All Forum Posts by: Joel C.

@Chris Majors beat me to just about everything I had to offer, but add me to your list, too.  :) 

I'd say to get out and talk to local people, learn the ins and outs of the local market, and find ways to add value to others before you straight up ask for a list of someone else's business contacts.  We do have some great groups of investors here who would be happy to help you get that ball rolling. 

Welcome to BP, Brian! This is a great place to educate yourself and stay motivated. I hope to see you at the local meet ups for REIA here in town, too - me up if you need info on when and where.

I have to agree with Elizabeth.  If your intent is to buy the house to use as a rental property in ~2 years, I don't believe recession concerns should keep you from making a sound purchase now. Take advantage of these low interest rates, before any significant inflation has hit.  

It bears mentioning that the money is already on the books to be injected in the greater Augusta area for the next 5-7 years, given all the Cyber driven growth, so I'd question whether or not a recession would really 'hurt' as much here as other regions.  Our housing prices haven't fluctuated THAT much between up and down markets, anyway.   Just my 2 cents, though - you ultimately have to do what you're comfortable with.

Hope to see you out at the local meet ups - PM me if you need any info on where to find the other investors!

Daniel, as a few others have mentioned, we've just reglazed in a nice bright white, and it turns out looking pretty dang good.  The kits are expensive, but they're a heck of a lot cheaper than remodeling an entire bathroom that still rents!  

@Derek Okahashi Yessir, I own in that general area! I like the tenant base as a long-term customer segment (medical students & employees, some military, some retirees), the neighborhoods are safe, and the ROI is where I need it to be. Like I said, though, it can be hit-or-miss from street to street. I'd have your cousin or a local agent give you some boots-on-the-ground input on the specific block you're looking at.

@Derek Okahashi, yeah, you can find some nice spots that are primarily medical students if you look hard enough.  It can be a challenge finding the right neighborhood for your tastes if you're not here in person, and the neighborhood class does change from street-to-street in certain parts of West and Central Augusta.  I'd recommend linking up with a local agent, explaining exactly what your primary needs/wants are (cash flow, tenant base, neighborhood class), and then going from there.  

I have to jump on board with @Chris Majors and @Derek Okahashi to call out Augusta and the surrounding areas of Columbia and Richmond County, GA (Evans, Martinez).  You should have no problem finding a home in either county that will rent for the numbers you're looking for, well within your budget.  

@Derek Okahashi, we use one of the larger local companies to manage our properties at the moment, but we're in the process of taking it over ourselves.  There are some investor friendly companies, though - Auben Realty is probably the best turnkey, all around service (@Kenneth Mooney) that will do a better job managing those high cashflow properties.  Caveat that I haven't used them myself, but I've dealt with Kenneth enough to know he's a great investor agent and heard good things about their property management side. 

And without looking at the specifics of your numbers, it's probably not too good to be true.  You can get good cash flowing properties in either Columbia or Richmond Counties, usually higher in the latter. 

Welcome to BP and to Augusta, Kerry!  I think your head is in the right place - have you looked at the areas where you can find affordable multi-family properties to invest in that are close to Fort Gordon or talked to one of the local investor-friendly agents yet?

Hope we see you out at the local REIA or AORE meet-ups!

Always happy to see another new investor from the Augusta area, Edkesha! The local REIA meets at Columbia County library on the 2nd Thursday of each month (3rd one this month due to Masters) at 7 PM. Come on out and meet some folks who could probably also learn a thing or two from your experience!