractors. The goal is to have everything and everyone in place so that when the redemption period ends, you can take immediate and decisive action.

I usually use Jan Wagner with BankSouth or Barry Butler with Cross Country Mortgage 

Helen, 

While I love AI, I am very interested in what it recommends in terms of top investor agents in the area. 

Personally, I've been helping investors from all over the world find investments that fit their model. My approach is strictly by the numbers and making sure we factor in every detail prior to making a deal happen. 

I own 6 properties myself that I follow a creative structure on, as well as owning a property management company that gives me specific insight that other investor agents may lack. I take homes that are split level/have basements, convert each level to its own unit, and lease them out separately. I have helped many investors follow this same strategy and many have had a good amount of success with it. It is a nuanced approach, so it is important to have an agent who has done it before, and knows exactly what to look for when making sure the home you're considering is constructed in a way to make your goals possible. 

I provide all vendors necessary, accurate rental estimates, quotes on all required repairs, as well as on the spot estimates for required work. 

If you want to do mid term style leasing with these, I will recommend Marietta, Smyrna, and Decatur. These areas come with both a multitude of hospitals, corporate offices, schools, and entertainment. Cumming could work well, but is a bit too suburban and you'll risk longer vacancies. The goal is to find areas that fit a variety of needs so you aren't at a loss if there is any shortage of traveling doctors/nurses. 

If you'd like to have a quick 15-30 minute phonecall, I would love to have the opportunity to talk about your goals, explain my process, and seeing if we are a good fit to work together.

I was born and raised in Woodstock, live in smyrna, and have experience all over metro atlanta. 

Thanks, 

Berenger

Shay, 

I specialize in helping investors locate on market as well as off market deals in all of metro Atlanta. I myself am a property manager, investor, as well as investment sales consultant. I am active in real estate as a licensed broker.

I do have a few questions to help with your search:

What style of investing interest you the most? BRRR, long term, short term vacation rentals, turnkey strategy, SFH or MFH?

What is your current budget and goals for this property? 

Did you want something local you can self manage?