All Forum Posts by: Christina R.

Thanks in advance for all replies.

I have family in San Antonio and a person we know is considering liquidating a property in order to obtain duplex in another city. The property is a 2/1 SFH in the 600 block of Sterling. It is currently rented with a one year lease for $650 a month, property mgmt in place. Using "rules" and cap rates, etc., and all the good stuff I've learned from BP, I have a good idea of what I should pay for it to make it a profitable investment over the longterm.

My questions are more to the property location, potential rental pool (military?  straight market or subsidized?, etc), is this a cash-flow only area or is their the potential for appreciation, etc.,  and if people can give me their thoughts on the area.  Clearly the seller has his/her opinions to it - looking for feedback from those in San Antonio who can share their thoughts without bias.

I will do Google searching tonight when I get home but if anyone knows of internet resources to use to check out San Antonio properties, I'd appreciate the information. We have a free website up here in MD that shows MLS listed and solds with listing pictures, etc., and a lot of data one would expect in the MRIS . .. which allows one to essentially run their own comps pretty effectively.

Again, thanks in advance!

you have to disclose no later than the first face-to-face meeting with a prospective client that you are a real estate agent.  If you hang your license with a broker, you are a real estate agent.  That means you must put it on your marketing materials. If i hang my license now and someone calls me off my mail campaign from the past 6 months, I need to get it out within the first few minutes that I'm a licensed agent.  Fiduciary duty. 

@Matthew Smith 

 thanks for your service to our wonderful, beautiful country.  I would love to hear about your journey into real estate as you are definitely on a good pace per what you mentioned in our OP.   Many good REIAs and Meetups, as metioned above. 

My personal fave is the Baltimore Washington Investors Meetup

http://www.meetup.com/bwimeetup

Meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month in Columbia and it's FREE.  Hope to see you this month.

I, like Anil, just passed the prelicensing class and also am debating hanging the license. One of the main reasons I'm up in the air about it is because it's required to disclose you are an agent/your broker afflilation on all marketing pieces.

@Steve Olson 

 in addition to the names given above, @Tyrus Shivers has become licensed in the timebetween his posting on this thread and now.  He knows Baltimore and is excellent with communicating in a timely fashion.

how does this work for investors who do not have access to capital to close each deal and who may be wholesaling because they have minimal amounts of cash to work with - with most of it being used to market to find deals.

@Nicole A. 

 invests in the county too and she can give you great insight

attend some REIAs and meetups in the area and start networking.

Baltimore REIA

MAREIA

Real Deal Meetup

Baltimore Washington Investors Meetup

Google any of the above.

Looks like you have a good contact to start with in @Isa Glover .  If you are in straight city limits you are most likely looking at a buy and hold for cash-flow.  don't bank on any appreciation. check your crime rates, make sure you vet your tenants to the nth degree and have a property manager manage.   What did your family there have to say about the city and real estate possibilities?

@Tyrone Little 

I responded to a lady who posted about a property on the MLS on Franklin Street in Reading, not to long ago. My grandparents lived there (Reading) and my mother grew up there (she is now almost 73 so we are talking a WHOLE different world there when she was coming up). We still visit relatives in Laureldale, etc., and occasionally drive by her childhood rowhome.  Emphasis on occasionally because it's quite depressing to see what's become of that area. 

That being said, it's like any city where you can find the gems if you sift through.  Be very careful and you DEFINITELY need to attend some meetups or REIAs in that area so you can align yourself with the successful investors who are working there - hopefully they'll be as willing to share and educate as the groups I've found down here in the Baltimore area. 

That is the ONLY way, in my opinion, that you won't end up in a horrible investment situation.  The lady that posted, me and many others advised her to run, not walk, from what she thought was a reasonable first-time rehab job.