All Forum Posts by: Kristen Sinclair

Welcome to BP Ben Sanchez I'm right down the road from you in Schertz. Be sure to check out the several REI groups in San Antonio!

Thank you for sharing your story, Justin Kane I'm impressed with how quickly you've been able to jump into investing! I'm also intrigued by your video game career. My 15 y/o son is taking a video game design class this year and absolutely loves it! Hopefully our paths will cross at a REI event sometime.

You'll likely have to find an agent in each of those areas as it's highly unlikely a single agent will have access to all. To gain access to the MLS, an agent has to pay and join that city's local realtor board plus pay additional fees to have MLS access. There's really no reason for an agent to need (or want to pay for) access in cities far from where they work.

I'm sure you could find agents right here on BP who'd be glad to help you!

Hi Carlos, I am also a new real estate agent in SA and signed up with an awesome brokerage about 3 months ago. It's called StepStone Realty and is owned by husband and wife investors out of Austin. There are several agents in SA with many opportunities for networking and partnering. They created this brokerage specifically for investors as opposed to the typical retail real estate brokerage. Check them out at stepstonetexas.com. They would be glad to meet with you and talk in further detail. Let me know if you have any questions! Hope to see you around SA!

Kristen

Hi Daryl and welcome to BP!

I'm in a very similar situation to you in that I'm new to investing and recently got my real estate license.  I was lucky and found a brokerage that was started by a couple who were investors first then the wife got her license as a way to supplement their investing business.  Most brokerages (from what I'm told) are not very investor-friendly and discourage their agents from trying to do deals because it can violate the code of ethics.  But, it depends on how you do it.  When I meet with a seller, I'll tell them I am here as a buyer but I'm also a licensed real estate agent (full disclosure).  For some sellers this can give you a bit more creditability.  When deciding what type of deal works best for the seller's situation, I'm first acting as a buyer and trying to get the best (and fair) deal.  If it's in the seller's best interest (or if they just want to) list the property for sale, switch over to the agent's hat and get a signed listing agreement meaning you are now working for the seller's best interest.

Like I said, most brokers will frown upon this because they're not investors and don't know how that side of the real estate business works.  If you're upfront with the seller and treat them fairly, you're actually offering them more options for selling their house.

Good luck to you!

I've got to give it to Armando though.  Going on "Undercover Boss" so he can better understand how he can help his employees and the folks who actually forked out the 40K  to succeed shows what a thoughtful guy he is.  <insert eye roll here>  A giant primetime Montelongo commercial!  Every time I pass a Hummer in SA I think of him.  LOL

I will try to be there!

@Jerry K.   Thank you for your response.  These vacant lots were all in Lee county and were being sold for face value plus interest, fees, etc.  The yearly property taxes were only around $40 so I'm guessing they've been accruing for quite a while.  I couldn't understand how I was going to get my money back plus interest on an unimproved and low value property.  

What advice would you give to someone wanting to get started in tax liens/deeds?  Stay local?  Attend live auctions or buy on-line?  The seminars and training material make it sound so easy but I know there's more to it than that!

Thank you all for your responses. It didn't sound right to me, especially the vacant lots in Florida, so I will definitely be passing on this opportunity. Time to do some more digging in Texas tax deeds!

OK, I just got the e-mail with more info. It appears that the company actually contacting me is REI Holdings in Utah. Not sure if they are actually affiliated with Tax Lien Vault or if they just got my info from them. Anyway, the 3 properties (vacant lots) they sent me are worth $3-4,000 each per latest tax assessment. I don't think I'm ready to jump on this deal without knowing more about the company and the process.