All Forum Posts by: Marc Freislinger

I used www.realestateexpress.com for Florida and found it pretty easy to get through. If you pass the practice exams with 90%+ you should have no problem on the state/national exams. Florida is one of the tougher states I've done, though, so I would study up a bit if you're passing in the 70's or 80's. 

I've never had the experience of adding a second story, but I imagine there'd be quite a bit of engineering involved, making sure the existing footers are strong enough.

Prices vary greatly by region, so your best option may be to call some local contractors and see if they'll give you a price/sf estimate for both items. In my area, I could build from the slab up for $55-65/sf depending on finishes and if you save any existing structure.

Welcome to BP @Paul Alvitre! There is lots of great information to be acquired here!

Flipping is hot in Phoenix right now, so there are dozens of hard money lenders looking for good investments. There is even one or two that do owner-occupied loans, if you're looking to go that route. Check out BP's list to start.

I think this depends entirely on your market. If homes are sweeping off the shelves, there's no reason to waste the money. If you're in a slower market, I've seen anywhere from $1,000 to an extra 1% generate interest. 

I'm interested if others have had success with this, though, and I'm curious what people think of the ethics involved on the buyer's agent side. 

Man, I'm in trouble. I haven't worn a real pair of shoes in years. Flip flops go well with everything!

 I'm pretty sure all Michael Westen advice is good advice :)

@Account Closed - I imagine you could. It really depends on how you want to find your deals. If you're able to locate great deals on the MLS, put them under contract, then wholesale via a website or buyers list, it would be fairly easy. Another option would be to purchase at trustee or tax sale, and sell the same way.

If you're marketing directly to homeowners, it would be a lot more difficult. Most people selling this way want to be very comfortable that they're not being taken advantage of, and you're going to need to build rapport.

However, I don't think you really need to hide your age. If you're confident and knowledgeable, people will respect that you've gotten as far as you have at your age, and it won't be a major drawback. 

If you were obligated to share it, he wouldn't have had to ask. I assume he was trying to be a good agent and help his client save a little bit of money. You're well within your rights to say no, and the other buyer should probably have their own done anyway if it's been that long. 

I think I need you to bring me deals if you can find $100k homes that will flip for 340k.


Really though, I've had the same moral dilemma. But I think as long as everyone is clear on their intentions, and the seller's are satisfied with the deal, there's not much else you can do to keep a clear conscience. 

Welcome to BiggerPockets. You'll find the valley real estate market is quite hot!