All Forum Posts by: Connor Anderson

I would echo what others have said. Even though it is a family using a title company or real estate attorney will ensure that everything is filed correctly and that you end up with a free and clear title. I think this is especially important with family since someone down the road might claim this home as part of their inheritance, and they could have a solid claim if you do not have a clear title at the end of the transaction.

HI Alexandra! Welcome to BiggerPockets and the world of real estate investing! I was in your shoes when I first started, a young college student motivated but not sure what to do.

First you should spend the next 1-2 years in education and personal finance mode. I highly suggest books like Set for Life and House Hacking Strategies along with the Real Estate Rookie Podcast and BiggerPockets Money Podcast for this. 

After that start with buying one House Hack a year for a few years time. It is the best way to start out in real estate investing. Continue to educate yourself in this time as well but on bigger potential projects.

Once you have a few house hacks honestly the world is your oyster! You can go in any direction you want with your life and your investment career!

Best of luck and do no hesitate to reach out, I invest and work as an agent all over West Michigan.

HI @Xavier Begerow Welcome to BP! I invest and work as an agent all over West Michigan. I would be happy to chat a little real estate investing any time.

Van Ed and Aceable Agent I have heard are good options. I did not like the course I took, Holloway Institute, so I would not recommend that. 

Hi Kandice - Yout best bet is connecting with a strong investor friendly agent who can get you set up on an MLS feed, but also may have pocket listings. I provide this for my clients, but I do not operate on the east side.

If you would like I can connect you to a great agent in your area.

Hi Emily - House hacking is a great strategy and in my opinion the best place to start out. 

As for your question about being able to get a loan with you bankruptcy that is a question I would ask a lender directly. The credit unions in Grand Rapids are ok but since they do some many other things in addition to mortgages I have found that they oftentimes are not the best resource for people in unique situations.

I would recommend you reach out to a mortgage provider such as Treadstone Mortgage in Grand Rapids to see what they would advise you to do.

Hi Madison - Welcome to the real estate game! There are a number of ways you can gain experience in real estate with little money. 

One opportunity would be to see if you parents would consider helping you buy a home in East Lansing for you to live in and then rent out to your friends! This way you learn a lot about what it looks like being a landlord. 

Another way is to work with a property management company and help them with their leasing. 

What I wish I would have done in college is actually find a successful agent in my area and help them out with showing and prospecting. This is a great way to learn more about real estate and investing.

If you are looking for any other suggestions or direction on who the best agents in EL are, let me know! 

Hi Matthieu - Michigan is the place to be and house hacking is the best strategy to start out! I house hack with my girlfriend right now and it is working out great. You have a good strategy and I look forward to hearing how you get along. Best of luck and do not hesitate to reach out to me as a fellow house hacker and investor savvy agent! 

Hi Brandon - I have a great lender that can do the 10% down lown for a second home, there are of course some restrictions on how often you are supposed to spend time in the home v. how much time you can rent it out. 

Let me know if you would like me to connect you with the lender!

For those of you who know about the Muskegon Michigan market, you of course know about the strong price to rent ratio. I have been looking at a lot of deals both for myself and clients and just about all of them need work done in some sort of fashion.

Does anyone out there have experience with working with good handymen or contractors? In Grand Rapids, a good one is hard to come by since they are generally booked. 

Would love some insights and recommendations.