All Forum Posts by: Pete Harper

You can absolutely buy a property without an agent.  You can download your state approved contract and make the offer yourself.  Just make sure you have an attorney involved to review the paperwork.  Most charge $250 to do so.  Some of my best deals have been where I represented myself using an attorney.

I had one recent purchase where I used an agent and she was a train-wreck.  She was totally intimidated by the sellers agent and was getting bullied into poor terms.  When problems arose during the inspections she disappeared on my.  I finally ended up dealing directly with the sellers agent to get what I needed.  

A bad agent is worse than no agent.

Our insurance is coming up for renewal on a 10 unit apartments in Conroe.  The price has gone up and I'm looking for competitive quotes.  

Single 2-story brick building, 10 units all 2BR/1BA, 1984 construction, updated 2017 and 2023, new roof in 2017, no flood zone.

Quote from @Eric James:

Quote from @Pete Harper:

Quote from @Rakesh Balavanthapu:

I am a new to REI and trying to find my first deal. Have been listening to BP podcast episodes from 2020 and earlier and the numbers were no where near what they are today.

I have analyzed about 30 deals in Atlanta, Dallas and Columbus markets. Couldn't find a single property where it is meeting the 1% rule. Agreed that I looked at only MLS listings, but still.

Am I looking in the wrong place ? Or am I making any mistakes in my analysis? Not sure where to go from here.

Also, is there a place on BP where we can find market analysis? I am a pro member. 
Please let me know how you guys are dealing with this

1% rule is not dead, you are looking in the wrong place.  I just purchased a 2% rule property in Central Texas in March.  My portfolio average on 38 units is 1.6%.  I still screen at 1%.

1) You need to dig much deeper. All the easy stuff on MLS has been snapped up.
2) Look for small multifamily; duplex and foorplex. Much easier to cashflow with multiple units.
3) Look for off-market deals. I send out "yellow letters" using the county tax website.  I also target tax auction properties. 
4) Look in the secondary and tertiary markets outside the large metroplexes.  
5) Be prepared to do renovations.

 Purchase price from tax auctions would get more than 1%, but the problem is you can't invest money in repairs or refinance them for an extended period of time. 

In Texas only six months on non-owner occupied.  During the 6 month option period you can still charge rent.  I purchased a property for $27k that rented for $500/month as-is.  Still a 1.85% deal.

Quote from @Joe Villeneuve:

Quote from @Pete Harper:

Quote from @Rakesh Balavanthapu:

I am a new to REI and trying to find my first deal. Have been listening to BP podcast episodes from 2020 and earlier and the numbers were no where near what they are today.

I have analyzed about 30 deals in Atlanta, Dallas and Columbus markets. Couldn't find a single property where it is meeting the 1% rule. Agreed that I looked at only MLS listings, but still.

Am I looking in the wrong place ? Or am I making any mistakes in my analysis? Not sure where to go from here.

Also, is there a place on BP where we can find market analysis? I am a pro member. 
Please let me know how you guys are dealing with this

1% rule is not dead, you are looking in the wrong place.  I just purchased a 2% rule property in Central Texas in March.  My portfolio average on 38 units is 1.6%.  I still screen at 1%.

1) You need to dig much deeper. All the easy stuff on MLS has been snapped up.
2) Look for small multifamily; duplex and foorplex. Much easier to cashflow with multiple units.
3) Look for off-market deals. I send out "yellow letters" using the county tax website.  I also target tax auction properties. 
4) Look in the secondary and tertiary markets outside the large metroplexes.  
5) Be prepared to do renovations.

Using the 1% rule died a long time ago.  Just because you happen to be able to satisfy it doesn't make it alive...or a good deal.

Just because you said its dead doesn't mean it is dead. Too many folks are too lazy to get out and hustle and find good deals.  

Quote from @Rakesh Balavanthapu:

I am a new to REI and trying to find my first deal. Have been listening to BP podcast episodes from 2020 and earlier and the numbers were no where near what they are today.

I have analyzed about 30 deals in Atlanta, Dallas and Columbus markets. Couldn't find a single property where it is meeting the 1% rule. Agreed that I looked at only MLS listings, but still.

Am I looking in the wrong place ? Or am I making any mistakes in my analysis? Not sure where to go from here.

Also, is there a place on BP where we can find market analysis? I am a pro member. 
Please let me know how you guys are dealing with this

1% rule is not dead, you are looking in the wrong place.  I just purchased a 2% rule property in Central Texas in March.  My portfolio average on 38 units is 1.6%.  I still screen at 1%.

1) You need to dig much deeper. All the easy stuff on MLS has been snapped up.
2) Look for small multifamily; duplex and foorplex. Much easier to cashflow with multiple units.
3) Look for off-market deals. I send out "yellow letters" using the county tax website.  I also target tax auction properties. 
4) Look in the secondary and tertiary markets outside the large metroplexes.  
5) Be prepared to do renovations.

Jon and Carlos, Thank you for your detailed replies. I was missing the step of UPREIT DST. I'll read up more on tax code 721. I'm also looking at investment options using REIT.

I'm not ready to kick the bucket just yet. ;-) I'm doing some advanced tax planning and wanted to plan out the life cycle for the 1031s. When the time comes a REIT might be a good option. Meanwhile I'll keep building my real estate portfolio.

I'm doing some estate planning. My kids are in horror of inheriting and managing our real estate portfolio that includes multiple 1031 exchanges. These exchanges have almost no cost basis so they face substantial state and federal taxes if sold. Speaking with an advisor he mentioned doing a 1031 exchange into a upREIT. The advisor said I could sell the property and do a 1031 exchange through an intermediary into a qualifying REIT. When we die the REIT would get a step up in cost basis so our kids would not be liable for the original taxes. They then have the option of collecting dividends from the REIT or selling shares at the step up cost basis. Since my kids are all live tin Texas they avoid state taxes associates with original 1031.

Is my understanding correct?

A lot depends on the initial condition of the property.  We recently completed a major reno on a duplex with a carport in between the two units.  The previous owners had done an unpermitted addition.  We were going to have to take it down to bare studs anyway so we knocked down the walls between the kitchen and carport.  We were able to add two bedrooms and bath/laundry to the floorpan.  The previous 2BR/1BA units became 4BR/2BA almost doubling rent.

Our current project is a 2BR/1BA duplex.  The kitchen needed to be redone so we tore down the wall between the kitchen and living.  The tiny galley kitchen is now open concept with a peninsula bar.  The delta for tearing out the wall was $2000.  On the other side of the duplex there is a large covered porch that will make a nice little 3rd bedroom.

From my experience it is alway better to add bedrooms first.  Usually a inexpensive upgrade that returns the most in rent.  Next would be adding a bath and/or laundry.

Quote from @Michael S.:

@Dallas James

Sorry, the Biggerpockets app is no longer supported and we had removed it from the App/Play Store. We'll bring it back again after all the improvements are rolled out.

Please go to the mobile site of biggerpockets.com for access.

 Do you know if BP plans on supporting the IOS version again.  I had the original version that I lost when upgrading phones.  This was over a year ago and still not available. 

Quote from @Nick Belsky:

@Pete Harper

As noted by others, you are describing delayed financing.  There are seasoning requirements as delayed financing has a different set of rules compared to other types of financing.  There used to be lenders who would waive seasoning with rehab completed, but they are offline right now.  Hopefully, they will be back soon.

Many private money sources are killing conventional right now.  To be fixated on rate, in this market, will make you miss out on a lot of good deals.  Rate is not a primary concern to seasoned investors as other factors of the loan are far more important and impactful.  Rate is too easy to offset.

Good luck.

I don't follow your comment on seasoning period for LOC. Assuming I use a LOC to purchase a $100k property for cash. I use an additional $20k LOC funds to renovate. After 3 months I have completed renovations and have a tenant in place. ARV of the new property is now $180k. I take out a new loan on the ARV for $135k, pay back the $120k in LOC funds and have $15k cash to reinvest. In this scenario how would seasoning be applied? This is the first loan against this particular property. Seasoning wouldn't apply to the LOC loan since it is secured by a second property. What am I missing?