All Forum Posts by: Kristi Kandel

Any local solar ground mount or alternative renewable energy land developers out there?

Hello BP Community,

We have grown our portfolio quite a bit over the last few years starting from 4 units in 2018 to almost 50 without outside investment and in multiple states. I run the business and manage the PMs but its too much for me to handle in addition to a day job. I have tried to operationalize it as much as possible with Notion and Trello but things are still falling through the cracks (SOWs taking too long, units not being listed, etc.). Some of it is definitely on my PMs but I feel like I can be even more on top of it. Any advice on what systems/principles work best? We have looked at VAs and that model but I wanted to take responsibility especially as we stabilize some of the bigger projects. 

Hello,

I am building a retail strip mall about 45 minutes south of San Antonio, TX. 

This is my first venture in retail, i'm wondering if there are any full-service companies out there that can help pre-lease, and also handle the construction of the building.

We own the land outright, it's 2 acres right next to a HEB grocery store and I'm trying to get some idea on construction costs to build a 6000-9000 sqft building.

Trying to do as much prep and planning before committing to construction.

I've heard of Hunington Properties and Retail Builders Group, wondering if anyone has had any experiences with these companies.

Thank you!

Hey everyone,

I wanted to get a sense from people who have STRs on how they view the current landscape of STRs, and how they feel their properties are performing? I've helped numerous clients find STRs. One client of mine is absolutely crushing it in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Another who bought a lake property merely says it's been going "okay."

Just curious on what some of you think of where the STR game is currently at, and where you think it is heading?

Personally, I feel as though it was very lucrative back in the day, but it is much more difficult now to see a great return on a STR post-covid due to a saturation of people wanting to become STR owners, municipality restrictions, etc.

@Bruce Woodruff and @Henry Clark

Thank you guys, in the meantime I found out that there is a gas line and a telecommunication line also without easement agreement. I should have seen all of this during due diligence - steep learning curve on my end. 

I will engage with the utility providers to work on an easement with specific legal description, not just a template covering the entire land of the property.

Thank you again for helping me understand how to navigate this situation. 

I own 8 lots that are 30 x 90 and make up 1 big lot that is 240 x180.  The property does not have road access but has a right of way to build a road to the property.  If I build a full road to the property, I would have to build 240 feet before I would reach the corner of my lot.  I have never built a house before but am a little familiar with the construction process.  I bought a DSLD home before they built it and watched them construct it and live in a neighborhood that has had about 500 homes built in it in the last 6 years.  I would ride on my golf cart to the houses being built on the weekends just for fun.  I work with a retired man would can draw plans for houses and used to build houses.  He just built his own house.  I acquired my property at tax sale and have quieted title.  However, there could always be issues with title and title insurance may be difficult get.  I am thinking about building a 3 bedroom 2 bath house that is about 1800 square feet.  I estimate the cost to be about $200,000 based on no hard data but the DSLD house that I bought cost $270,000.  The builder told me that I could just build a driveway to my lot rather than build an expensive road.  I would probably build the driveway out of gravel.  I would like to do something with this land to make it productive.  I plan to build 3 houses on the land and build the house to sell or possibly rent.  I am renting out my DSLD home for $2,300 per month and I think that I can get close to that.  I like to own nice properties so I plan to use nice things in the house even if I have to rent it.  I am looking for any feedback on whether I should take on this job to build a house with the builder and if so, what should I be looking for that I may not be aware of.  I plan to build the house in Mandeville, LA.   

Anyone in the Dallas Ft Worth area developing 15+ acres of land, how do you evaluate an opportunity? Is there anything in particular about land development that might be different in Dallas than other surrounding areas? I know utility access is a big consideration, I would think having city utilities nearby would be a plus. And zoned appropriately for what you want to do with the land.

I recently got a 1ac. residential lot in Connecticut under contract with the intent to flip. It had a SFH that burned in 2018, with the well, septic, and a few sheds still on the property. I'm figuring out what would be the best course of action to maximize my eventual sale price. My original intent was to wholesale to builders in the area, but am also considering listing on the MLS to a retail buyer. There is quite a bit of leftover junk on the property, so I will be getting a dumpster to remove the junk regardless of which path I choose.

My options:

A. Leave the land as it is, with tall brush, and sheds (in relatively average condition). The eventual buyer would deal with either leaving the sheds, or demoing them as they wish. 

B. I clear the brush, open up the lot, and demo the sheds, so there is a clean slate for someone to build. I know this would be more attractive to a retail buyer, but an increased sale price might not outweigh the demo costs. 

Great answer, @Kristi Kandel. I have a good relationship with zoning but we have an unsophisticated council who strictly adhere to guidelines outlined in their Comprehensive Plan and code book, both of which limit C1 uses to restaurant/retail. My building is too large to support such uses in this community so I’ve been unable to lease it over the past two years. This means that requiring me to conform with the permitted uses is an (missing legal term) excessive burden. Thus, I am entitled to lease the building to a nonconforming tenant. I have all the application material and fees ready to submit (tomorrow). My Owner Statement needs to subtly tell them they have no choice but to approve the exception. I want to throw in the legal term as a buzzword to bolster this point.

Approval is especially challenging because the primary care clinic also requires 6 dedicated street parking spaces in front of the building and part of the adjacent mixed-use building, also owned by me. I have letters of support from the two tenants in the mixed-use building, a bank and an insurance company, and the neighboring restaurant, not owned by me, for the exception and redesignation of the parking spaces. 

I know that a legal term for this exists, but no one knows what I am talking about. I’m a little meticulous and write grants (academic) for a living so little details matters to me. However, this a small and arguably insignificant detail so I am submitting the appeal using my own language—“excessive burden”. 

Sorry for all the words.

Hi Danae,

Wow, Good luck with this.

But what exactly is Human Trafficking in Columbus Ohio (???)

Are you saying there are current day slaves in Columbus, or is this like a halfway house for Hookers trying to not be Hookers (???)

Or is it something else (???)

Are you importing people from other parts of the world and housing them in Columbus (???)

Good Luck!