All Forum Posts by: Neil Ginty

Hey @Payvand Milani 

Similar situation! My wife's a doc! We've found doing value add to be a way to force appreciation and add cash flow when we got our house… we added an ADU and house hack with a midterm rental to generate the additional income and make a bigger home actually affordable but still flexible for when family visit

Hi @Gil Levy

Bay Area based architect

My investments are typically value add buy and hold and am working a new construction home for a client in San Carlos at the moment

Open to a chat to see if we can help

Guessing you want to do an ADU. Safe to assume $90-150k.

Lower end is real number for 2-car garage to ADU in Sacramento

Higher end is Bay Area with a few complexities 

Great strategy! We do similar even though CA doesn’t have many basements. A little patience and properties often hit the market with lots of hidden value opportunities 

Cash flowing anywhere is pretty hard at the moment. If you are just starting out, a house hack in your own backyard makes a lot of sense. House hacking is a good way to learn a lot fast, and possible with low down payment. Also, in Bay Area, appreciation will likely make cashflow less of a priority… 

Rates were low because of 2008 crash and the pandemic, two once a century shocks. Don’t bank on them getting lower. Aim for some cash flow, or a market where appreciation is likely (pop & job growth, etc.). But do you own underwriting assuming they won’t change - and be happy when they do!!!

@Daniel Solano Wolfe - we've found mid-term rentals to be pretty helpful for the Bay Area with our House Hacks. Worth looking for small multifamily or single family homes with an ADU - or easy potential to convert

Hi Jacob,
I've got some economical but good guys who I could refer you too. Reach out!

Hi Xuming

I can probably help. I know those houses in Alameda sometimes don't have the full required 7' in the basement, but that's stuff that can be figured out.

DM me if you are still looking for an architect - I am an affordable one! I'm in East Bay too

Hi @Jacky Peng
$90-100 may well be doable. You should have $150k in mind though so you're prepared for worst case - and also to allow for soft costs (permit fees, etc.)
$75-90k is typical for a garage conversion ADU in Sacramento. Contractors I know say to expect $100-150k for Bay Area though