All Forum Posts by: Jim Froehlich

Does anyone know (or can you recommend) the best way (for free) to track the latest trend of Hedge Fund (Institutional Investor) real estate purchases by state, city, etc.,  Heat map with percentages?  ...any easy way to get this info or how much digging required?  where and how? 

Thanks @Stephanie Medellin for the info and taking time to reply!

Thanks @Tarik Turner and @Chris Mason for the info and feedback!  I'll only spend time thinking about the back end (especially since tax season is here!) 

Podcasters...for anyone breaking even or actually making money off your (real estate related) podcast, I'm wondering if you can point me to ideas on how best to grow number of listeners, if and when to add advertising, and generally how many downloads/listeners you achieved before breaking even?  In general, I'm not expecting to make money from podcast itself, but after starting one, I really like it and am thinking I should at least make sure it breaks even (and that means when calculating in my own cost/hr of what I think my time is worth! ... as my wife reminds me about taking another "hobby" too far...hah)

Anybody know of a good post on this subject or even a book?

Scenario - one private home; multiple investment properties - when attempting to re-finance a hard money loan for ONE investment property, in terms of the "front-end" ratio (which I understand to be max 28%), does the mortgage/tax/insurance debt used for that calculation ONLY come from the home being refinanced?  ...or do they take ALL properties and calculate them against ALL gross monthly and business income expense?  It seems like the latter would be the case, but I know those calculations become complicated, especially if some properties are co-owned, within first year of lease, etc.

Looking for that elusive "Investor Grade" NJ-based Mortgage broker to help get out of an 8% hard money loan that pops in 15 months!  ...courtesy of CPA being "too good" at taking advantage of business expenses...

...last year I discovered the concept of "equity, equity everywhere, but not a dime to touch" when DTI is high...

@Michelle Low, you are in luck!  @Brandon Turner (I've heard) also lives out there now.  I started on this forum a few years ago by buying his book to get myself reacquainted with basics of buying/rehabbing/renting/refinancing.  Then I found out he was co-host of the BP Podcast, which is very popular and useful...so essentially, if you can plug into that guy's meetups and follow his content here, you'll immediately be closest to one of the most enthusiastic, inspiring BP sources of info!

Good Luck!

@Carlisle Edens...hey Kyle, I have a few siblings down in Columbia and Charleston; one currently owns a medical imaging business, but also has owned/managed a bunch of rentals down there (which were my late mother's until few years ago); I think around USC.  I know he has complained lately about maybe parting with a few of them so he can spend his "landlord" time on his primary business instead (and his three kids!), but either way, he is just well-connected in the Columbia area in all areas of investing and/or property management (and he knows a lot of contractors - and which ones to avoid for sure!)

In terms of actual RE Investing knowledge...you need look no further than BiggerPockets...no better place in the world to deep dive if you want variety of perspectives and experiences!

Connect with me if you want more info on my brother (who is NOT on BP)!

@Jose Gonzalez, you're welcome and sounds like a great plan!  keep in mind when you say "I do want to be a Landlord and create passive income" that most people who are Landlords don't consider that "passive income", but it can be more passive than your day job.  Possibly you mean you want to do both, but I know when I started, I thought owning rentals was "passive". There is, of course, a whole spectrum.  PASSIVE for most RE investors actually means you just give your money to some other experienced entity that handles everything and cuts you a period check along with ownership statements.  Good luck!

@Bryan Malone, welcome and join the rest of us "part-timers" such as myself!  Memphis has been a really solid area (some say even recession-proof), but you're in striking distance of a Alabama and other great opportunities...and short-term rentals in Nashville are doing well for some people I know.  I would advise you to look up the turn-key rental opportunities in Memphis and make that your first target (I can think of a really good one, but no ADVERTISING on BP forums!).  If you want to wholesale, then target selling to one of those turn-key providers, but you will have to put in much sweat equity, because others are putting HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of dollars into marketing in the Memphis area for properties worth wholesaling, so that will be tougher than just saving up for a down payment on one of those Memphis turn-keys.  I live in New England, but know two guys who recently bought turn keys down in Memphis.  Good Luck!

@Jose Gonzalez, I agree with a few posts above. #1...do real estate over dry cleaning unless you are going to run the business and enjoy it. #2, as @Bill S. says, really considering investing closer to home if: a) you want to be an ACTIVE investor, and b) $30K is your starting point. I think you really have to consider how you envision yourself 5 and 10 years from now...once you can visualize an ideal end state, it can help you narrow down how to get there. Things you might consider are...do you want to be a landlord? do you want to put in sweat equity or would you rather keep your second job and just put in $$ for your investment? is a trusted partnership best for you and what do you have to bring to a partnership? would you rather be 100% passive investor or are you looking to replace your job with full-time REI?

In general, the south and midwest are best bang for the buck on RE investing these days, but be careful about remote investing and learn from those who specialize in it if you go that route!  you have to also keep in mind that wherever you go, there is fierce competition on best deals...so having someone trustworthy on the ground (i.e. agent/broker and proven property manager) is crucial.  Good Luck!