All Forum Posts by: Barry Ratliff

Quote from @Andrew Hogan:

@Barry Ratliff what strategies have you come across having been in the business yourself since 1986?

Unfortunately I did not plan. Starting in new home sales rising to VP of sales and marketing for local builder for 13 years, then starting own real estate company(1000+ transactions), home building(400+ homes) and land developing(300+ lots) for 11 years, mortgages(40+) for 3yrs, self brokerage sales along with fix and flips(60+ flips) to present. Going through 3 recessions in that timeline, I would have set backs along the way. Never owned rentals due to using capital to buy land and build my businesses. With the mortgage crisis in 08, I liquidated all my assets to pay off all my creditors, suppliers and other liabilities and basically started over. In last 4 years of fix and flips along with wholetaling, I have made more $ on my own with good cash reserves to pay cash or JV with other investors to buy property with cash along with brokering real estate. Now I am seeing that I need passive income to not work as hard to maintain my current lifestyle and enjoy assets I have along with vacationing and not worry about being unemployed every time I sell a property to find another to fix and flip. Would much rather have some balance. Now at age 61, I missed the boat years ago to plan for what I need today. I have many examples of generating income but none passively. Hope I didnt bore you.

Looking to invest in low involvement real estate passive income strategies in Texas.

Glad to see so much information and knowledge of my market in Temple, Bell Co area. In past on BP, hardly anyone commented. But today, many posts. I'm a long time resident of Temple Belton and a broker, investor, general contractor. I've seen immense growth since 1986 but only recently last 4 years that it's spiked. I've always said Bell Co was like a good mutual fund. Slow and steady. Not now. I divide Bell into 2 sides as East and West Nolanville Hill on IH14 being the divider line. West has caught up in value to East in recent years appreciation but rents are higher in the East. To yield 1%, it's still obtainable but getting out of reach I think next year. In Temple Belton there less than 13 sf homes under 200k. As far as MF, pricing vs rents are getting out of reach but have stable rents. Overall you can see appreciation steady increasing while rents cooling since there has been a increase run up recently. GL in your search.

@Kaylee Pratt being a broker, all investors say they like investor knowledge of areas.

@Gavin D

Thanks you a different perspective on topic.  Though it may seem i am trying to validate my time I am really searching for a standard that may not exist. The notion of discounting for knowledge has some merit as I am trying to maximize my time management and don't mind the discount to teach than do. Doing is more profitable but takes more time as all of you know. So with that being said, i can use this discounted scenario and put in equation that lends itself to a reasonable value. Thank you. 

I appreciate everyones thoughts and ideas. I'll tell you all that im not one to travel doing seminars, preach that im some guru or even write a book but feel i have alot to offer thats real. Maybe its a new category like a fee for services job description that should be a profession and not some cheap shirt. Unfortunately there are no credentials i can get, classes to take or a state board association. Its like street sense but using real knowledge molding peoples lives from the novice investor to the homeowner that has no idea what took place prior to them living in their home. So thats why i ask how much is knowledge worth thats practiced and get real results. 

Some of you have put a monetary value to that in relative to task so that would be isolating out a niche. If that were the case for me, then i wouldn't need to ask the question. 

I will take in all what y'al have said and formulate something that could be marketable. 

@Joe P.

@Account Closed

First of all, thank you to BP over the years with learning and networking that has helped my business. The topic " how much is knowledge worth" is one I've had many people asking why i havent charged a fee for my knowledge. Well for me its been easy to share when there were a few I'd work with but now there are so many newbie investors I'm thinking i need to charge a fee. I have over 33 years of real estate brokerage, home building, land developing, mortgage banking, flipping and mentoring in my area but i think the knowkedge i have can work anywhere. So, how much is my knowkedge worth if there were a fee? I think people want to shorten the learning curve than wait 33 years. Please advise all you BP peeps. Thanks for reading. 

@Chance Bostick hit me up sometime. I work in the lil ole town of Belton and have been for 33 years as an investor, home builder, land developer, mentor, flipper, real estate broker. I'll share some knowledge with you to get you on the right path. If not, rent by room is going for $500 near UMHB but not as much at TC. Other college towns are getting $800-$1000 a room. So yes, rent by room is solid investing and plenty of SF homes to choose from. Heck i have a 5br with 4 kitchen SF off E 10th listed. I think would rent for $3k total a mo. Good topic. Happy investing. 

Blaine congrats on taking the first steps by just inquiring about the business and asking for help to gain knowledge. I'm a investor minded real estate broker in Temple. Lived in Waco many years ago but know it well. To gain more knowledge is by doing. To find property is the hardest part of the business. Once you have it in your possession, under contract, the buyers will find you. So to keep it simple, farm your areas of "dont wanter owners", negotiate the best price and sell your contract. There are buyers for all homes no matter the condition so dont judge. If you don't want to get to involved in that side of business at first, you can always find property and get a bird dog fee from an investor that would negotiate with owners. Hit me up anytime. I flip, broker deals, partnerships, general contracting and sometimes mentor.