All Forum Posts by: Douglas Christian

Totally agree Mike. Never rent back to the tenant who has lived in the property, under any circumstance. Get the discount and if you want to help them, then put a deposit down on a house or a apartment.

It jeopardizes you if something were to go wrong and you then try and evict them, now they can claim that you worked something out with them and that will not look good on you.

Keep it simple, if you get the short sale done, at least you save there credit from being trashed.

Go to your locale REIA group and pose the question and I am sure someone there can and will lead you to your answer.

No I just send the postcard and they will call you. It it called TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCES. Just like todays market many are bowing out because they can not get the financing or can not get the deals that they think that they should get. Well people when they have a need will call someone, you just have to be ready to take the call.

No Terry this one I USUALLY charge for, but for you it is free. I have a post card that I send out, but it says the same thing. I never let the owner know that they have been cited for violations, this way you get the truth or everything that's in between. The owner once they know that you know then there attitude will change. Let them think that you are contacting them just to buy the property. Then once you think that you have agreed upon a price ask them if there are any code violations or other liens on the property.

For Terry and Jeff. Code violation officers do all the work for you. They get paid to go and site properties that are vacant and abandoned or blyted. This is a resource that many people do not use because so many are getting in the game the wrong way.

There are many ideas out there that can benefit you, but think of it this way, they start at 8 or 9 and they drive neighborhoods and find those houses that you can not or that you have overlooked. They will have a list of addresses or be able to tell you which streets to go on and take a look at.

Very nice way to have someone else doing the job that you are trying to do.

Terry I use postcards. Nothing else, most homeowners do not have time to open a letter they get bombarded with mail so I have used postcards all of my career and got great results.

If I send out 100 postcards I will get 18-25 reponses and that is every month.

In fact I am headed to a home now that I just got a call from one of my post cards.

See you later with the results.

If you are able to purchase a home with CASH, I would recommend that you go this route. This way you cut out all the fees and extra hassle. If you are not able to pay cash then partner with someone and pay them back after the property has been rehabbed.

Now properties are cheap and you can get CASH propeties for 15k-30k in Cash flowing markets and that is where you want to be if you are buying and holding.

Many are trying to say that one area is better than another, well I am here to say that if it cash flows $200-$300 a month like I am doing then you are in the right market.

Since I have created a pretty SOUND porfolio of buy and hold properties.

My goal would be to HELP someone in need as far as buying and understanding what real estate investing is all about.

Take time out of my life to share with someone else in need.

Good to have you Todd. We meet again, you sent me a email about my truck. I am in Charlotte, which is about 1 and 15 mins from Greensboro. I invest in Rowan County which is even closer. I am only about 45 min from you. If I come across deals in that area I will surely send them your way.

This is a GREAT market and area. Anyone looking for something PM me and I can help you.

Curt everyone is entitled to there opinion and that is just what it is. Because on the reverse of that, I have and am buying properties in the Detroit area.

As you stated look at how they bought and where they bought. You must know the area and I DO.

Not going to be argumentative about this, it is just like if you listen to enough people you can come up with a lot of area including yours.

Just wanted to let everyone know, that if you have not done investing, this is where you would want to start. It is better to UNDERPAY and be able to get a renter or OVERPAY and find yourself strapped for CASH.

Well that is my take on the Detroit or any other city that is going through transition. Those are the cities where you need to be going to invest if YOU ARE A TRUE INVESTOR.

Agree with advice already given, would like to add this to it. Being in Cali does make it difficult, because of the market still adjusting, many of the properties are still way overpriced. There really isn't any cash flow.

You have to tap into other markets and link buyers and sellers together. You must become creative and if nothing else you must learn the real estate game completely. You have to sell yourself and no one can do that better than you can.