All Forum Posts by: Sterling Cox

@Amy Osterberg, have you looked into the vacation rental market in NW Florida? It seems like there are quite a bit of properties over that way. It's close to the ocean, many rivers, lakes and springs. Plus, it makes sense logistically because I-95 runs through there. (It intersects with I-10 in Jacksonville). The weather is a little more temperate than St. Pete or S Florida.

You got it. I look forward to hearing from you.

@Samuel Rothmann I agree. I've been more active on here in the last week than FB and IG combined in the last year lol.

Give me a shout if you make out here.

@James Colon, I haven't worked with any turn-key companies in Jacksonville yet, but I would check out JWB. It's a young group and they're killing it. Look on the Southside (SE Jacksonville) for low crime + new construction. 

@Dzmitry Zakharau I'm interested in SFR's in Athens. Buy and hold rentals is what I'm thinking, but if a flip were to make sense, I'd be interested. Thank you.

Hi Ian,

I have been studying this concept or years, and have even built a small one....container home that is. Overall I think you're correct. At least I agree with you in that it's a great idea. So you wonder why you don't see more shipping container construction besides the high-end, one-off eccentric luxury home construction models and the rag tag cabins. And it seems baffling there are no construction or architecture firms dedicated to the concept.

There is no convention in shipping container construction, therefore every step of the process is clunky, i.e. time-consuming, i.e. expensive.

This is why, I believe, it hasn't (really) worked, which is definitely not to say that it won't work. I just think most builders look at the numbers and say screw it and abandon the concept for a more expedient strategy with fewer headaches.

The advantage of a shipping container is not it's strength (although they are insanely strong....IF you don't put doors and windows in them), but it's mobility (intermodality...trucks, ships, forklifts, etc.). But that makes the sizes of them difficult to make homes, so you remove walls, which makes the engineers cringe......

You've probably heard all this before from more reputable and authoritative sources than myself, so I won't be long-winded, and I definitely won't be a naysayer. 

Have you thought about the vacation home industry? All the same permitting nightmares, with larger per/night returns. Heavy on the property management, but very heavy on the marketability. This is what I've been dabbling in. 

I have some more thoughts + some designs w/numbers (including multi-fam). PM me.

Yes for now I'm looking at single family homes. I'm also starting to look at a few in Athens, GA as well. In addition to SFR's, they have an inventory of condos right now that seem interesting. Plus, it's a large college town.

Hi Sam,

I'm in the same boat as you....that is, learning, reading, listening all that I can (for free, which is cool), but still haven't made my first purchase other than the house I currently own and live in (i.e. not an actual investment property).

I live in Jacksonville and have been scouring the market this summer, drove by some properties today in fact (they weren't what I was looking for, though).

I'll say that it's drying up a bit, but I don't mean to dissuade you at all, in fact I think there are still tons of great deals out there (here), but the time is now. You should definitely listen to the Passive Real Estate Investing Podcast #21. It focuses on Jacksonville.

Right now the hot neighborhood is Murray Hill (east of Cassat Ave.)...but it's getting harder to find anything there currently. Check out Lakeshore too. Both are pretty safe and near enough to good/cool parts of town. 30's era 3/1's mostly usually requiring some rehab or updates. If you have a bit more capital to work with, start looking in Riverside/Avondale.

Hit me up with any more questions if you'd like.

-Sterling