Investing in a second property with partners

Investing in a second property with partners

Member since 2010 · 4 posts · 0 votes

Here's my situation. I bought my first property a couple months ago which I'm living in, and I'd like to buy a second property as an investment. I could try to do this on my own, but I have two very good friends of mine who are also interested in investing in real estate. I would be very comfortable investing with them since they are both long term close friends who are like minded, and I trust both of them completely. We were considering establishing an LLC and buying properties through that entity. Here's a run down of each of our situations.

Me: I'm 20 and have worked at my current job for a little over a year supervising a show in Vegas. I make $15/hour, and just bought a condo a couple months ago for 50k. I spent all of my savings to close on my condo, but I do a few side businesses to make money such as flipping cars, so if needed I could get together a couple grand within a month or two, but it's not my "official income" and is not shown on my taxes. My credit score is decent, but not great. I have a strike on my credit from a $4,000 medical bill, but that will be paid and removed soon.

Partner 1: He's 26, and is a co-owner on a pretty big house worth about 200k. The co-owner is his uncle who is wealthy and makes half of the mortgage payments for him. He works as a union electrician and makes about 60k per year, though being in the union he is sometimes on unemployment for a couple months at a time (Which he's on right now). He also has a car loan and has decent credit.

Partner 2: He's 21, and also works as a union electrician making about 50k per year. Although making decent money, he has bad credit. He also lives with partner 1.

So basically between the three of us, we make decent money, but don't have a lot of capital to put 20% down on properties at the moment. Would it be best for us to wait 3 or 4 months and try to save for a down payment for our first property, or is there a way to start sooner? Just thought I'd see if anyone could suggest a path for us to take to start off.

Thanks,
Shane

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Real Estate Investor · Glen Allen, VA · Member since 2008 · 74 posts · 43 votes
16y

Shane: partnering with people has to be for good reasons. Being good friends with someone is not reason alone to partner up. In an ideal partnership, everyone brings something unique to the table.

For example: you are a hustler (go-getter) and have free time and enthusiasm. Partner with someone who has no time but cash to invest. You find and close deals, use the partner's money and split the cashflow and equity according to your agreement.

It sounds like all 3 of you guys are in a similar situation: decent income, spotty credit (read: tough to get financing) and little cash. Don't rush to get into business with good friends - unless you each have something unique to contribute that the other ones don't. Just my take on things.

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  • Real Estate Investor · Glen Allen, VA · Member since 2008 · 74 posts · 43 votes
    16y

    Shane: partnering with people has to be for good reasons. Being good friends with someone is not reason alone to partner up. In an ideal partnership, everyone brings something unique to the table.

    For example: you are a hustler (go-getter) and have free time and enthusiasm. Partner with someone who has no time but cash to invest. You find and close deals, use the partner's money and split the cashflow and equity according to your agreement.

    It sounds like all 3 of you guys are in a similar situation: decent income, spotty credit (read: tough to get financing) and little cash. Don't rush to get into business with good friends - unless you each have something unique to contribute that the other ones don't. Just my take on things.

  • Real Estate Investor · Geneva, IL · Member since 2010 · 82 posts · 29 votes
    16y

    no money = wholesaler you'll probably end up liking it more anyway plus you'll learn a lot without putting up much cash. If you can succeed at that and you meet a lot of landlords. You'll probably end up not wanting to get into that side of the business. Being a landlord sucks.

  • Residential Real Estate Agent · Buffalo, NY · Member since 2010 · 14 posts · 6 votes
    16y

    I recommend that you find a Realtor who speaks "investor", one who has lots of contacts in the mortgage business. What you need is only a little direction. First, you need to find out what you 'can' do, then you need to decide what you want to do, and then do it. Call your favorite real estate brokerage and ask to speak to the manger, ask the manager if there's an agent who specializes in investment real estate. Make sure you're not talking to a rookie. Find an agent that you trust, and you'll be more than half way to your goals.
    [LINK REMOVED]

  • Real Estate Investor · Glen Allen, VA · Member since 2008 · 74 posts · 43 votes
    16y

    Hey Bryan - everybody and their uncle rags on being a landlord and I gotta admit, at times it really does suck and is frustrating as hell.

    But you know what doesn't suck? Getting a six-figure (net) passive cashflow every year from your portfolio. ;)

  • Member since 2010 · 4 posts · 0 votes
    16y

    Thanks for all the quick responses. My main reason for investing with my friends is not just that they are my friends, but that I realize that in the next year or so the cost of real estate will probably begin to skyrocket.

    Ideally I'd like to buy and rent at least a couple properties while prices are still low, and build equity between the rent and the (Hopefully) rising value of the properties in the next few years when I expect the market to go up.

    I was thinking that with more partners I would have a better chance of securing financing to purchase properties and in turn build more equity in the next few years. Is that not a good way to look at the situation? Would I be better off saving on my own over the next 5 or 6 months and using creative financing to buy from a FSBO seller?

    How do people obtain financing for a second property anyway without a lot of extra income from a job? I'm kind of stuck here at what the next step is for me to take when it comes to investing.

    I did already buy my first property which I consider a huge first step, but what now? : /

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