All Forum Posts by: Mike Kirby

For all Smokies investors, this is big.  Southwest Airlines will begin servicing Knoxville in the spring of 2026, with nonstop service from Nashville, Baltimore, Dallas, and Orlando.  Knoxville has been trying to get a deal done with Southwest for at least two decades.

This is bullish for travel to the Smokies.

Southwest Airlines is coming to McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville

Hey everyone, I just came across a program here in Utah offering a 3.99% mortgage rate on new homes. It seems like a pretty rare opportunity given current rates, and I’m curious how this compares to what’s happening in other markets.

Has anyone worked with similar builder incentives before? I’d love to hear thoughts on:

• How these kinds of programs impact first-time buyers.
• Whether they make sense for investors.
• How long these deals usually stick around.

It seems like a great chance for buyers, but I’d love to get other perspectives.

Your comment, Dan, makes as much sense as saying, “Don’t invest your self-directed retirement money into debt because you will only have to follow the rules.” Yes, there are rules, but they are remarkably easy to understand and follow.

We've been lending from our SD 401k plan to local house flippers since 2010. It's been a great business (sorry, Dan, it's a business) with strict rules that are easy to follow, and it has allowed us to retire comfortably. I started investing in an IRA from my very first paycheck from my first job after college. I eventually converted that into an SD IRA, and ultimately into the SD 401 (k) plan we have today, along with my wife.

@Jonathan Chan wrote:

“I see a lot of people putting a lot of work and effort into trying to grow an account that they don't have access to for 20+ years.”

You look somewhat young in your photo, Jonathan. If not having access discourages you from investing in a retirement plan, reread this thread in thirty years and see if you then agree. I don’t know what “a lot of work” means, but all investments require some effort. Lack of access to the money isn’t a good reason to avoid investing in a retirement plan, if that’s what you’re suggesting. Of course, nothing precludes you from investing in a retirement plan as well as separately with your after-tax, personal funds. Enjoying the benefits of tax-free or tax-deferred growth has been the stronger motivation for me.

Hello BP landlords! 

Im in the process of fixing up my first SFH and my business partner and I are in a dilemma of whether we should provide our tenants with a washer dryer or just provide the hook ups and they purchase a washer and dryer on their own.

I say provide just the hook ups, but my partner says provide the appliances. 

I'm curious what you are all doing and why did you choose what you chose? 

Appreciate your help in advance!

I 100% agree, and would add one thing.

You really can't invest IN a 401K, you invest THROUGH a 401K.  Unfortunately, the things you can invest in through your 401K are typically mutual funds.  Mutual funds will have costs and fees, not all of which must be disclosed.  As a result, Wall Street takes a big portion of your potential profit.

When I finally figured real estate out, I had most of my money tied up in a 401K. I could not get at it for real estate investing unless I quit my job.   If I had not been so diligent about funding my 401K retirement account, I could have retired much earlier.

Hey,

High interest rates, economy hitting the fan, and cost of living crisis in the USA. Also, Jerome Powell and his data says there still a lot of inflation in the USA Economy. 

The economic cycle consists of phase 1 expansion, phase 2 peak, phase 3 contraction, and phase 4 recovery. A country can be stuck on a specific phase for several years. That being said with everything going on in the USA since COVID politically and economically. I believe we are in phase 3 contraction phase as a country. Hopefully things get better in the next 2 years or less. Which phase do you personally think we are in and how do you think things will improve? 

 No, no claim, they quoted one price and then it went up substantially

Costco has their Grandeur Hospitality towels on sale again!

These appear to be only on sale in store. The bath towels are $19.99 for 6. On sale until the 17th of August.

I was happy to find them as guests have destroyed our towel inventory this year.

The hand towels and washcloths are also on sale, but I forgot to take a few pics.

Attn @Ken Boone!

Does anyone have recommendations for 'vacant property' insurance and builders risk insurance? My State Farm agent does not provide either. I used Steadily last time and was not super happy with them. 

Thanks, Joe

those of you out there that look for capital and financing partners.. we all know about self directed IRAS solo Ks etc.

But it appears that with this new order folks can direct their company 401ks to private equity.

I dont know the details or how that would work but if that free's up those funds to be directed to private equity

I would think the bigger syndicators like @Brian Burke or  BAM or any other folks will have a new trough to drink out of.

@Ian Ippolito  Ian whats your take on this.. I dont know more than the headlines but curious to see how this will work in the real world