All Forum Posts by: Cindy Szponder

The woman who owns Armadillo Property Management used to have a property management class that she offered. Try calling her to see if she still offers that course. She might also be able to share information on how many doors you can manage before needing to hire help. I'm sure a lot depends on how much technology you are using to manage the properties, auto-payments, accounting, etc.

As an investor and Realtor in Northern Colorado, I can help you make your investing goals a reality. Call me at 970-980-3540 to discuss your goals and we can see if we're a good fit.

All the best,

Cindy Szponder, MBA/MMIS, Realtor, Investor

Garnet Realty Group

I know that for my investor (buy and hold) buyers, it's just a matter of persisting. We've had really good luck pursuing properties that have some type of contingency that is hard for the typical buyer. 

For example, on one property, the seller needed extreme flexibility with the close date--faster is not always better by the way--so that they could have time to find their next property. They also wanted a longer lease back period. That worked fine for my buyers (who always use mortgages) and we were able to get the property even though they weren't the highest offer. 

We make many offers before one gets accepted and are frequently competing with up to 20 other offers. Persistence pays and so does keeping an eye out for that seller with conditions difficult for the typical buyer.

p.s.--My buyers typically never waive the inspection objection and will sometimes waive the appraisal objection. It's possible to win the deal even with longer closing times, a mortgage involved, and contingencies even in a hot market like ours.

As an investor myself, I enjoy working with fellow investors to help them find the perfect first/next investment property. I work in the Northern Colorado area and would like to discuss your investing goals with you. 

I'm also offering a copy of my free report, How to Avoid 8 Dumb Mistakes Even Smart Investors Make. Just call/text me at 970-980-3540 or send me an email at [email protected] and I'll be sure to get a copy out to you right away. 

I look forward to hearing from you and to seeing if working together is right for both of us.

All the best,

Cindy Szponder, MBA/MMIS, Realtor, Listing Specialist

Garnet Realty Group

970-980-3540

[email protected]

I agree with JD Martin. My first thought was how easily those counters will get chipped and cracked. We have laminate in our rental and it's held up just fine. It's coming to the end of its useful life and will probably switch out when the current renters move out--they've been there going on 4 years and may stay for a long time yet. When it's time for a switch, I'd consider going with laminate again. Will also consider composite and granite depending on cost comparison. On an apartment fix and flip we participated in, it turned out that granite was cheaper than any other surface--but that was 101 units. We also participated in an apartment/commercial property new build and again the granite was the cheapest option.

I agree with @Jay Hinrichs. Start with a good local hard money lender--one that is willing to teach you about deal evaluation. It will provide an extra layer of protection for your funds. Our first venture into private lending would make many people cringe and we were very fortunate that the individual we were working with didn't just make off with our money. We've learned a lot since then and fortunately it was not through expensive "learning errors." I'd also recommend that you learn/keep your ears open for PPM (private placement memorandum) opportunities through people that you know and trust. We hear about these opportunities on occasion and they have been a great passive way to invest in large projects that we wouldn't have the chance to otherwise. We participated in the rehab of a 101 unit apartment building through owning PPM shares and are currently invested in a new build mixed use building through a PPM. These opportu

Welcome @Michael Babb. You'll find a lot of support here from like-minded individuals. Take advantage of the free training offered on BiggerPockets and remember to utilize the software under the tools tab.

Hi Scott,

I'm with you. This seems a little crazy. Up north we have the IRES MLS and I'm able to be a member of the MLS whether I joined a board or not. There is a discount if you belong to a board. We receive a consumer-facing website included in our MLS fee. Depending on what they cover, training on how to access and best use the local MLS can be worth it. Here, I'm able to choose which trainings I want to attend so that I can learn about topics of interest. Will be interested to see what response you get from Denver-based agents about the MLS down there.

Cindy

@Jennifer Slaughter that good deals are hard to find. You'll have to do a bit of digging and exercise some persistence.

Off topic, but if you're married, see if having your spouse become qualified as a real estate professional in conjunction with your investing business would help your tax situation. It requires a certain number of hours of direct involvement in real estate activities each year. Check with your CPA/Lawyer.