All Forum Posts by: J. Martin

 Fortunately, I'm able to get advice from smart folks who are wise beyond their years ;)

This is so awesome!! Thank you all! I'm posting the results of the top 3 votes, including comments, below! @Lance Hulsey, @Nicholas Wootten, @Raimondo F., @Joe Splitrock, @Jill DeWit, @Joshua Martin, @Jake Knight, @Sean Dolan, @Chad Hale, @Onna-lisa Kyom, thank you all for the feedback!! @Anthony Addessi, I like the idea of flip flops, but this logo and business name are not about me - quite the opposite! The logo is for the customers, and the business shouldn't be dependent on me, my personality, etc - even if that does help it out. A lot of those customers are tech/business people, traveling nurses, etc. None of them have flip flops :-/ lol

 Look @Arlen Chou! I'm growing up!! lol And thanks everyone for the tips on Fiver. I will be using that for different purposes in the future. I paid a lot more this time to have a wide variety of submissions without having to direct them too much at first..

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At first, I thought this looked too simple/basic. But like the font. And I think it communicates the idea pretty literally, which is what I was looking for. @Colton S., if you are Colton S below... I agree it is not very abstract, but that's what I asked for because I want disinterested parties to be able to tell quickly..

#29 was pretty popular, but I think it is very difficult to tell what is inside the house. Just looks like a house with a  weird shape inside to me (and I know what it is supposed to be..)

A version of this #36 below was my favorite. I had them add the orange to make it pop a little. I agree that the Home.com text does not work, by color, or with the .com. I'll keep this one in the running, but will have them make some tweaks..

Thank you all so much!
I will be posting the final round, then the final logo as I get there in the next few days/week.
Appreciate the feedback so much!!! Love BP :)

@Ryder Meehan,

I know I couldn't make it last time, but I can come help out if you want. (As you may know, I don't invest out of state, but have some experience with furnished rentals.)

I'm in Hanoi right now, but will be back before your meetup. I actually had it saved as Thurs, Oct 13, but will make a note of the change.

Wanted to say hi in person anyway.
If you're looking for something different from a presenter, no sweat either. I might drop by anyway and come learn from the group :)

If you have any feedback on my Furnished Home logos, please let me know!

https://99designs.com/contests/poll/o8cses?urlcate...

Thanks for the shout out @Chris Mason

 Danny,

This is a great resource for this question. Once I narrow the logo down to 2 or 3, I think I will try this option. Like @Arlen Chou also said to me earlier, it's great to get independent parties' reactions, especially when they don't already know what I'm doing - so they are not influenced by that knowledge.

You seem to know something about design.. What do you think about these?
Thanks again for the resource also!! :)

Hey BP Colleagues!

Does my logo suck?
Please check out I'm having designed, vote, and give me feedback!! You can influence the best logo now! I still have time to do edits with the designers also..

https://99designs.com/contests/poll/o8cses?urlcate...

*This logo below sucks, right!? Help me pick a better one!*

@Omi C., @Anja Brey, @Shane Pearlman, @Arlen Chou, @Johnson H., @Account Closed,  what do you businesspeople think? How about some strangers that don't know me, from Denver, Seattle, & Austin? You're a bunch of techies with good design know-how, right? Anyone from New York City, Miami, Boston that could chime in?

https://99designs.com/contests/poll/o8cses?urlcate...

Disclosure: Feedback does not give you any legal ownership of the final product and will be considered wonderful free advice from awesome colleagues on the site! Ill buy a beer for the person with the best advice! ;)

Hey Real Estate Investors!

I took a last-minute trip to Vietnam (livin the life!), and enjoy meeting other real estate investors wherever I'm traveling. How many Bigger Pockets members are in Vietnam?

@Arlen Chou, you got any plans? hehe

I'll also tag some other cities in Vietnam in case anyone wants to "commute."

Hai Phong, Vinh, Sa Pa, Ho Chi Minh...

Who's out there? I'm in Hanoi right now :)

Brian, I recently turned down a sublease for a fantastically placed condo in Palo Alto. Couldn't be a better location. Why did I turn it down? HOA. I don't want it. Even doing 30+ day rentals, you are exempt from the sh0rt-term rental restrictions, if that's what exists. But I still think there will be a headache with neighbor complaints, depending on size of complex/community. I just didn't want those hassles.

I also discourage people from buying properties based on a unique operation of the property - like it making sense as a furnished rental. That may not always exist, and the next guy probably won't buy it based on that. So just be cautious.. It's a great play to know you can make more. But I wouldn't buy/rely on it. It's the extra gravy money. Just my 2 cents.

On that note, how much would you sell Easy St for  @Arlen Chou!?! lol Just throw out a number.. ;)

 Whoa whoa, don't tell the kids too much!!!! lol Jk It's all good. Slight correction: I try to price about $1500/mo gross over fair market, although have been a little low lately. Not quite $1800/mo over.. Then net out the utilities, cable, internet, vacancy, furniture cost, etc.. It's a good biz, but has had a lot of challenges. A lot of off-hours texts and calls. Cleaning issues. Key exchange issues. Trash. Mail. You name it. But you live and learn.

I have to double down on what Minh was saying - that it's all about networking. People are apprehensive about anything new. I doubt Minh would have rented to me if I would have posted on BP without having developed a relationship with him over years. Same with others I work with. Maybe one exception. But I think my reputation on BP and as a meetup group leader definitely helped.

I'm still not sure how much that willingness was financial, or just wanting to me succeed, with some financial benefits to the owners.. I'll have to bug Minh and others to see what they say about it.. ;)

Reading Emyth right now, and on @Arlen Chou's encouragement and mentorship, I am deciding how big I want to make this train right now...

What do you guys getting into this biz think about the economic cyclicality of revenue and profit in the furnished rental biz? I have my own speculation, but curious what you think about longevity in this market.. ?

Saturday First Half of the Day Speakers..

J Martin

@Al Williamson, Leading Landlord

@Nav Athwal

@Kimberly Smith

@Amy Way

@Rick Harmon

@David Adams

@Kathy Fettke

I agree. There are a lot of challenges when expanding in a single building that pop up with owners, tenants/community, etc.

Thanks for being such a good sport Minh ;)

And that timing when I walked in the door when you were commenting on @Al Williamson 's net vs gross comment.. priceless!!! Wish we had it on video.. ;)

I believe the scene was something like this.. I think I can see the back of your head there..

Huge thanks to Al Williamson for helping out with the event, coming out to share with others, and teach us more about furnished rentals!! I'm glad I got your course :) My GROSS and my NET are way up!!! :)