Now I am a real investor!

[Robert Blake]

Just got back from checking out the work at our 80 unit property that we bought with 3 other partners about a month ago. I started looking into REI around the beginning of 2013, decided to jump into apartments after a few months considering niches, got myself initially educated and went looking for deals. Found a good partner and mentor who is great about helping out and explaining while listening to input - who knows or thinks of everything, right? We had a couple of deals fall apart in the due diligence phase due to issues with deferred maintenance. Price cures all, but only if your seller cares what a value-based price is. Those deals were still educational in and of themselves. I learned to be even more skeptical than my natural sense, since it seems like almost nothing the broker or seller tells you is accurate or complete. (Or worse!)

So, after a nearly 8 month long process, we closed on an 80 unit property in Kansas that was poorly maintained and managed even worse. The owner was making money, which seemed to be ok with them, even if they were leaving an awful lot of money on the table by not going to much effort to do a good job. Ultimately, of course, this is fine with me because by spending some time and effort that value becomes ours instead. It's a win-win! I feel pretty comfortable with the project, having seen what's been accomplished already and knowing what's still to come in the near future. It's a nice thing that the town is big enough for a full pool of tenants but small enough for talk about a changing reputation for the property to get around quickly.

I'm just glad it's all very definitely real now, and not some theoretical thing in a planning stage that I very certainly intend to do. Now it's time to go look for a few more!

[Robert Blake]

We bought at about an 8 CAP, which frankly was too much, however we still think it's worth it, expecting to raise the value almost 50% due to renovations and modernization, getting the rents up to (but you know, just a bit under) market, actually getting them all filled and paying, etc.

My main partner actually found it on LoopNet. We're more or less at roughly equal percentages, but he's bringing his experience and managing the project overall instead of cash or credit. It's a lot of work on the front end, but will come back to him at around a year. We're forestalling any profit-taking short term and reinvesting that into the property while it's being renovated and leased up fully, but by the end of the year should be flowing back to us instead. I've done well several times in my life so far by sacrificing a little today for a better tomorrow, so I'm fine with this. And tomorrow's not that far away.