All Forum Posts by: Braden Smith

We have a great investment opportunity for the buy and hold investor! This shotgun double in the Historic Seventh Ward has 2 beds and 1 bath per side with about 840 square feet per side for a total of 1680 square feet. Both sides have off street parking! With some minor touch ups this income producing double is ready to rent right away! The closest rent comps are at $1.10 and $1.13 per square foot so this one would rent for $925 to $950 per side and could rent immediately! Start making rental income now! Give us a call at 504-457-8590 for more info or to schedule a private showing.

Hey @Jonathan Brouk. I'm a local investor and a realtor. I'd be happy to chat with you if you'd like to "pick my brain". I'll send you a colleague request and my cell in a PM.

I get people all the time that give me the line, "Make me an offer". My reply to them is always the same:  "Ok. How about $1?"

Of course they think that is ridiculous and I make a joke about it, but then I tell them something like this:  "Look, if you were to sell I know you have some idea of how much you would want to sell for. I realize you may not have a firm number in mind, or maybe you just aren't sure what is a good offer amount. I'm not trying to get over on you or take advantage of you but Im in business to make money. This is my job. So if you just tell me to make an offer I'm going to make a lowball offer, and every other investor will likely do the same. I know you have some idea so give me a ballpark figure and we will go from there. If I don't have at least a ballpark figure to go off of then there is no way for me to tell if this is even something doable or not and we will just be wasting each others time. I don't want to waste your time, so what range are you thinking?"

I can usually get them to give me a price range, but sometimes they still wont and if that is the case then I just tell them thanks for your time and move on, and I let them know if they come up with a price to let me know and then we can talk. Sometimes they call back within a few days or a couple of weeks, but if 30 or so days go by and I don't hear from them I will give them a follow up call. More times than not these people aren't serious about selling. Anyone who is actually motivated to sell has a number in mind, and they know what their minimum price is.

I second what @James Martin said. Our market in the Greater New Orleans area is completely saturated with investors. We've had the national gurus coming here doing their weekend seminars for several years now and that has created a plethora of rookie and wannabe investors. These are the people bidding too high, paying too much and squeezing margins thinner and thinner. I can't tell you how many times I have bid on a property only to hit my max and back off then check the price it sold for later and see that the buyer paid way too much for a property. I've even spoken to some of the people that bid me out just by a chance meeting and they have told me they are just hoping to make a little money, to break even or just not lose money. These people won't survive in this business. There are always ups and downs in the real estate game. Just ride the wave while you can and stack money. If another crash happens, you'll be prepared to scoop up properties at big discounts! 

Podio has been suggested as it has apps for both realtors and investors.

I'm also considering Realvolve and LionDesk, although both are geared towards realtors.

Awesome work. Good job! Keep taking action and good luck!!

I've thought about doing something similar at garage and estate sales, but have not tried it out as of yet. 

Who out there is both a Realtor and an Investor? 

I do both and I am in the process of combining as much of the two roles as I possibly can. 

I'd like to use one CRM that could handle both roles. Anyone doing this now with some success?

All contracts are assignable in Louisiana unless they state otherwise. The only time I have seen them state that is on some REO properties.

I use Charles F. Muller, CPA. He is located in Metairie.