All Forum Posts by: E. James Jackson

Hey Scott, welcome!

I think that is a great goal but can always be a little scary. As you have probably heard, building your team and learning from those around you will be key in this journey. I would have probably never started my real estate journey or my CPA practice  if I did not have a team of professionals and mentors around me to fill in the gaps of expertise. Specifically, a real estate agent(who is an investor and works with investors), an accountant or CPA who preferably specializes in real estate (like myself and many others on Bigger Pockets), a good lender who can provide investment loan products, contractors, and a real estate attorney. All of these professions can be found here on Bigger Pockets and will be an important part in helping build your real estate portfolio. Your strategy and goals will affect the impact your "dream team" needs, but generally, that is a good place to start networking. 

I wish you the best of luck, and I think you have a great path ahead. 

Of course! Shoot me an email or schedule a meeting on my website anytime if you have any specific questions or need assistance. I am happy to share my experience working deals with private investors, JV's, and partnerships.

Hey Harry,

I am in a similar position when it comes to investing. When I see posts like this, my first thought is always how complex things can get when you bring in partners. As a CPA, REALTOR, and investor myself, I have seen a lot of different financing structures and helped clients properly execute deals of all shapes and sizes. My funds are tied up in my own real estate business with other partners, but I can still be a partner to your business, as a CPA and real estate finance expert. Let me know if you think this could add value to your real estate business journey! I think you have a great path ahead of you. 

Hey Isaiah, 

1. Yes, for sure! This is a very common practice.

2. This can depend on the lender, loan product, and experience. 

Many lenders will also give you the option to have yourself as the borrower and hold title in the LLC, which is generally what is recommended if you want to avoid the costly terms of a commercial loan. If you have partners, this can be a little more complex, and managing this while trying to uphold the corporate veil can also get difficult. I have seen clients in this situation to set it up as a loan to your business or a loan in proxy to help clearly delineate the difference between you and the business (not legal advice).

I am happy to jump on a call to discuss your situation in more depth so I can provide more specialized advice, as many factors can affect what is most advantageous for you. I hope the general response helps as well.

Hello BP Community. I have been a long-time listener to the BP podcasts and read several books, but just recently I have been getting active in the forums, so I thought I would introduce myself. I have been in real estate since 2020 (kind of.. it actually took my partners and I until 2021 to get our first rental). BiggerPockets helped us build the confidence to actually move past the analysis paralysis. I have since done a short-term rental, several long-term rentals, and built a decent flipping company with my original partners. We also work with investors using private money lending and joint ventures, so if you have any questions about that I have been through it. We primarily work in Alabama metropolitan markets like Mobile, Birmingham, and Huntsville. I am also a licensed REALTOR and Certified Public Accountant working for myself which has helped since my schedule can be flexible at times. I specialize in real estate and helping real estate investors, developers, contractors, and tradespeople achieve their finance, business, and real estate investing goals. I wanted to make this post so that if anyone is looking to collaborate, wants to run through an analysis together, or needs assistance in any way, I am always happy to help. I am an open book and would share any details about my journey in real estate, business, and talk specifics about my deals. You can also see photos of my pets on our website "About Us" page, so I recommend checking that out 100%.  

Ryan,

I came from a similar place when I started out as an investor. I have two partners, and we bought a few rentals and realized our strategy was not scalable. We also realized we could not really refinance either because our interest rates were so low, and we did not price in the interest rate increases (this was back in 2020/2021). We chose to start flipping and dump our profit into the rental business. To fund the flip projects, we would use a combination of some of our remaining funds, HELOCs, hard money loans, and primarily private money loans. I recommend taking inventory of your assets and their performance, your relationships, and skills. This way, you can hone in on what is working and how scaling will work best for you in your area. It sounds like a BRRRR would be a great option, and seeking private capital or hard money would help you fund that. You may also want to look into exiting one of your other positions if your projections are not showing the return you desire, but I would start with leveraging relationships and pulling together a private money fund. If you bring in equity partners, things can get very complex, but I would be happy to schedule a call to talk about that and to help set out a game plan with milestones so you can reach your financial and business goals.

Hello! Personally, I use the following methods:

1. ARV Comps: As a licensed agent in my area, I utilize the MLS and REALTOR Property Resource for Comparative Market Analysis. Depending on your relationship with your agent, you may be able to have them perform this for you. Otherwise, I previously used Zillow filters to pull comparable properties and then applied their price per square foot to my subject property. When searching for comps, I look for properties within 300 square feet, built within the same decade, sold within the last six months, similar finishes, and with the same bed and bath floor plan. While I may not always find properties that meet all these criteria, these are my ideal parameters. In my opinion, After Repair Value (ARV) is the most critical component of deal analysis.

2. Rehab Estimates: Initially, I typically estimated rehab costs based on an average price per square foot, depending on the project's scope. However, my approach has become much more refined with experience. If you have a close relationship with a general contractor (GC), you can also ask for rough estimates based on photos for your initial analysis. Additionally, RSMeans offers books with detailed job costing data, though that might be more detail than necessary for most initial analyses.

3. Profitability: I have established minimum profit thresholds required to pursue a deal, which vary based on the project's size and associated risk. These thresholds will differ for everyone, but for flipping, I consider the timeline, total project cost, and location to assess risk. For higher-risk projects, my minimum profit threshold is 20%; for medium-risk projects (which constitute most), it's 15%; and for fast, easy, low-risk projects, it's 10%. I have a risk matrix spreadsheet that I use to automatically pull the applicable risk premium based on the zip, sqft, timeline, and budget. 

I hope this information is helpful. If you are developing a tool to streamline this process, I would be very interested in discussing how it could work in more depth. As a CPA primarily working with real estate investors, flippers, and developers, I've gained significant insight into needs and preferences regarding deal analysis. Please feel free to reach out anytime if I can be of assistance!

Hello Vijay,

When embarking on your real estate investment journey, I always encourage investors to pose the following questions:

1. What are your ultimate objectives for your real estate investment business?

2. What is the desired timeline for achieving these goals?

3. What is your risk tolerance in this business?

4. How does this fall into my overall financial situation?

These questions will help you establish the appropriate mindset as you seek opportunities and guide your actions in the most effective manner. If you are interested in discussing this further, I am always available to schedule a virtual meeting at your convenience.

Hey Alex,

This depends on how the sales are structured, specifically whether you're doing an installment sale/land contract or just a sale with a promissory note and how you elect to recognize income.

Long story short:

With an installment sale, you recognize the gain proportionally over the term of the contract (IRC Section 453), or you can elect to take it all in one year.

With a land contract, the treatment isusually the same as above.

For a promissory note, it's pretty similar, but interest income is considered ordinary income. If there's a balloon payment, you'll recognize that in the year it is received, so it's not always completely proportional.

This can be a relatively complex topic, but if you'd like, you can schedule a free consultation on my website linked here. I'm a BiggerPockets Pro and run my own CPA practice, specializing in real estate so we should be able to figure this out! I can also share with you a spreadsheet we can use to parcel out the lots, calculate gains, and see what makes the most sense for your situation.