Aloha from Honolulu, HI and Hey from Bellingham, WA

[Dana R.]

I'm a freelance writer living in Bellingham, Washington who travels to Honolulu several times a year for business. I know… it’s rough, especially when the weather here is 42 and raining. : )

In 2010, I bought a one-bedroom vacation rental condo in Waikiki. At that time, prices were low for Hawaii. The cash flow was so good that I wound up buying another one-bedroom condo in the same building in 2012.

I use Vacation Rental By Owner (VRBO) to advertise and rent out my condos. If anyone wants to chat about owning vacation rentals, I'd be happy to share my experience.

I got started in real estate in 1989 when I bought my first house in Olympia, WA. Paid $40K and sold it a year later for $65K. I used the profit towards a down payment for a house in Bellingham where I still live.

Hey Brandon, I'm probably one of the few people on Bigger Pockets who has actually been to Montesano. From 1986-1991 I lived and taught in Elma! My then hubby and I used to take walks in Lake Sylvia State Park. Even in the late 80s, Monte was a WAY better town than Elma.

I found Bigger Pockets a few months ago when I was trying to figure out if my condos were actually a good investment or not. Yeah, I put down hefty down payments for both condos so they cash flow well. But does that mean they are good investments? I didn’t really know. Found Bigger Pockets and have been reading and listening to podcasts ever since. I am so impressed with the generosity of people who share their vast real estate knowledge. Thanks, everyone! I am entirely grateful to be here. ~ Dana Rozier