All Forum Posts by: Jason Unrath

@Christopher Blanco This is very helpful information.  Thank you!

@Arthur Hebda I absolutely agree with that sentiment.  I certainly don't want to waste anyone's time on a project that may or may not be doable depending on the amount of work that needs to be done.  I'm reading J Scott's Book on Estimating Rehab Costs now.  Unfortunately, nothing beats real experience, though.

I'm a newbie investor in Montgomery County, PA looking for a general contractor that I can start working with on a regular basis.  I'm interested in working on fix and flip projects right now.  All inquiries and recommendations are welcome.  Thanks.

I found a local house I'd like to flip for my first investment, but have a few questions before I do:

1) I've never worked with a hard money lender before.  It's looking like I may need to in order to afford the property and rehab.  Should I find a lender who will pre-approve me for a loan (as of today, I can only estimate rehab costs based on online listing photos)?  Or wait until I have walked through the property to get a better sense of the rehab needed?

2) Can I legally (I'm in PA) schedule an appointment for a general contractor to walk through the house with me to generate an SOW before I even own the property?  I probably can't, but doing so would give me great information to bring to a lender.

Any other tips anyone can offer a first-time flipper would be appreciated as well.

Thanks.

@Rod Stanback I'm currently looking at Pottstown and Lancaster.

Hello BP,

I would like to get started on building my future through real estate.  First, though, I need to build a team.  I'm looking for an investor friendly real estate agent and/or a mentor to help me find deals, analyze deals, and help me recognize things I might be overlooking.  I see myself keeping my investments close(ish) to home in the eastern half of PA for at least the first few years.  I'm interested in flips to start out so I can build some capital.  Then, I would like to move into the rental scene for passive income.

Thanks for reaching out.

@Dan West I'm looking at a home in Pheasant Ridge.  I've never been to this neighborhood, but my online research tells me it's in a good school district with a low crime rate.  Do you think this is an area where I might have good success renting?  Or might I be better off flipping?

Does anyone have experience owning rental properties in Lancaster, PA?  I'm looking to make my first ever rental property purchase (also first real estate investment ever).  I found a place that looks like it could be a good deal, but I'm not familiar with the market for renters in Lancaster.  Any help/advice is much appreciated.  Thanks.

Hi everyone, My name is Jason. I live in the suburbs or Philadelphia, PA. I'm here because I like to learn. over the past few weeks, I've read Robert Kiyosaki's "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" and "Cashflow Quadrant." These books have gotten me very interested in learning all I can about investing in real estate. I can't stop thinking about the dream of early retirement. I mean, I like my job, but it would be great to have to do it every day anymore. Mr. Kiyosaki talks a lot about how people fail to invest because they're afraid of failing. I fully understand that failure is a potent learning tool. However, I don't believe I'll learn anything by jumping in head first without knowing anything about what I'm doing. So, as I said, I'm here to learn. I'm here to network. I'm here to start working toward my dream. If anyone has some key lessons or advice they'd like to share, I'm all ears (or eyes. I don't know how to read with my ears.) Thanks, Jason