All Forum Posts by: Dylan Jennings

@Michael Quarles What source do you use to find this information? All the sites I've been trying to use require monthly subscriptions. Are there any ways to get these lists for free?

@Drae C. 

 Honestly you're going to have to find a great deal to make it work. This is truer in some areas more than others, but it's the baseline of real estate investing. Don't look at properties that are priced at market value, you need to be setting up your own parameter list and sticking to it. Do you want positive cashflow? (I would in this market, I doubt home values are going to keep appreciating much more) How much cashflow? 

It might take looking at 100+ properties until you find one that will be a cashflow cow for you. You've got to ask yourself if it's worth the dig. Start networking with agents or wholesalers in your area and make sure they let you know when something priced low comes in.

I wouldn't buy a property that's going to have to rent for more than the market average to stay in the black. If you can't find a renter then you're going to be paying that mortgage out of pocket in full. Ouch.

@Scott Hearne Howdy Scott!

I got my license to help build capital so that I can start buying investment properties and become a full time investor. An agent can be valuable to you by being on the ground, driving and hunting properties. The best are going to find motivated sellers and connect you to them days before they post the property on the MLS. The other way agents can be valuable to you is by helping you submit tons and tons of offers.

When you're trying to get sellers to accept lower offers that will fit your investment criteria it's helpful to have someone else writing those up for you so that  you have time to do other things. Especially if you're sending more than ten offers a month.

@Tyler ShackelfordThe biggest eye opener for myself and a pretty popular book all around for investors is Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad Poor Dad. Great book to start. I'd also recommend The Richest Man in Babylon by George Clason

@Tyler Shackelford I'm a student and Texas A&M and yeah, I understand exactly what you're feeling. If you're serious about getting debt free, real estate can be a great vehicle to build your wealth. Your loans are going to add to your debt to earning ratio, which will effect your ability to get financing, but that's not a big issue. This is something that can help you, especially if money is a factor of your life you truly want to improve.

Now, I would be cautious with this: "I keep telling myself to jump in and get started. There's no better way of learning than by doing."

This mindset can be dangerous in investing, and real estate is no different. Your first step should be to learn. Start reading about real estate, we've got a big list of books to get you started, and listening to the BP podcast would be helpful for you as well. 

I would imaging only the most superstitious of people would have a problem with a cemetery being a block away. Right up next to the patio though, as in @Account Closed 's post would be a different story. It would be quite difficult to enjoy a coffee on an early morning when half of your view is nothing but gravestones. 

@Jerry Poon As @James Wise stated, I'm not knowledgeable about Mexico's health care system. I'm also not a professional and you shouldn't take my perspective to heart, I'm just an undergraduate student. That being said the virus spreads through bodily fluids after someone has shown symptoms. I'd recommend you get familiar with the CDC's symptom list here as well as washing your hands frequently, making sure any wounds or cuts you have are bandaged, and doing your absolute best to avoid touching your face. Don't share drinks with someone, make sure you're protected when you come in contact with people, etc.

As far as real estate, or business in general goes in this matter, we might want to begin wearing gloves when doing handshakes, but that's about it as far as changes go. The only thing that worries me is that dogs can be asymptomatic carriers of the virus. This shouldn't be a problem in the United States, but you should be as careful as possible and educate yourself and your friends. So far the only fatality is due to human error.

As a pre-med student Ebola should not be an issue in the United States. The reason it's such a huge issue in Africa is because of their medical facilities being so far behind ours as well as their own religious practices. Clinics with no running water, and families that want to keep the bodies of the dead cause problems for the rest of the community there. Even in Dallas I doubt anyone's going to be selling their houses and packing up any time soon, the speculation of imminent terror is much more severe than the virus itself, in the US at least.

This question is really a personal decision of risk. Best case scenario he moves in and pays it, worst case he doesn't and you have to evict him. Is having a tenant today worth the possibility of having to evict the guy next month if he can't come up with the deposit? Take a look into your states eviction rules to see how much of a headache the guy could potentially cause you and decide if the risk is worth it.

@Larry Turowski  Situations like this are going to pop up many, many times down the road. Many people use recreational activities to relieve some pressure through relaxation. This works pretty well, but the most helpful stress relief I can suggest is just taking solace in your goals. Knowing that you're carving out the lifestyle you want and having the drive to say that little obstacles like this will not stop you from achieving your goals will help you cope with the stress they cause. There are so many different ways to solve a problem, and if you're tenacious enough you'll find the best way to do so. This is the kind of mindset that helps keep me going.