All Forum Posts by: Isi Nau

Aloha George Sato Hopefully it wasn't with Kai Lani. Maybe do some research and see if others have complaints against the company. Several months of bank processing errors is almost certainly a phony excuse. Something is definitely wrong. Might be tough or impossible to get your money if the company is under water. I'd stop services with them ASAP and let your tenant know not to pay them for April, but to pay you instead. Sorry to hear! Aloha and good luck!

I received my doctorate degree a few years ago from a top 25 university.  In hindsight, a masters degree was easy.  :)  Just a few thoughts:

-Money isn't sufficient motivation. It is really tough and you will likely come to a point where you don't want to finish, no matter how much it will increase your income (if at all). The real motivation is intrinsic; wanting to get the degree for a bigger purpose or self-fulfillment. If there is no intrinsic motivation, the dollars from REI will be calling (yelling) your name the whole time.

-Don't go into debt for it.  Free money becomes more limited the higher up you go in your education.  Bachelors a ton, masters some, doctorate almost none.  Talk to the university about where to find free money.  Someone is willing to pay for your masters degree.

-It is great for networking.  Choose the university wisely, in relation to your long term goals.  It could be based on ranking, location, program, etc.  But the people you will meet people that will hopefully be going somewhere in life.  Your connection with them will open you up to their other connections.  It is an opportunity to broaden your network and build credibility.

-Now is the time.  Completing school while you are young is the best and easiest way to do it.  Your mind is sharp, your body is strong, and your inhibition is underdeveloped to stop you from doing something crazy, like grad school.  Either do it while you're young, or an empty-nester and have extra time to make up for a reduction in sharpness and energy.

In summary.  The greatest value is definitely intrinsic and peripheral.  Unless it is career specific and equates directly to a job offer or promotion.  If you can get it at the right university and for free, I say do it!  Why not?  You can work full time, invest in real estate, start a family, save the world, and get your MBA.  Youth is a an incredible thing.  Don't let it be "wasted on the young".

Hey @Jason Rostar

You summed up the current climate for Hawaii real estate investing pretty well.  Great appreciation, tough cash flow.  With a $100k, you could find a condo in Hawaii that would net about $250 a month (assuming you'd hire a PM).  For multifamily, you'd just about break even or be slightly negative.  Tough margins, especially after taking into consideration periodic and major repairs.  But the appreciation is great.  :)

In Hawaii, I believe we have 2 years of reasonable growth in this current market cycle.  Projections are around 10% (cumulative) between now and then.  So as far as timing for your sale here, any time over the next year or so should be good.  It's tough to time it right on, but since we're not anticipating any huge gains, I don't think you'll leave much on the table if you pull the trigger a little early.  Especially if you are ready to move into your next target market.

Ditto to @Moshe H. and @Chris Low!

Thanks a lot @Lee Smith.  That's very helpful.

Hi @Vincent Ballew

Your best bet will be in Waikiki.  Ko Olina and the North Shore are other popular spots, but Ko Olina property values have barely recovered from the recession, and the North Shore is a little far and may not get as high of an occupancy rate.  Also, properties far from the beach will see a much lower occupancy rate.  Waikiki is the best overall area.

The HOA fees are high, but also cover virtually everything, including utilities. But this will definitely be something to watch for as you shop around because they don't all cover utilities or other areas which could be a large difference in monthly expenses.

A million dollar purchase is definitely not necessary.  You mentioned using it for personal use, you'll need to find something that fits your family's needs.  So a studio may or may not work.  Most of the units are studios, quite a few 1 bedrooms, some 2 bedrooms, and hardly any 3+ bedrooms.  You can find studios for under $200k that rent out well.

If it will be for personal use too, one thing to consider is buying a unit where you'd want to vacation.  You may like the slow paced areas like the North Shore, but your best overall investment will be in Waikiki.

Some other things to consider are GET, TAT, and Nonconforming Use Certificates.  Although not major issues, definitely something to know about.

We have had clients buy in various locations on the island.  The best bang for the buck has been at the Waikiki.  One specific example; Waikiki Banyan.  It is occupied about 26 days a month.  Our clients visit twice a year.  They have also enjoyed allowing their friends, family, and business associates use it.  They even offered a five night stay at the annual fundraising auction at their children's school.

Thanks Dave.  Definitely easy to find property records.  Found some for Parma within a few minutes.  Only problem is time.  For me as an outsider trying to research an area currently, let alone longitudinally, would require a substantial amount of time (which is the price one often has to pay).  First I would need to find a property that is in move-in condition today (easy enough), but then compare the value of that property over time assuming it has always been in move-in condition (not so easy).  I would then need to compare numerous properties in order to piece together a more accurate picture of the market over time in a given area.  Considering the number of areas within Ohio, I would imagine my task would be insurmountable.

Or I'm hoping a real estate professional could provide a quick snap shot of their area.

Thanks Teddy and Marc!

Thanks @James Wise!

Very helpful.  So for Parma, prices have almost recovered.

But that is still impressive appreciation, if you picked up a property somewhere near the bottom of the last recession.  It would have appreciated well over 100%.  Intriguing for sure.

Thanks again.

Man, you lost me at statistical aggregate.  Lol.  I almost wish that's what I was asking for so I could impress myself with how smart I was.

As for subjective vs. objective, that I can follow.  I believe I am asking for pretty objective figures.  What did House A sell for in 2007 (or whenever the bottom of the recession was in the specific area) and what did it sell for in 2016.  No guessing, no crystal ball, just actual figures from these time periods.  Again, I am not familiar with these areas, but I assume it would be fairly easy for an investor, and certainly a realtor, to provide this information.

But it looks like my bigger problem is becoming more creative in my forum post titles/body.  Hahaha!

Thanks @Steve B.  for the welcome.  It has been a great 15 years.

I am not familiar with Indiana or Oregon, but here Zillow is hardly reliable due to inconsistency across a zip code.  Zillow is definitely one source of data, but to be taken with a grain of salt. I would not trust my money or my clients' money based upon Zestimates.  Conversely, I realize that not all contributors on BP are totally accurate either.  Hopefully with a combination of data sources I can get a clearer picture.