All Forum Posts by: Martin Zawarski

wow! Great job. Looks great. The first one always seems the hardest. Enjoy your reward for your work and have fun with your next home.

I am a buy and hold investor. there are as many different answers as there are people answering this question. We all have different wants and needs and each market is very different . I work with other investors and I show him properties I pass on and he shows me properties he passes on. My point is we have different criteria on what we look for in an investment.

I look for undervalued detached single family homes between 1100-1500 sf 4/2 or 3/2 priced between 100-130,000. I do buy homes that fall outside of that parameter at times if I see value in them . I typically invest 15-30,000 per home in improvements and I receive 1350-1550 a month in rent. I typically make 350/450 per home after PITI . I upgrade all appliances and mechanical so I see no major issues for several years.

I spend a good portion of my time working on the homes which is sweat equity, but as I progress in this business I am spending less time doing its and more time managing. But this is my focus and I have no problem finding homes that fit my criteria.

I do not have a 70/80/90 percent rule. I look for bargain priced homes that are undervalued as compared to surrounding homes. I look for trends in the neighborhood. If the comps are let say 150,000 in the last 12 months then 152,000 in last 9 months, 155,000 in the last six months this shows me that there is a good upward movement in value. I have seen this trend go the other way, and if that is the case, I tend to shy away from the property. I will look at the property but will try to figure out why this trend is occurring .

If the value of comps is 150,000 and I can get the property for anything less than this after I buy and improve the property I am ok with it. The property will appreciate , I get cash flow, I pay off about 1200-1600 a year, the first year in principle. Inflation which will happen again will be a big plus on my value, I have depreciation. I have solid assets that I built and I rebuild the homes like I would live in them. Many of you will think this is a mistake but it is my preference. I will take a vinyl sided cape cod and add $6,000 in fake lick and stick stone on the front, take a single car width driveway and make it a double width. Do these things help my bottom line, no. It just makes me proud of work I do. I just built a custome wood over mantel on a brick fireplace. Why? Just to make it nice!

I love this business.

I have taken two tickler seminars, both by the " big boys" ARmondo and Than. Both were helpful and helped me decide to enter into this business. Did I sign up for the next upswell---no! Did I learn something. ---- yes. I thought they brought value, but I knew enough not to not take their upswell seminar. I am however learning a ton here and will continue to learn.

most of the times these shows offer a bit of drama in the mix which is always interesting or funny. But there is something to be learned from these shows. Some things might be how they finish off the end product. How they try at times to save money. Recycling or use of recycled materials such as paint or doors.

What you see at times are ideas that you have to shape to fit your needs. I have been involved in real estate all my life and I do watch these shows as much as I can. You should be able to pull some good ideas from them or at least it may motivate you a bit more and get you off of the sidelines and into the game.

I question substantiating the deal by saying your saving 3% in commission . What if you weren't a realtor would that change your view on the deal? Another question is , are you doing the dean then just for the commission? Is the deal safe with the numbers you give or is that a best case scenario? Think about these things.

either way you will also make it more functional by having a 16' garage door instead of 2 - 8'. 8' are nice because it creates a sense of more privacy when only one is open. In the winter, less heat/cold will effect home. Esthetics. But if space is limited a 16 works better. A 16 is also safer in pulling in/out. I have 2-10' on my house and it seems tight lol.

love Toronto. One of my favorite places ever"

podcasts 12 & 13 touch on owner financing. Listen to these very carefully. Go to a quite place. Put on headphones and have a table. Take notes , Then do

James.----great, I didn't want to come off too lame or stupid but you can use what you have to leverage yourself on the next deal. I took out a home equity loan on my house and use that money to buy properties. My home is paid off and cash is low, so this works for me In the last year I bought $1m or 8 homes with this. Fix up these homes and make them nice properties , get rent from your sister but show her value , then get a loan on your home and use it to buy another property. Don't sell it , you got it too cheap,,,,,,,free. Roll the equity into a new property that will give you more cash flow.

Thanks to all of you for your insight. Real estate is a superior investment against economic events if bought right and properly managed . For most here ---the management part is the hardest.