All Forum Posts by: Brent Barnes

Thanks for the proof of concept, Joshua! I just got an audible membership to start with this plan!

Hello, everybody!

I've made the decision to become a real estate investor. I'm still in the learning/education stage, but I hope to buy my first property within a year.

I am also going into my third year of being a full-time middle school teacher. I love my job, and I enjoy doing my best to be a positive role-model and educator for my students. However, I try to be an engaging and enthusiastic teacher, which takes a lot of energy, and I find it hard to leave my work at work and leave the mental baggage at school. Because I care so much and try so hard, I find myself feeling physically and mentally exhausted at the end of the day. Once I take my dog for a walk, play with him, do some cleaning, and sit down to eat dinner, I'm usually brain dead for the day! However, I know there are single parents and other extraordinary cases out there that made their dreams happen despite their circumstances!

I would love to hear from other people who have full-time jobs, who used to work full-time, or people who had other tough circumstances and how they were able to find or create the energy that they needed to pursue their REI dreams. I'm not sure if it's a mindset matter of wanting it bad enough, or maybe there is a physical remedy like exercising more often?

Any tips, tricks, mindset shifts, or other personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you :)

@J Scott, I'm honored to have your response! Thank you! That makes a lot of sense though. I'll definitely start with your book.

In your professional opinion, would it be appropriate for me to ask another investor/house flipper if I could come along to get more experience with estimating such functional and aesthetic costs?

@David Robertson, wow! That's so much info to get started with. Thank you, thank you! My next step will definitely be getting that book.

I haven't yet met up with any investors in my area, but I think I may be able to get in contact with a few. Do you think they'd be willing to let me tag along or help them find/analyze deals? I feel like that would let me get a lot of practice while I'm saving!

Hello!

I'm still in the phase of saving money and getting my REI education. My goal is to make my first deal on a house hack within a year! While I'm learning, I'd love to start analyzing deals so that I'm ready to pull the trigger when the time comes. However, I feel very overwhelmed by calculating all of the expenses required to accurately analyze a deal. As I've heard the math and the numbers are perhaps one of the most important aspects of this REI business, I'd love to get great at this!

I have a property that I'm trying to analyze, and I'm wondering if someone could walk me through what goes on in their mind when it comes to estimating rehab costs by looking at an MLS listing.

Realtor.com Link to Potential Property

Additional Questions:

Would you even calculate it yourself or call a contractor immediately? 

What resources do you recommend for estimating rehab costs? (I'm thinking the BP Book on Estimating Rehab Costs)

Is this supposed to be a quick process? Or does it eventually become quicker after you really assess many properties?

Any insight would be GREATLY appreciated, thank

@Danny Lambert, thanks for the recommendations! I'm currently reading "The Book on Rental Property Investing" and trying to figure out which of their books I should move on to next!

@Cherie Gatling, thanks so much! I wish you the best as well :)

@Anthoney Hanks, thank you for being so welcoming! How long have you been in the real estate business for?

@Justin Windham, thank you! I've been getting into the podcast, but I haven't checked it the blog yet. I'll definitely get on that.

@Cassidy Burns

Thanks, Cassidy! That's also great information to know. How were you able to figure that out about Harrisonburg if you don't mind me asking?