All Forum Posts by: Tom A.

Welcome to BP @Tim Mercado! Hope to see you around at a local REIA or one of the local monthly meetups that @Aaron Yates and I host.

Welcome to BP @Scott B. ! You'll learn a lot here. Try to hit some local REIAs in order to meet fellow investors, and join the local BPers at the monthly casual meetup that @Aaron Yates and I coordinate.

The Champps just off I-75 at Big Beaver Rd has been a reliable gathering place for some after-REIA meetings. We're usually there on a Thursday and they're open late. Not sure about their hours earlier in the week.

We're building a spec house with a detached garage on a city lot. The garage can't be larger than 485 sqft which means we could build a garage 24w x 20d, 23w x 21d or 22w x 22d. Any thoughts on which would be most useful for the future homeowner? Since it's a spec house we don't know if it'll need to fit small cars or Suburbans.

20' deep seems tight to walk around with a fullsize SUV or pickup but since it's detached there's no issue with walking around the vehicle to get inside, just walk out the garage door or side man door. Depending on the width and depth it presents different limitations on storage of lawnmowers, bikes, shelving, workbench, etc.

Thoughts?

Thanks to everyone who came out and helped us kick off the Metro Detroit BP Meetups. It was great seeing you all. I didn't get a chance to talk to everyone in depth given the numbers that turned out but there will be other opportunities as we plan on continuing these on a regular basis.

David, it's not uncommon for short sales to drag on long enough that foreclosure occurs. In Michigan, with the 6 months redemption period, there's still plenty of time to make the short sale deal happen, as it seems you did in your case.

This is a casual, non-structured meetup aimed at helping local investors meet other local investors. Everyone in the SE Michigan area is welcome, Oakland, Macomb, Wayne and outlying counties. No formal pitches or anything, just friends and future friends hanging out.

Wednesday, November 13 at Copper Canyon Brewery & Restaurant starting at around 6:30 p.m. and going until the last BP'er leaves. You don't need to be there right at 6:30, if you can't make it until 8:00 or 10:00 I'm sure we will be there.

People with any level of real estate investing experience or inexperience are welcome. You don't have to be a BP member so feel free to bring buddies, partners and spouses.

We will be in the section of the restaurant to the back and left, with the raised floor. Don't be shy, I know a number of the attendees and we're all friendly and happy to meet new folks.

Copper Canyon Brewery is just off Telegraph Rd, North of 696. If you take 696 to Telegraph north, turn right on the Northwestern Highway service drive that runs parallel to the Lodge expressway. It's just past the car dealerships and the New Seoul Garden restaurant.

There's a facebook event page for the meetup with a map at

https://www.facebook.com/events/400775253384742/

It shows the location and who in my facebook network is planning on attending. Feel free to click "Join" if you're planning on attending. It'll help us all to connect with each other. Particularly if you meet someone but can't quite remember their name or how to get in touch with them.

While the architectural style is similar and the location is close, the neighborhood in the video is actually Sherwood Forest. It's west of Palmer Woods. The homes in Sherwood Forest tend to be 1/2 to 2/3 the size of the homes in Palmer Woods. No matter, it's an owner-occupant neighborhood and certainly not a turnkey rental neighborhood.

Regarding where people get groceries, that's always one of those things brought up by people who don't know the city. I can assure everyone that despite the talk about Detroit being a "food desert" there are ample places to buy groceries including specialty retailers and one of the nation's largest and oldest farmers' markets Eastern Market. After all, even Detroiters eat every day.

If one lived in Sherwood Forest or Palmer Woods there are a number of options. In July of this year the regional chain Meijers opened a 190,000 sqft supercenter grocery at Woodward and 8 Mile (ohh, yes, that scary street Eminem made famous). That's about a mile away. There are a number of independent and chain grocery stores within several miles, and a new Whole Foods in Midtown Detroit if that's your thing. Just down the road in Hamtramck you'll find authentic Polish markets next to Bengali food stores. Hit Honeybee Market in Mexicantown for yet more variety. And dozens more options all around the city. Heading north a mile puts you in the suburbs with the normal variety of grocery stores and retail.

I know a significant number of educated, successful, professionals who have options and are living and raising their children in the city of Detroit by choice. Not just single hipsters or urban pioneers. In a city that can be challenging they have found a way to live safely, educate their children to a high standard and enjoy life. There are also some very depressed, abandoned and scary neighborhoods that I wouldn't wish on anyone.

Scott, you haven't been in Michigan very long. Detroit takes a while to really wrap your head around. Even some people who have lived in SE Michigan all their lives have a rather incomplete understanding of the city. I read posts from Annette that take an overly rah-rah approach and posts from others that are overly negative. Both lack an adequate and balanced factual basis.

I'm looking forward to the meetup this Wednesday. There's a facebook event page for the meetup at

https://www.facebook.com/events/400775253384742/

It shows the location and who in my facebook network is planning on attending. Feel free to click "Join" if you're planning on attending. It'll help us all to connect with each other. Particularly if you meet someone but can't quite remember their name or how to get in touch with them.

Also, if you "like" my FB RE investing page at https://www.facebook.com/WeLoveTheHouse it'll be easier to make sure you get a direct invite to the event page for the next one.

When I was there last week I noticed the parking lot had some big craters. The person I spoke with said the owner had been trying to get it refinanced and just recently closed on the new financing so they'll be doing some repaving and painting this month.