All Forum Posts by: Dan DiFilippo

Where are you looking?

America is really like 5 different countries and even within those the real estate markets vary dramatically.

Easy.  You can use the reverse backdoor method.  Which is to say you reverse your digits and then you back into your number.  So 48 becomes 84.  But then, remember, we reversed our digits to start out so now they're reversed and we have to go back so we add the digits of 27 together to get 9.  And then we subtract from 84 and we get 75.  Simple.

The alternative method, obviously, is the de-reversed compound sum method.  In which you add 2 and 7 (the digits of 27) to 27 itself so you get 36.  That's your front sum.  Then you reverse that to get 63.  From there you add the sum of the digits of 48 (4 + 8 = 12).  So 12 is your back sum.  Then you add them together to get 63 + 12 = 75.

You guys don't remember these?  I cannot stress enough how important good math is in real estate.

@Randall Re II without knowing the laws of your state, did they misrepresent? Or did they simply fail/decline to disclose? Because the latter may be legal, whereas I can't imagine any way in which the former could be legal.

Hey, @Kevin Morrison!  My team specializes in investor real estate here in Fayetteville.  Grayson was right.  Definitely lower historical price appreciation, though I don't anticipate that continuing.  In fact, I think that we are in the early innings of a firm and sustained tailwind due to an array of macroeconomic and social factors.  Happy to discuss it further, if you like.

@Kyle J. Laws and levies lead to losses.

@Jeff Castro why didn't your property manager do something about this?

@A Schwartz we're somewhat lower-lying than you guys up in Raleigh, but we don't have that much in flood zones. Properties that back up to or are otherwise quite close to a moving water feature, sure. But I don't know, for example, of any subdivisions that are 50%+ in flood zones. Maybe one. Unless you're east of the Cape Fear River, you won't find many large tracts of flood land, if any at all.

@Jane S. Have worked as a property manager before. Never do that. There's just no need. Take your time returning it to them. And require a forwarding address to which you tell them that you will mail it. Don't let them tell you how things are done.

@Axel Meierhoefer I don't see the issue as long as your financial goals are being met.

It's important to keep in mind the population here on Bigger Pockets. I've always described this forum as being full of guys I like to call "The Bro Investor". The archetype being a young guy (25-35) tired of the 9-5 and wanting to achieve financial freedom. But if you come to the table with less than $50,000 in the bank, there isn't much that's available in REI that's immediately profitable and throws off cash. Especially not given the contractionary economic undercurrents we find ourselves in over the last decade or so. As a result, there's this gripping need to squeeze every last drop of return out of the capital.

But if you have serious money, it becomes a little different. There are only so many investment opportunities out there that don't require a tremendous time investment. And even if you could get a linear return in dollars for your time invested, not all dollars are equal. Your bottom dollar is more valuable to you than your most recent dollar. And your most recent dollar is more valuable to you than your next dollar.

This isn't to say that you're absurdly rich or that everyone else here is extremely broke. But it is to say that real estate investing is expensive and a family that is even able to save $20-25k/year is going to probably feel like turn-key properties (or even just vacant rent-ready properties) don't advance their capital position at a fast enough pace to feel like it's worth it.

Food for thought. PM's open; this is a favorite topic of mine.

@Ravi Ramphal you're right that there are too many people, but I don't think that means don't do it.

There are a lot of people on here who aren't serious, but if you are actually looking at deals and you are realistic about underwriting them and you understand the costs and revenues and you still want to proceed, then proceed.