All Forum Posts by: Ben Kevan

So,

I've been working on coming up with an LLC name. The first choice was to use my first and last initials. I wrote them out and came back with:
BK Properties LLC

Really? BK, come on :(.

Maybe with my middle initial BLK Properties (But even then, Black Properties?).

:oops:

After looking at your profile and understanding that you own and manage multi-unit complexes, my biggest worry would be for migration of the bed bugs.

I think the best thing to do is send a newsletter to your tenants about bed bugs, and prevention tips.

Are bed bugs a problem in your area (regionally)?

I'm a pretty avid investor and the only stocks I'm comfortable with right now are mREITs because I KNOW that the government will keep rates low until 2013.

On the other hand, I've been doing the gold / silver thing for several years now, including buying gold from people from 50 to 70% the current melt price at the time of purchase.

The stock market right now is crazy. But if QE3 comes along, it's time to BUY BUY BUY.

I have a pretty dire outlook for the US right now also, thanks to the politics and the shift to majority that require subsidized living. It's plain and simple OUR TAXES ARE TOO HIGH.

50% of current melt price? if you want to turn it around, I'll buy it from you at 70% of current melt.

I've recently acquired a bit of gold, and love the asset. I'm loving it even more now that the government can't stop spending.

I've been on the silver bandwagon since it was in the early teens also. Don't know when I'll sell out, I think it's pretty (I get it melted into bars).

Right now I save about 1200 / month from my primary source of income, and I can tell you, it still doesn't feel like enough when it comes to starting out in real estate investing.

That type of area do you live in? Are there duplexes? What's the average price for housing?

But like Matt Tracy said, you could look for a duplex / triplex, live in 1 unit and rent the rest.

I suggest you be honest, but within you legal obligations of your non-disclosure.

I personally would disclose the lease length, the fact that he's always had payments, and that there is a little evidence of damage beyond wear and tear.

I agree with J Scott on all fronts.

I expect them to remove the MID on Secondary+ / Vacation homes.

For my primary residence I didn't factor in the MID because of possibilities of removal.

As I posted in G+, the issues are around their platform, which is not expandable. I could see going public with a base company, that would use the money raised by Z IPO to develop / deploy other niches. But, this was a single product IPO of Zillow, and not for a parent company.

Here's what I said on G+:
Google was profitable when they went public, they also had a better platform for expansion, which is clearly seen now.

P can't expand out much, it's a genomic based media platform.

LinkedIn can't expand much without breaking it's "professional" status.

Zillow has seen traffic sky rocket because of people looking for crazy deals, wondering if their property values are dropping, or people that consider their primary residence as their primary investment. Now as more people rent, and fewer own, this want to know "how much its worth" will go down, and when the housing market isn't one of the top news items, will it still attract the same amount today?

The difference between Google and the above is Niche and Expand-ability. We are on Google+ commenting not on Pandora+, LinkedIn+ or Zillow+ right?

I'm no Warren Buffet, but I've made some good (and bad) trading decisions in my time. I have, however, recently shifted some of that money into Real Estate (primary residence and 2 duplexes).

Here's some interesting stats of them:
http://siteanalytics.compete.com/linkedin.com+pandora.com+zillow.com/

I work full time (40+ hours), I do REI on the side, and my 4yr old son currently plays Hockey and does Karate.

Down time is a REQUIREMENT, even if it's several hours on a single day without any technology etc.

Typically it's a hike w/ a picnic just to enjoy life. Enjoying life is why we work hard, right?

There are 2 James Vermillion, which one is you? :o).

You can add me:
https://plus.google.com/112058360297983945397/about