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All Forum Posts by: Doug Merriott

Doug Merriott has started 5 posts and replied 251 times.

Post: SOFTWARE Tampa Bay Area

Doug MerriottPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Tierra Verde, FL
  • Posts 276
  • Votes 130

@Zamir Kazi Thank you so much. True Rent looks pretty cool. We use Buildium for my Property Management office, but I hate it. 

Post: SOFTWARE Tampa Bay Area

Doug MerriottPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Tierra Verde, FL
  • Posts 276
  • Votes 130

Don't put the cart before the horse. I can understand the desire to want everything in place before you pick up the phone but software should be tried in your business before you fall in love. Some of the smartest guys I know still scribble rent payments on the manila folder the lease lives in.

Podio is nice, I would like to develop a PM module for it. I think it is powerful enough.

If you search Podio on BP Blogs you will find awesome ways others are using it to automate their business. For example: http://www.biggerpockets.com/renewsblog/2014/10/18/7-intuitive-tech-tools-to-streamline-wholesaling-business/ 

Post: New investor in Tampa, FL area

Doug MerriottPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Tierra Verde, FL
  • Posts 276
  • Votes 130

Hi @Jennifer Talcott You just missed our most recent meeting, that was Sunday. Hopefully we see you on the 8th of February.

Tampa REIA is this evening at the Doubletree on Rocky Point. Cocktails at 6:00 and the meeting starts at 7:00.

Post: He wants to hold the note...he said make an offer. Here are the #'s what offer would you make if any??

Doug MerriottPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Tierra Verde, FL
  • Posts 276
  • Votes 130

Start at $25k, find the price that will work for him. Add $2k to the price and wholetail it out.

Post: Investor Meetings in Tampa or surrounding areas

Doug MerriottPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Tierra Verde, FL
  • Posts 276
  • Votes 130

So, stop being a slacker and come see me on Sunday!

Post: 6 month summer rental condo, Tampa, fl

Doug MerriottPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Tierra Verde, FL
  • Posts 276
  • Votes 130

@Robert Curls is correct. The 6 month lease would be subject to a 12% hotel tax. You can generally charge this to the occupant, however the bigger question is; will the association allow the short term rentals. 

Post: Florida investors

Doug MerriottPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Tierra Verde, FL
  • Posts 276
  • Votes 130

Hey Robert!

Welcome to Bigger Pockets.

There is plenty of information here to get you going. Our area is chock full of resources as well.

I hope to see you around.

Doug

Post: Deciding between Keller Williams and HER

Doug MerriottPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Tierra Verde, FL
  • Posts 276
  • Votes 130

KW is a brokerage by agents, for agents. You will come to discover the 20% in the office doing 80% of the transactions and that is where you will find your guidance. The Agent Leadership Council will also be another good resource so that there should always be someone available to help you. With KW's top-notch training you will be off and running before you know it.

THIS IS ONLY MY OPINION. Being in Florida I have never heard of HER.

One area you may really want to consider is the broker's opinion or the impact they will have on your investing. Do they find it favorable or distracting. KW should be supportive, but not every broker is. HER also does property management, if this fits your long-term income strategy just know that very few KW offices do PM.

Post: Section 8 & Late Payment Fees

Doug MerriottPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Tierra Verde, FL
  • Posts 276
  • Votes 130

Train your tenants, do not let them train you.

His portion of the rent is $20. If he does not have that at 5:00 pm tomorrow then what he should have is a 3 Day notice to pay or quit.

Post: Mmmm...I love the smell of Newbie in the morning!

Doug MerriottPosted
  • Residential Real Estate Agent
  • Tierra Verde, FL
  • Posts 276
  • Votes 130

@Mark J. that is quite an introduction. I would scarcely call you the George Costanza of investing if you were smart enough to convert your basement to a 2/1 to rent out. That is smart and excellent "house hacking" as @Brandon Turner likes to call it. 

Tampa is an interesting place. Even though I live in Clearwater it still seems like it is so far away. There seem to be a lot of pockets of cool places to invest. 

I hope to meet you at some of the local REIA meetings. I will be hosting one this weekend, pm me for details, it is on Sunday so if ESPN is in your top 3 on your browser you may not be able to attend.