All Forum Posts by: Zane Zeigler

I have come across an off market deal for a condo in Dallas, TX near Love Field. It would cash flow great but would probably be considered class C housing. Anyone having success in the Dallas market with this type of property?

@Ryan McCook it sounds like you are trying to transition to a cash flow vs appreciation strategy, which is a great strategy. However, I'm curious as to what information you are using to determine ft worth as an area that doesn't appreciate much. The last data I saw put Ft. Worth in the top 10% for appreciation over the last 10 years for the nation. 

Also, Texas has very high property tax which can really eat into cash flow. This can surprise a lot of out of state investors. Good luck!

@Dona Lontok

There is a good discussion on DFW meetups here: https://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/585/topics/63...

This was typed with two thumbs, so pardon any mistakes. 

-Zane

@Mark Saleh Welcome to BP! Sounds like you are taking the right steps by learning and gathering information before you jump in. I am in Ft. Worth, which can be a great place to invest. Just keep in mind that Texas has high property tax compared to other states (top 5 in the country). This can be a challenge for investors from California, which also has high income tax. Just something to keep in mind when comparing markets.

Real Estate Agents:

- There are plenty of posts on BP about questions to ask real estate agents. You'll find about as many opinions on the best agent as you'll find agents. Some people recommend finding the agent that sells the most properties while others will recommend using an agent that works specifically with investors. Either can work, I think it should come down to how YOU feel after talking to them. 

- Zillow and other sites is ok to start, but you'll find they generally lag the local MLS. So I think you'll want an agent once you are serious about a certain market.

- Direct mailing is something usually handled by the investor not the agent. You will want to be the one deciding on where the letters are being sent, what they look like, what they say, etc. 

- Lastly, once you find your area, I would recommend traveling there and meeting with agents face-to-face. Agents get a lot of contact from out of state investors that are "interested" but never buy a property. Show them you are serious and ready to buy a deal when it comes up. 

Property managers can be found online. However, the best are usually found by referral from other investors or agents in the area. Good Luck!

-Zane

@Clay Gradis what is your plan for the Ft. Worth property? Are you planning on selling it or holding it for the long term? Hope all goes well for you. 

Also, is there a story behind the Space Shuttle profile pic? Fan of the shuttle or did you do some work on that program?

-Zane

@Ben McCaleb Welcome to BP! There are a ton of resources here as you are probably aware and plenty of active DFW members. There are some good meetups in the area and here is a discussion on some. That's a great way to network along with just have coffee with other investors. 

You mentioned you have moved every year the last 5 years for work. Do you see this continuing? Could you possibility be moving out of the DFW area? If so, you might want to set up systems that can be run from a longer distance. 

Let me know if you ever need anything!

-Zane 

@Mark Takata

It looks like you a lot of good information about Dallas, Arlington, and their surrounding areas. I am in Ft. Worth and here are some good blue collar working class neighborhoods:

Azle, Saginaw, parts of Lake Worth, White Settlement, Benbrook, Edgecliff Village. 

The city in pretty much broken up into 4 quadrants with 35W running North/South and 30 running East/West. Then you have 820, which loops around the city. The areas above are a good start, but there are certainly more areas that could work for you. Areas in Ft. Worth can quickly change from an A to a C just by driving a mile down the road, so be sure to visit the areas yourself or have a trusted resource when purchasing a property. 

Good luck and feel free to reach out for more information!

@Ryan Blake is there a website for info on the West DFW REI Meetup?

@John Clem Welcome to BP and to Fort Worth! When are you and your wife making the transition down? Here is a discussion from last week on meetups in the DFW area. Not sure where you and your wife are looking to move to, but the majority of those meetings are in north Ft. Worth or Dallas. I can speak to the Propelio event in Grapevine. It is a great place to start as it is completely free and they have food and an open bar. So at the very least you and your wife get a free meal out of it. Half is set up like a career fair with with agents, lenders, contractors, etc. all talking about their services. The other half is a auditorium where they are giving short 10 min presentations on various real estate topics. If you have any other questions or would like to connect more, just reach out. Good luck!

@Ilya Reznikov Welcome to BP! I like your idea of working with Habitat for Humanity. You get to learn some skills while helping others, that's great. A great way to get started into real estate, especially when you are younger, is doing the live-in-flip or house hacking. Not sure what your current situation is, but those are great low risk options to learn the industry. Let me know if you have any questions or just want to chat sometime. Good luck!

-Zane