All Forum Posts by: Doug St. John

How about the BiggerPockets calculators? https://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investment-calculator

Would you recommend a 5+ unit property then if you don't have the conventional down payment for a 4- unit?

I've done well finding properties in the past. My last 3 are buy and hold and cash flow positive. The issue is that I have no examples of how investor deals are structured so I don't have a good starting point and I'd be shooting in the dark setting up that arrangement.

How does the strategy change if you only can find good rental properties at 200k+?

I'm in my late 20s and have invested my own money in a few buy and hold properties that are profitable. I'm curious how you'd suggest structuring future RE investments with family or friend money... Flat rate of return? A percentage of profits?

I've always invested my own money but would like to continue investing in RE now without having to wait while I save up money.

29 years old. I lean towards buying and holding or long-term remodel and sell.

Set aside $50k in a safe investment and then:

1) Buy a duplex that I can live in and remodel one side and rent the other.

2) Buy 5 condos in an industrial area near downtown Denver which will be the hottest real estate area for the next 5 years. I'd rent them for awhile and then refi to get cash for other projects.

3) Buy and hold a few profitable 2-4 unit properties

4) Save a little cash for emergencies and for investing after the next market crash

How much of your success do you attribute to 1) being in the right place at the right time due to the recession and real estate market crash 2) your location in Cincinnati, Ohio with very low housing prices and many distressed properties.

I'm 29 and have bought and held 3 properties in California and Colorado and the money doesn't go quite as far.

I would disagree on CO not cash flowing. I just purchased a duplex in 2014 that is 5 miles west of downtown Denver in and it is highly profitable, ~$1800 expenses and ~$3400 in rent. Rental rates in Denver are going up.

The market is very competitive though. Housing prices are going up fast. Houses are selling in days at over asking price. There are plenty of multi-unit properties in Lakewood/Arvada for investing.