All Forum Posts by: Samantha M.

To clarify then, a rental will always show a mismatch between owner & property address in the tax rolls then, correct?

What about owner finance, will it show a mismatch as well?

When you research a property you drive by in the tax roles. If there is a mismatch between the owner address and property address, could that indicate a rental unit or an owner financed property?

For example
Owner Address: 123 Spring Road
Property Address: 345 Main Street

I was driving the otherday and stumbled upon this house shown below. It looked incredibly vacant. Overgrown, newspapers piled up on the front door, a boarded up window (not shown). I introduced myself to the neighbor to confirm it was vacant, and to my surprise the neighbor said it was occupied, someone lived there currently. This property also showed a mismatch between owner and property address in the tax rolls.

Once you locate this missing person via a skip trace, how do you typically attempt to reach out to them? Do you send them a mail card or contact them by phone number?

Hey guys, there is a house I am looking at picking up from the 1960s that has aluminium wiring. Traditionally I pigtail the wires, but was doing some research online and it seems there is a better option.

I found this video about using "colar" device which is a safer approach and safer than pigtailing. Does anyone have more information about the "colar" approach? I am not even sure how to spell it correctly and google does not seem to help. Here is a video of an electrician talking about colar for aluminum wiring. http://youtu.be/Fax5Qj2H8hY?t=1m49s

When you buy and hold property do are your rehab numbers come closer to the rental or retail side of things?

One train of thought I come across is to go ahead and do a full retail rehab while you rent it, if the duration of the rent is short (3-5 years), then assuming the tenants havnt trashed it within that 3 year period, you are ready to sell it with little work to be done when market turns around.

The other train of though I hear is do more of a rental rehab, then after the market has turned around go back in and do additional improvements to put it at retail condition and sell it.

What are your thoughts on this? Thanks

What are some signs that generally point to an under slab leak? Also, is there a diagnostic of some sort that investors could use to rule out the possibility. I assume if there is a device that checks for pressure, it could potentially root out a slab under leak.

Does anyone else feel we are going to see another sharp decline in RE prices? Followed by double digit unemployment again?

There is another wave of shadow inventory on the way due after the election. http://www.zerohedge.com/news/foreclosure-stuffing

Obama / Bernanke determined months ago holding foreclosures "off the market" would create a positive effect in the psychology of the housing industry. They have been keeping interest rates artificially low for awhile now with QE as well.

Also Jon Holdman when you talk about LTV on a distressed property, the only loan products available for this sort of transaction are either personal lines of credit like a HELOC or a hard money loan correct?

Thanks everyone!

One last point to clarify, the 50% rule already factors in about a 8% vacancy rate to cost correct?

Jon Holdman, Thanks Jon! As far as calculating cash flow, if you subscribe to the 50% rule.

Cash Flow
Total rent income - debt service - operating expenses (50%).

Correct? It seems like it would be difficult to get a cash flowing property on a 60k house that rents $1,000 unless you are paying in cash and have no loan.