Skip to content
×
PRO
Pro Members Get Full Access!
Get off the sidelines and take action in real estate investing with BiggerPockets Pro. Our comprehensive suite of tools and resources minimize mistakes, support informed decisions, and propel you to success.
Advanced networking features
Market and Deal Finder tools
Property analysis calculators
Landlord Command Center
$0
TODAY
$69.00/month when billed monthly.
$32.50/month when billed annually.
7 day free trial. Cancel anytime
Already a Pro Member? Sign in here

Join Over 3 Million Real Estate Investors

Create a free BiggerPockets account to comment, participate, and connect with over 3 million real estate investors.
Use your real name
By signing up, you indicate that you agree to the BiggerPockets Terms & Conditions.
The community here is like my own little personal real estate army that I can depend upon to help me through ANY problems I come across.
Starting Out
All Forum Categories
Followed Discussions
Followed Categories
Followed People
Followed Locations
Market News & Data
General Info
Real Estate Strategies
Landlording & Rental Properties
Real Estate Professionals
Financial, Tax, & Legal
Real Estate Classifieds
Reviews & Feedback

Updated 4 months ago, 08/19/2024

User Stats

1,992
Posts
1,439
Votes
Frank Patalano
Pro Member
  • Rental Property Investor
  • East Providence, RI
1,439
Votes |
1,992
Posts

So what's holding you back?

Frank Patalano
Pro Member
  • Rental Property Investor
  • East Providence, RI
Posted

When I help new investors with buying their first property I often want to know what is holding them back from pulling the trigger.

So I'll ask here. What is holding you back?

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    5
    Posts
    0
    Votes
    Sergey Pshenichkin
    • Germantown, MD
    0
    Votes |
    5
    Posts
    Sergey Pshenichkin
    • Germantown, MD
    Replied

    @Frank Patalano near-crippling debt.

    User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Bentley McKean:
    Originally posted by @Frank Patalano:
    Originally posted by @Bentley McKean:

    @Frank Patalano I feel like the area In California I live in is too expensive for me to invest into. I also don’t know if I would be comfortable investing out of state for my first property.

     If you are going to invest out of state you have a few different options.

    The first thing that I would do is pick a partner with some experience (I know that you have experience) Work together to research markets and find the first deal. Share the risk and the reward.

    Do you think it is a bad idea to invest out of state for the first deal? I really specialize in Industrial real estate, so I may want to stick more to that instead of multifamily. 

     I don't know anything about industrial real estate. What about starting in a quieter section of California?

  • Frank Patalano
  • BiggerPockets logo
    Join Our Private Community for Passive Investors
    |
    BiggerPockets
    Get first-hand insights and real sponsor reviews from other investors

    User Stats

    154
    Posts
    81
    Votes
    Timothy Douglas
    • Realtor
    • Austin, TX
    81
    Votes |
    154
    Posts
    Timothy Douglas
    • Realtor
    • Austin, TX
    Replied

    I literally have no money and the only way to get money is to partner with somebody. However, being twenty years old, it is hard to partner with somebody because they think I don't know what I'm doing; they're correct for the most part. The last thing is that my time is stretched between Young Life and College and I'm not willing to sacrifice friendships or my degree to dive into Real Estate Full time. Long story short, I don't actually believe I can and it pisses me off...

    User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Ezequiel Castellanos:

    @Frank Patalano $50,000 of student loans unfortunately. I just graduated in May.

     $50,000 is honestly not that crazy. When my partner bought his first house hack he owed $70,000 in student loans. If you buy right it allows you to pay off your debt faster.

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Timothy Douglas:

    I literally have no money and the only way to get money is to partner with somebody. However, being twenty years old, it is hard to partner with somebody because they think I don't know what I'm doing; they're correct for the most part. The last thing is that my time is stretched between Young Life and College and I'm not willing to sacrifice friendships or my degree to dive into Real Estate Full time. Long story short, I don't actually believe I can and it pisses me off...

     It's okay to be mad at yourself. It's okay that you want to enjoy life right now. Success involves sacrifice. You have to sacrifice something. It sounds like you are not even willing to sacrifice one day a month to attend a real estate meeting. If you are willing to do that then joining a local reia is a great first start.

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Sergey Pshenichkin:

    @Frank Patalano near-crippling debt.

     What's your income and how much debt are we talking? The beauty of real estate is that everything is not just about dollars. You can find a partner with money. You can wholesale properties. You can buy property no money down. Plenty of options. I'm not saying it's easy but don't use debt an excuse.

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    1
    Posts
    0
    Votes
    Replied

    @Frank Patalano

    The lack of knowledge about getting started. As in how to get a loan and knowing what a smart start loan is. Or who to go to for advice/help

    User Stats

    4
    Posts
    1
    Votes
    Steven Apicella
    • Flipper
    • Bedford, MA
    1
    Votes |
    4
    Posts
    Steven Apicella
    • Flipper
    • Bedford, MA
    Replied

    Hi, Frank, I applied for a VA loan it was denied because I have too many bills so my debt to income is too high My credit score is in the 720. but I have $74,000.00 in an offshore cryptocurrency company call crypto NXT website is cryptoNXT.io I want to take all of this money out but before I can withdraw this money I have to pay the taxes just like a stock. It would cost me 15K for taxes so I can withdraw. Do you know any hard money lenders that would lend me 6K in return I would pay them back 10K in a little over one month or I can pay them back in 40 days or less? my phone number is.

    User Stats

    4
    Posts
    1
    Votes
    Steven Apicella
    • Flipper
    • Bedford, MA
    1
    Votes |
    4
    Posts
    Steven Apicella
    • Flipper
    • Bedford, MA
    Replied

    Do you know any hard money lenders that would lend me 6K in return I would pay them back 10K in a little over one month or I can pay them back in 40 days or less? my phone number is.

    User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Steven Apicella:

    Do you know any hard money lenders that would lend me 6K in return I would pay them back 10K in a little over one month or I can pay them back in 40 days or less? my phone number is.

     They don't let you post your number here.

    I think that you have a better chance with a family member or a credit card company.

    Do you have any collateral?

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Byron Ashton Allen:

    @Frank Patalano

    The lack of knowledge about getting started. As in how to get a loan and knowing what a smart start loan is. Or who to go to for advice/help

     So you aren't being held back. You need to get some knowledge first. Read some books and start networking.

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Steven Apicella:

    Hi, Frank, I applied for a VA loan it was denied because I have too many bills so my debt to income is too high My credit score is in the 720. but I have $74,000.00 in an offshore cryptocurrency company call crypto NXT website is cryptoNXT.io I want to take all of this money out but before I can withdraw this money I have to pay the taxes just like a stock. It would cost me 15K for taxes so I can withdraw. Do you know any hard money lenders that would lend me 6K in return I would pay them back 10K in a little over one month or I can pay them back in 40 days or less? my phone number is.

     Sounds weird. You don't pay the taxes before you get the money. Sounds like a scam. Even if it were true you should be able to pay with sales funds. Like I said in my other response you should borrow the money from a family member.

  • Frank Patalano
  • BiggerPockets logo
    BiggerPockets
    |
    Sponsored
    Find an investor-friendly agent in your market TODAY Get matched with our network of trusted, local, investor friendly agents in under 2 minutes

    User Stats

    1
    Posts
    0
    Votes
    Replied

    @Frank Patalano what’s holding me back is I am a 20 year old boy still in college. I love real estate and have read a lot of books and listened to a lot of podcasts but I have no money for a down payment

    User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Jesse Parkins:

    @Frank Patalano what’s holding me back is I am a 20 year old boy still in college. I love real estate and have read a lot of books and listened to a lot of podcasts but I have no money for a down payment

     So find a partner with money.

    Don't use Age as an excuse. We have friends who are in their 20s and are multimillionaires.

    Get hustling. We know a few people who bought their first multi at 18.

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Anthony Le Grande:

    Getting my a deals done I have properties under contract it seem that if people are looking but nobody is buying for whatever reasons like a bunch of excuse to me but whatever.

    I have deals in the following cities

    Cleveland, OH (Mixed Use) Asking $ 55,000

    Muncie, IN (Full Rehab) Asking $ 8,000

    (3 Row Houses) Baltimore, MD (Full Rehab) BEST OFFER

    Here are the LOTS ONLY section:

    Helendale, CA Asking $ 22,000

    (2) Santa Rosa, CA (Fountaingrove ASKING $ 300K & Wikiup ASKING $250K)

    Barstow, CA (2 Hours from Las Vegas) asking $ 30,000

     Are you wholesaling on this forum post? That's funny.

    The best deals should be bought up rather quickly.

    Have you offered these at your local REIA?

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    203
    Posts
    33
    Votes
    Allison Meggison
    • Realtor
    • Bangor, ME
    33
    Votes |
    203
    Posts
    Allison Meggison
    • Realtor
    • Bangor, ME
    Replied

    @Frank Patalano

    That’s a good question ! If we knew what was

    Holding us back, wouldn’t we just change it ?

    User Stats

    2
    Posts
    0
    Votes
    Andrew Kirchoff
    • Rental Property Investor
    • Sanford, NC
    0
    Votes |
    2
    Posts
    Andrew Kirchoff
    • Rental Property Investor
    • Sanford, NC
    Replied

    @Frank Patalano a bad mold problem, structural damage and not being sure of the ARV. On the low end through my research I figure the ARV is 68k, the seller (wife's family) wants 28k for the house and I estimated 15k for repairs as I was going to do most of the remodeling for my first buy. Secured but not yet finalized financing (through family and friends) then found significant structural damage in the crawl space.

    User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Allison Meggison:

    @Frank Patalano

    That’s a good question ! If we knew what was

    Holding us back, wouldn’t we just change it ?

     Maybe. Maybe not. 

    Isn't acknowledging the problem the first step?

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Andrew Kirchoff:

    @Frank Patalano a bad mold problem, structural damage and not being sure of the ARV. On the low end through my research I figure the ARV is 68k, the seller (wife's family) wants 28k for the house and I estimated 15k for repairs as I was going to do most of the remodeling for my first buy. Secured but not yet finalized financing (through family and friends) then found significant structural damage in the crawl space.

     That's might hold you back on the first deal. 

    One option is to pass on it.

    Another option is to offer a lower number but give a percent of profit on the other end.

    If you keep finding deals it will be easier to pass on the non-profitable ones.

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    154
    Posts
    81
    Votes
    Timothy Douglas
    • Realtor
    • Austin, TX
    81
    Votes |
    154
    Posts
    Timothy Douglas
    • Realtor
    • Austin, TX
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Frank Patalano:
    Originally posted by @Timothy Douglas:

    I literally have no money and the only way to get money is to partner with somebody. However, being twenty years old, it is hard to partner with somebody because they think I don't know what I'm doing; they're correct for the most part. The last thing is that my time is stretched between Young Life and College and I'm not willing to sacrifice friendships or my degree to dive into Real Estate Full time. Long story short, I don't actually believe I can and it pisses me off...

     It's okay to be mad at yourself. It's okay that you want to enjoy life right now. Success involves sacrifice. You have to sacrifice something. It sounds like you are not even willing to sacrifice one day a month to attend a real estate meeting. If you are willing to do that then joining a local reia is a great first start.

    I've actually obtained an LLC and was planning on starting a meetup in my area next semester because none of the current meetups fit with my weekly schedule. I'm totally okay with sacrificing a night, it's mainly that all my nights are full except Thursday, which is the plan now. The other thing that is stopping me is inaccurately assessing repair costs. I'm reading through the book and stuff but I am too scared to mess it up and cost an investor money.

    User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Timothy Douglas:
    Originally posted by @Frank Patalano:
    Originally posted by @Timothy Douglas:

    I literally have no money and the only way to get money is to partner with somebody. However, being twenty years old, it is hard to partner with somebody because they think I don't know what I'm doing; they're correct for the most part. The last thing is that my time is stretched between Young Life and College and I'm not willing to sacrifice friendships or my degree to dive into Real Estate Full time. Long story short, I don't actually believe I can and it pisses me off...

     It's okay to be mad at yourself. It's okay that you want to enjoy life right now. Success involves sacrifice. You have to sacrifice something. It sounds like you are not even willing to sacrifice one day a month to attend a real estate meeting. If you are willing to do that then joining a local reia is a great first start.

    I've actually obtained an LLC and was planning on starting a meetup in my area next semester because none of the current meetups fit with my weekly schedule. I'm totally okay with sacrificing a night, it's mainly that all my nights are full except Thursday, which is the plan now. The other thing that is stopping me is inaccurately assessing repair costs. I'm reading through the book and stuff but I am too scared to mess it up and cost an investor money.

     Nice. 

    Making your own group is an awesome idea.

    The next time that you look at a property, see if you can bring a friend that is super handy to help you improve on your  cost estimates.

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    21
    Posts
    9
    Votes
    Richard Gonzales
    • Investor
    • Fort Wayne, IN
    9
    Votes |
    21
    Posts
    Richard Gonzales
    • Investor
    • Fort Wayne, IN
    Replied

    I’m looking for my first multi-family right now to house hack. I think analysis paralysis has been holding me back, and I’m finally working my way past it. I am coming to terms with the fact that I’m never going to find the “perfect” rental property, but that I can make a house into a great rental if the price is right. The risk of a market down turn or the negative impact of discovering a major issue with a property I buy also holds me back

    User Stats

    1,992
    Posts
    1,439
    Votes
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    1,439
    Votes |
    1,992
    Posts
    Frank Patalano
    Pro Member
    • Rental Property Investor
    • East Providence, RI
    Replied
    Originally posted by @Richard Gonzales:

    I’m looking for my first multi-family right now to house hack. I think analysis paralysis has been holding me back, and I’m finally working my way past it. I am coming to terms with the fact that I’m never going to find the “perfect” rental property, but that I can make a house into a great rental if the price is right. The risk of a market down turn or the negative impact of discovering a major issue with a property I buy also holds me back

     Yeah I've never found the perfect property. Besides that focus on buying for cash flow. If you're buying a property and it cash flows then it has a better chance of surviving a market downturn.

  • Frank Patalano
  • User Stats

    4
    Posts
    1
    Votes
    Steven Apicella
    • Flipper
    • Bedford, MA
    1
    Votes |
    4
    Posts
    Steven Apicella
    • Flipper
    • Bedford, MA
    Replied

     I have no Collateral to speak of but I did find a lender with lending tree we will see how it goes. Thank you for the advice though.

    Account Closed
    106
    Votes |
    127
    Posts
    Account Closed
    Replied

    I think for me, the biggest problem has been finding capital for the next one.  I started renting out my first property (single family home) last December and currently make about $325/mo in cash flow.  However, it has been hard to extract the equity I have in my house to use on another property, I finally found a lender who will do an equity line of credit on an investment property and am currently going through that process.